(From OCR ow ConRESPOXDEST.)
The riot at Yunnanfa in June lest seems to have been the result f two excuses, jthe desire of the French to find some pretext for armed intervention in the province, and the animosity of the literary classes and magistrates to foreigners generally and the French railway in particular, Matters were, however, brought to a crisis through the action of the French Consul in bringing. to Yunnanfu a lage quantity of guns and ammunition, The "n'i-foreign party had long been seeking for some such circumstance, and a riot was decided upon by the gentry, to be organised by their head (a Hanlin) and by one of the subordinate officials in the Treasurer's yamen. Owing to the disturbed state of the city, the French Consul, acting under orders from Pekiny, determined to eave, especially as the Governor refused to guarantee his safety.
Gri the morning of the day, when it was proposed by the Consul to leave, the pack-horses carrying his baggage were stopped by a big mob, which looted and destroyed everything.
If ut this juncture the Governor had been willing to act energetically, the rising could have been suppressed before more damage had been done. But he hesitated to take vigorous measures, and the mob became more than he could manage, Probably be secretly sympathised with the rising, though as far as his dealings with his own countrymen xo, he is reputed to be honest and straightforward.
After looting the baggage, the mob hurried to the French Consulate, in which for some days previously all French ubjects hid taken refuge. "The French Consolato, however, hai been quickly surrounded by Chinese soldiers and adequately protected. The mob being unable to enter there, attacked one by one the other foreign houses in the city, most of which were looted and destroyed and some burned to the ground, as the Chinese officials either were unable, or made no attempt to protec: them, exception way the principal house belonging to the China Inland Mission, This house was surrounded by soldiers just before the mob arrived. The oflicinl in charge of the soldiers acted on his own responsibility and though for nearly two days the mob made furious efforts to enter, it was unable to gain its end. the inmates, Mr. and Mrs, Stevenson, Misses Campbell and Letfingwell, during the attack passed through a period of great suspense, No escape was sible fro the house, which was closely surrounded by other houses, Had the Chinese soldiers yielded, one fears to think at might have happened. At Inst the Governor gave permission to behend one of the rioters and gradually the mob dispersed. The other British residents, Mr. and Mrs, Dymond and family, Me. und Mrs. Harding, and Dr. and Mrs. Savin, took refuge in the Hsien yamen, Their houses were quickly looted and two completely destroyed, The putty who had taken refuge in the yamen also had a trying experience. Ten pers us, including children, together with the Chinese servants, were placed in a very small room for two days, 'The magistrate, too, was very much afraid that the mob would discover the hiding-place of the party, and forbade the opening of windows and doors, At' one time it seemed that the yamen would catch fire, as the Roman Catholic premises new at hand were aflame and a. strong wind was blowing in the direction of the yamen. Fortunately, after a time the wind dropped, amd thus the fire did not spread, but the premises became x complete ruin, After the riot the magistrates were kind and treated all with great politeness.
Whether there was any connection between the disturbance and the Boxer movement one cannot say for certain, The murder of the German Ambassador and the fighting at Tientsin were talked about on the street long before news could be got by telegram through foreign sources. The city did not become quiet after the riot, as was expected, but continued to grow more and more unsettled and at last
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.