For many years past some few of the men of muscle in these parts have made a profession of the science and art of self-defence, and have endeavoured to teach it to certain pupils for a consideration. One such professor of bosing, well-known to mysel anything but a' ferocious character. Nor was the profession at all disreputable or illegal until recently. Indeed the " Peking Gazette" of 5th November. 1898, contains a decree of the Empress Dowager, ordering the formation of boxing leagues everywhere, "to tum the whole realm into an armed camp in case of need." But this decree having been the genesis of the world-famed
movement a costly failure, all such practices Boxer movement (with a big B), and that are now illegal and "the art of self-defence' no longer "noble" but the reverse.
Indeed three men of the neighbourhood, having been caught in the act of boxing performances, whether with nefarious intent or not, have been haled to the yamen of our respected prefect; beaten, it is said, several thousand blows, and ordered to wear heavy triple cangue for a month. They are now on exhibition either at the gate of the prefect's yamen, or on circuit through the streets of Hankow, as a warning to others; and to emphasise this warning a big proclamation has been issued with prohibitions and threats. Such severe measures, while perhaps in excess of the deserts of the three Boxers, will be an effective deterrent against any possible outbreak of local boxing such as might assume dangerous proportions by and by.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.