Memorial Stone to Mr."Whiteside and Mr. Watt on Score of Their Death: Indifference of Local Chinese Authorities to Their Disgrace Fae Our Own Connssroxnenr, Mienchow, Sze., Apr. 13.
We are having a spell of decidedly hot weather, and are feeling bad-y the need of rain. For upwards of three months there has been no rain, and the spring which supplies the two Mission schools on the hill outside the city has begun to cause us inconvenience.
We have always regarded it as perennial and a good day's rain Would restore it to normal.
By the courtesy of the Rev. H. J. Bowden I am enabled to send connexion with the Watt-Whiteside tragedy.
'One reads it with mixed feelings, and it gives food for reflexions' on the state of China generally.
The disappearance of the Com. missioner appointed by General Yang Sen to represent the Govert ment in connexion with the event og also the failure of the soldiers to remain with the party through the Journey into the brigand-infested district Is significant of the nitric les of bandit and government society. The failure ix doubtless due to fear of reprisals and perhaps, which is more serious, to a certain unwillingness to admit the Justice of such action.
Undoubtedly if a Chinese citizen were treated by British lawbreakers fas these deceased men wore treat-by the bandits, the British Government would be very definite in its endeavour to show its disapproval of such doings. A failure ty rise to these heights of magnanimity seems a serious defect.
Mr, Howde account is as follows:
The Memoriat Party.
Mienchow, April 12.
"Another event in connexion with' the tragedy and loss of the two C.M.S. Missionaries, the Revs. R. A, Whiteside and F. J. Watt, last year was completed on Saturday, April 5.
Te became apparent to many that} '4 Memorial Stone shoul be erected the neighbourhood of the murder og a standing witness and record of the fact. For this purpose a party of three members, of the Church Missionary Society accompanied H.B.M. Consul General, G. A. Combe, Esq, proceeded to" the mountainous District which lies to the north of Btionchuh, which city is two days 'a shorter road to the lake and pia-tean of Tien Ch'i they ed a coal coolie track for five miles The last piece being up a very steep zig-zag path.
The escort was now stationed of intervals along the road and only one company ascended to the cluster of houses at Tien Ch'ih. Tt wax not possible to investigate the district that evening. The lake of Tien Ch'ih is about 15 Chinese ae res in surface, and nestle amid a bowl of high hills, the one entzanc= is by the zig-zag' path referred to. The, inhabitants in the immediate vicinity are not many and were no doubt surprised at the party of for. igners, carriers and military arriving amid their seclusion. The sleep-mig quarters occupied were the sam as those used by Messrs, Whiteside and Watt last year, in the Long Wang Mino (Dragon'King Temple no other shelter being available The Memorial Service.
'The original intention was wait' here for the Memorial Stone to arrive onthe Saturday morning; it was obvious, however, that no place would be possible for the setting up of the Stone without some delay. Mcreover except for coal coolies using the path at this point very few others pass this way, hence the pu pore of the stone would be lost. The late Messrs. Whiteside and Watt had continued their journey from Tien Ch'ih, intending to join another CALS. party on the other side of a mountain, Peh Yuin Shan, and had already passed some paper factories three miles away. They met the brigands not very far from this spot.
After following a footpath in this direction and learning from the guide many facts concerning the evidence in hand. on returning to the hamlet again, it was seen that the main part of the military escort had withdrawn without any pvevious information being given, 30 the representative from Genecal ang Sen was nowhere to be found, nor did he put in any appearance at the Ceremony laze in day. Tt was decided therefore to descend the steep hill and meet the stone carriers. on the road. About midday the stone arrived, selected by the side the market of Shui Kin Men and the!
The range of mountains in thi
"and wealthy Chengtu Plain. part of Szechuen fringe the vast mediately outside Micnehuh the view presents a beautiful and un-jed scene of spring crops, mustard, beans, and many other sorts in full flower, Large tracts of opium cultivation are se short distance of the city, and this plant is visible everywhere in me creasing quantity oven to the more inaccessible recesses of the hills. Busy markets lie at the principal openings of the valleys. At one of these, Han Wang Miao, the party made a halt for a meal, and also to Inspect the stone which was being prepared. At this point, ten miles from Mienchuh, the military escort joined, consisting of a ying or battalion of four companies. Tt should also be mentioned that General Yang Sen had deputed a representa from Headquarters at Chengtu to.aeeompany the Consul.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.