20th July. 'TWENTY-FOUR years ago—on Sunday, the 3rd of May, 1874—there was a riot at the so-called Nivgpo Joss House, of which Mr. J, W. Maclellan, in his Story of Shanghai, gives the following account "On the morning of that day a large number of Chinese attacked the French Inspector of Roads and his family, near the Ningpo Temple, and broke into the neighbouring house, the dwelling of Miss Maclean, a missionary lady, whom they threw down stairs, but on her calling out that she was not French, the rioters desisted from maltreating her. ''he mob then proceeded to burn down some stables and Chinese houses near by. Eight natives were killed in the riot in the morning, and matters looked so serious in the evening that men were landed from' the French gun-vessel Couleuvre, and from the U. 8. dispatch steamer Ashuelot; the Volunteers were called out, foreigners received arms in the Municipal Hall, which were served out to them by the Council, and a hundred and fifty Chinese soldiers were sent from the city. Everything was quiet by midnight, "These riots were ostensibly caused by the French Municipal Council be; ing to lay out two roads which past the temple, The Chinese objected that the roads would desecrate an old graveyard, the graves in which had been levelled when the French burned the suburb, thirteen (sic) years before, But the Chinese argued that the tradition of the place had not been lost, that it was still sacred. It is, however, very likely that the memory of the destruction of their property li of Chairman of the Anglo-American Council and Civil Commandant of the Volunteers, now held by his brother, Mr. J. 8. Fearon.
Lhere has been some discussion on the actual right of the French Municipality to claim the ground held by the Ningpo Joss House. As practical men we put on one side the document signed by M. Godeaux, the French Consul-General, whose natural imbebility was increased by the state of abject terror and dread of responsibility he was in, twenty-four years ago. His action was at once repudiate ed by his colleagues of the Consular Body, by the French Council, by all the foreigners in Shanghai, and even by the then Taotai, H.E., Shen, who thanked the foreigners for the assistance that they had rendered him in maintaining order. It would be impossible ts bind the French Municipality for all time by an arrangement made by so feeble an official as M. Godeaux, even though he was French Consul-General. There is no question that the French Council have the right to demand the removal of graves from the Concession. Years ago the Fukien cemetery was removed from settlement limits; and more than one treaty port Concession is situated on ground that was simply covered with graves when lit was marked out for foreign occupation: 'l'here is no question that the French Municipality has the right to insist on the removal of full coffins from the settlement limits as an ordinary measure of sanitation, "Phe existence of a depdt of corpses within settlement limits has constantly been protested against, and should be prohibited. There is no question again that the French Municipality has a perfect right to mark out where, in reason, it wishes to make roads, and to take the ground required for that purpose. As we have already Count de Bezaure and the French Municipality on Saturday was not the outcome of a sudden decision. Negotiations have been going on for mouths, and the Taotai has been warned. by independent advisers that his reliance on procrastination would land him in trouble, It was only when the Count de Bezaure saw that the Irotai had no intention to settle the matter, that he determined to take the bull by the horns.
Nothing justifies the appeal to mob violence of all charge of participation ip which the Ningpo Guild has yet to free itself, Treating of M. Godeaus's action we wrote twenty-four years ago that: "It can hardly fail to encourage the Chinese in a belief that riot is a good means to their end, in case of future dispute. But it will be unfortu nate for them of they attempt to re their tactics, in dealing with " Consul east ina sterner mould." 'I'hey have repeated their tactics, they have dealt with a Consul cast in a sterner manid, and they have had severe lesson. As. we have already said, we do not believe that a single shot was fired by the French except under irresistible provocation, It is very easy to say: "It is a pity to kill a dozen people when yon want to acquire a piece of ground but the people were killed because they were constituent elements in a mob that was attacking Frenchmen with bricks, and stones, and boothooks, and bamboos and other weapons; and if they had not been fired at as they were, very much more and more deplorable bloodshed would have resulted, It is the first condition of our existence here that mob-violence shall be repressed promptly, sternly, and effectively.
One gond thing will no doubt come out of this trouble. It should give a j valuable impulse to the cause of the Extension. of the Settlements, A reference to the French Treaties shows the conflagration of 1860 still rank-! said, the contention of the French that in them this Extension is provided led in the minds of the Chinese, and municipality is, that on the Concession, itor, In Art XXII of the 1844 treaty, was the real cause of the outbreak. if a foreigner requires land owned by and Art. X of the 1858 trouty it is said:
"he French Consul-General showed Chinaman, the Chinaman must sell at! "It is further understood that the great imbecility. He promptly retook a reasonable price. Lhe'l'reaty of 1844 number of bouses and the extent of himself to a place of safety,"—it was between France and China says, Art. the ground to be assigned, to French always understood that he was found XXII, that in the open ports French sub- subjects in the ports open to foreign under his bed—"lenving his compatriots jects may buy, build, or hire houses, trade shall not be limited, and that thay and others to look after themselves and churches, hospitals, schools, etc., ete,; shall be determined according to the the security of the Concession, And on The Chinese authorities have to see need and convenience of the parties." the day after the rioting he issued a that this is arranged at reasonable! Obviously this provides for the exten-notification which virtually conceded sion of a Settlement or Concession when everything the Chinese demanded. 'I'he irates. A precisely similar provision appears in the French Treaty of 1858 becomes necessary.
Municipal Council refused to reconsider {aud itis naturally argued that when The rights of the parties to take or the question of the roads, till the it is settled where the foreigner is to to hold. the Ningpo cemetery may be tendency to rioting had disappeared and acquire land, be must be empowered the subject of discussion, but there can compensation had been made, Par-[to get the land that he requires. It be no discussion about the wrongfulness ther, it expressed its opinion that the would be no use having a Concession, of appealing to violence, and any sym-riots might have been avoided if the! if, the Chinese owners of ths Jand pathy that may be felt with the trustees Consul-General had taken a more could refuse to sell; and there would and managers of the Ningpo Joss House energetic attitude. Nearly all the be few Coucessions, if the presence of; must be utterly alienated if they do unofficial Frenchmen and Swiss ptowes were to he accepted as a bar to not entirely discountenance any further tested against his conduct, on which he jthe sole to a foreigner. We under-the disturbance. hey will get no moral petulantly withdrew his consular pro-{stand that the French Council is pre-or other support even from those who tection from the latter." pared to pay a fair price for the think the French authorities have It is interesting to note in passing cemetery, though we do not know not treated them with consideration that at the time of the riot in 1874 when this offer was made. It must be unless they abandon altogether their the late Mr. N Fearon held the post! remembered that the action of the! recent misguided tactics.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.