The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-15 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDOV, WEDNESDAY EVEN' G, OCTOBER 15, 1862.

OUTRAGES ON BRITISH SUBJECTS IN

CHINA.

The following correspondence on the subject of
outrages committed on British subjects in China is
published in last night's Gazette :

Peking, July 2.
My Lord,—I have the honour to enclose copy of a de-
spatch from Mr. Gingell, her Majesty's consul at Hankow,
and of my reply, on a recent outrage committed on a party
of foreigners at Woo-chang-foo. I trust your lordship will
approve of my insisting on her Majesty's subjects acting
with discretion, and of her Majesty's consuls evincing a
disposition to consider the difficulties with which the Chinese
authorities have to contend in dealing with the people. The
more we avoid collisions at the new ports, the better.—l
have, &c., FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE.
The Right Hon. Earl Russell, &c.
P.S.—I have the honour to enclose copy of a despatch to
Mr. Forrest, on the line of conduct to be observed by him
at Kinkiang. F. B.

(Copy.)
Hankow, May 22, 1862.

Sir,—The enclosed copy of letter addressed to me will fur-
nish particulars of an assault upon a party of British sub-
jects, while visiting the Wu-chang city, on the 14th May.
A party of Americans, having two ladies among the num-
ber, were Similarly attacked on the 10th inst., and driven
out of the city, the ladies on that occasion having their
ornaments, as I am informed, taken from them, and other
indignities offered to their persons.
Whatever insolence and violence foreigners may have been
subjected to on the Hankow side, it has been constantly re-
marked with what freedom from annoyance every individual
has hitherto visited the Wu-chang city. And this was par-
ticularly mentioned to the viceroy on the occasion of Lieut.
Poole's visit to him on the Bth inst.
Her Majesty's gunboat Havoc left this port for Kiu-
kiang on the morning of the 10th, and the attack upon the
first party which entered the pity, following immediately
after her departure, is, I conceive, highly significant. It is
probable the Mandarins have been instrumental in secretly
intimating 0 the people to make a demonstration of their
dislike to foreigners visiting Wu-along. The Chinese su-
perintendent of trade, however, addressed me a note imme-
diately after the occurrence, and affirmed that the attack
was made by strangers who were staying in the city during
the continuance of the examinations, and he requested me
to deter the merchants and others from going into the city
until the examinations were over. He was informed by me
in reply, that British subjects, under treaty, were allowed
to visit any places they pleased, and that the Chinese autho-
rities were at all times bound to afford them the fullest pro-
tection, and that I could not, therefore, interdict them from
visiting Wu-chang city.
As soon as the matter was reported to me, I at once
brought it to the notice of the viceroy, and required the
punishment of the aggressors ; and his Excellency was also
requested to adopt means for preventing a repetition of such
outrages, but as yet no reply has been received to my ap-
peal.--1 have, &c., (Signed) W. R. GINGELL.
The Hon. F. W. A. Bruce, C. 8., &c.

(Copy.)

Hankaw, May 15, 1862.

sir,—Wd woild respectfully bring te Your"notice an un-
provoked attack,-made upon us yesterday at Wu-Chang, by
a crowd of people belonging to that place. We had entered
by the Han-yang gate, accompanied by Mr. Dick, of the
imperial customs, with the intention of visiting the curio-
sity shops, and viewing the country from the ridge that
intersects the city. Having accomplished the first object
of our visit, in which we were not only unmolested, but
treated with civility, we mounted the hill, and, seeing some
military review or examination going on in the parade-
ground, passed down towards it. As a large crowd was as-
sembled round the competitors, we entered the pavilion in
which the prefect was seated, stationing ourselves in rear
of his attendants. who received us with courtesy ; but we
had only been there a few minutes when a rush was made
in the direction of the pavilion by the crowd, who, with
loud cries, poured a shower of brick-bats into the buildings.
The prefect and his officers remonstrated with the mob
without effect ; and, as they were evidently unable to afford
us protection, we retreated up the hill and along its top,
pursued by some hundreds of Chinese, and under a shower
of stones, by which several of us were bruised, though for-
tunately not severely hurt. The crowd, still throwing
brick-bats, followed us until within 100 yards of the Han-
yang gate.
• "

We would also beg to assure you, that the attack was
entirely unprovoked on our part, we having, neither by
word or action, offered the slightest offence to any one, nor
did we offer any but a passive resistance even when thus
savagely assaulted. But we would at the same time bear
testimony to the gallant behaviour of our guard of four
soldiers, who, though unarmed, never left us, but afforded
us all the protection within their power. Were this simply
a personal matter, we should forbear to intrude it on your
time and notice, but fear that in the absence of a remon-
strance from you to the proper authorities, other unoffend-
ing British subjects may be subjected to similar ill-treat-
ment.—We have, &c.,
(Signed) AND. S. DIXON.
EDWARD VINCENT.
F. EYRIE.

D. LAPRAIK.
R. E. BAKER.

W. R. Gingell, Esq., &c.

(Copp.)

Peking, July 2, 1862.

Sir,—With reference to the assault, reported by you, on
the party who visited Wu-chang-fu, I have to observe that,
although the treaty does not confer the right on her Majes-
ty's subjects of going freely about, it was not intended to
relieve them from the exercise of discretion.
It appears that the party was treated with civility in the
city itself, and that they then ascended the hill, where some
sort of examination was going on, and took upon themselves,
without invitation, to enter the pavilion in which the prefect
was presiding. This was not a very courteous or proper
proceeding, and certainly does not come within the scope of
the facilities provided by the treaty.
They were then attacked by the crowd, and, fortunately,
escaped without serious injury.
I am sorry to see your insinuation that the attack was
secretly prompted by the authorities. The facts stated do
not seem to warrant it; the prefect and his attendants did
what they could, and the Chinese soldiers, as the sufferers
very creditably admit, behaved well; and further, they
were not molested in the town, whence it appears the
American party had shortly before been driven out.
I see no reason to doubt that the cause stated by the
Mandarins is the real one. It is well known to every one
in China, that the authorities dread the examination periods,
on account of the crowds of strangers who attend, and of
the feeble means at their disposal to prevent the disorders
to which they give rise. They are attended by a class who
are generally ill-disposed to foreigners, and who are, no
doubt, at present irritated by the proceedings which have
led to " the late outbreak against Roman Catholic mis-
sionaries.
I therefore think that it would be well, during the exami-
nations, -to advise her Majesty's subjects to avoid these
crowds, for it is very difficult to obtain redress for such out-
rages ; and the gratification of mere curiosity, and the as-
sumption that there may be a scheme to curtail ultimately
the rights of foreigners, do not warrant us in disregarding
a warning that, in China, is not prima facie unreasonable.
For the maintenance of proper relations depends on meeting
the authorities in a spirit of compromise, when what they
propose in view of the state of the country is reasonable, and
1 in resisting them, firmly but temperately, when it is not.—
I am, &c., (Signed) F. W. A. BRUCE.
W. R. Gingell, Esq., la., Hankow.