To an Amoy resident, a perusal of the papers that have appeared upon the above topic shows that the trug cause of the trouble has not been made clear, and in the interests of fair play the writer would like to place what appears him to be some facts suppressed or ignored before the reading public. These tend to show that Messrs. Butterfield & Swire have been made the whipping post for the British Consulate.
Ose or Ovr ReEvouvTioys.
Since the opening of Amoy and up to quite recent years, movement along the sea front in face of the city and the Foreign Concession houses was free and unimpeded. About the year 1917, during one of the numerous revolutions, the opposing Chinese forces came close to Amoy, appearing on both sides of the harbour, and fears were entertained, or rataer the possibility had to be considered, that the city might become the actual scene of fighting and the inevitable looting.
It was suggested that the For. eign Settlement might be made a safety area and the opinion of a commander of a British cruiser in port was sought. It is reported that lo stated that, unless means of access to this area were capable of being effectively closed, he could not undertake to protect the area. To effect this the British Consul required the erection of substantial walls at each end of the Settlement, from the edge of the Bund to the corner of the front end buildings where strong iron gates were placed; the ends of cross streets leading from the city to the Bund were supplied with stout gateways.
For a considerable period, gates were closed at night and occasionaljy in the day—t.e. upon report of fires or robberies, etc., in order to keep the Settlement from being overrun with sightseers or fleeing inhabitants. These measures, effective up to a point, passed more or Jess unnoticed during the period of unrest. But as conditions became normal, the walls and gates. and their occasional closing became objects of offence and aroused continual comment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.