'There is no need to introduce the veteran missionary and author of the famous and much discussed' Chinese Characteristics "from whom comes the charming article, But one special episode in his' career, which he does not mention, ought to be added.
For many' years Dr, Arthur Smith was cur Correspondent from Northwestern Shantung, and it was in that capacity lo published as editorials told the first connected story of the rise of Boxerism in, Shanti (The very word "Boxe originated in the letters which passed between this Shantung village where Dr, Smith and the one to the west of it_in Chihli, called Hsiaochang, where the London Mission met the storm Jong before Dr. Smit! district did.)
first distinct warni of the Boxer uprising known of was in an edit his published December 4, 1899 the preceding November), entitled Coming Conflagration in' the North." This was followed by many others at frequent intervals, (These are mentioned with sufficient fulness in vol. 1 of "China in Convulsion""—now quite out of print—pp. 185-185.)
In Mr, Morse's third volume entitled The International Relations of the Chin-ire, he quotes extensively from orth: China Daily News", and refers to ut constantly, with the remark that it was "well served" by its corres pondents at that time. (Especially—by one fine Chinese Mr. Tsang who wrote from Peking in May exposing the whole animus of the Court, which was ridiculed the time, but every assertion proved true, He was probably killed in trying to escape to Shanghai.)
was in response to a request of the editor of that time (Mr. McLellan) that Dr. Smith began writing about Chinese Traits, etc. The first article in the "Chinese Characteristics" series appeared in the "North-China Daily News" in November 1687, and the last chapter and the conclusion was printed in October 1889. The North-China Daily News" issued these in book form the followi year, with covers made in London, de-votaled by a handsome Pagoda, the ing 427 pp, and a whole page of Owing to heavy charges in London, the profits were nil.
In 1894 the book was issued in New York, where within twenty years or so more' than 21,000 copies were disposed of. It was soon translated into French, Dutch, German, Japanese and Chinese (in the two former probably in part only) and is still extant, When the writer of these lines arrived in China in August 1872 there had just been started a small sheet called "The News-Letter", which was designed to act as a catch-all for such items as might interest friends cut of China to whom it was to be sent by each (highly irregular) mail. For one little paper of this sort, but with a different title, the writer was ere long asked to_ indite news paragraphs from Tientsin, his port of destination. As soon as one of the little sheets expired, in a facile and perfunctory manner, another appeared to take its place.
This was the time of the great floods of 1872 and 1873 in the Chihli province, which were recognized by the Chinese themselves as a punishment of Heaven for the crime of the Tientsin Massacre of June 1870. when twenty foreigners,—including a consul, and as many Chinese were killed by a mob directed by the gentry of that city. Even at the time mentioned, more than two years after the massacre, foreigners were not allowed by the consuls to visit the walled city, although there would probably have been no danger in doing so.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.