The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-21
OUTRAGE on AN AMERICAN SHIP At HONG KONG.
AN AMERICAN VESSEL BOARDED BY BLACKS.
American Consul Arrested and Dragged
Through the Streets by the Pellec.
SENSATION IN CHINA,
Gc Ac r..
Our Ho"g Kong Correspohdence.
"a

4, s@@ HONG KONG, Get. 81, lboS
Outrage upon the american Ffdo.
One of the most wantcn and unprovoked outragss ec
Cured in this barbor few days SINCE on board the
American bark Reindeer, Capt. Nichols.
man named John Madison, who shipped in New Yosk
for the of $25 per month"; and received the usual sA
vance, signed the shipping articles and list giving
New York his birthplace and to be discharged On e
return Of the vessel to that place. Upon the arrival
this harbor said Madison deserted her. escaped to ts
shore and refused to return to his duty Tho captain
hereupon applied the United States Consul to have the
man arrested and sent board deserter wu ap-
pear by tho accompanying letter of Consul and The
note referred to in said letter arked Az was request
to the Superintendent Of Police (as has always been
the CASEY to have Madison returned to the Rein
deer, which request not noticed, but treated
with contempt subsequently, however, the deserter
turned to his shp after having made arrangements with
the black police to the effect that he sdson) would 20
on board, but would not 60 to duty and a. natural
consequence, he would be put in rons-statng ct the
ame time, that If he not shore BY certain tina,
they he police) should come board and take him
shoreall of which trans pred just he Aadison) pre-
dicted. On the 2oth-the day that Madison put u
irons, and during the absence of Capt Nichols party
o'armed blacks board and released the prsoaer
from confinement, and took him from the vessel Ths
mate being ut that time in command Of the Reindeer de-
manded Of who appeared to be In charge Of the
kdnappers to see his warrant authority upon which
he slapped his chest and yelled out: "I the
thority, and you interfere Pn take you, aso" and
the man Madison taken shore and set at liberty.
shall not pursue the conduct Of the law officers
any further, but refer you to the accompanying Official
letters, though l may be permitted to draw your
attention to of the leading points of the case In
the first place. American ship arrives in the harbor o
Hong Kong Of the crew, moro, the might
be- desert the ship and subsequently return board With
the ayowed determination not to do any duty but
overturn the discipline Of the ship The consequence u
that they refuse duty and threaten as the n
this instance to "k any American son Of bitch who
dares to lay his hands upon him." them the
may be-are finally overpowered and put in irons for
breach Of discipline of the ship and threatening the
lives Of the captain and his officers.
The next thing hear is, that the ship has been
boarded and the prisoner liberated and taken on shsrs
by an armed mob ling themselves policemen but show
ing authority for their acts and threatening the or
Ger in command OF the ship during the absence of her
msster for daring to ask them for their warrant
thorty The next step in the drama is the arrest Of the
captain by.a warrant obtained by the man Madison.
{who swears he is Brshe and in of his protest
and that OF the American Consul and without makngaDy
defence, but protesting tha he had not laid himself Liable
10 British lawour Consul also expostulating against
the proceedings Being illegal and unwarrantable-
to pay fine of seventy five doars (dy for the Qusea
and twenty-five for the Madison) receive his
discharge in the bargainor in default of payment Cap
tain Nichols informed that he must go to JAIL aud
believe, board himself What pretty state of affairs
ask any impartial manwheher red, white black, il
matters not this case is not OF the most outrageous
descriptions Capt. Nichols however, succeeded reach
ing deck OF the United States rigate PowhatAn
him M The Chinese inv in the % boat into which MSsn Captain NJ
cbos the purpose OF reaching the PowhatAn
refused to pull when ordered by the black police when
two noble hearted ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Paul and Spicer,
who would rather expend their last drop of blood thAn
innocent American incarcersted in British jail
seized the and pulled in safety to the Powhatsn dis
tancipg 10 the the boat containing the policemen,
although they had three times many Our Consul,
JAS keenan,, Esq., shortly after also reached the Pow
batan, and stated the circumstances to Captain Nc
Cluney, requesting him at the same time to afford
Captain Nichols the proper protection whereaRoa
assured Consul keenan, that he would give Capt Nichols
the necessary protection notwithstanding there At
that time In tae hArbor four British figates and three
seamers for such the feeling Of indignation at the
outrage, that Capt McCuney who nobly supported
all his officers would rather have seen the noble Pow
innocent American to be thrown into British jail. Stn
there wond not be much danger to the safety Of the
Powhatan had violent been resorted TO- she
has the egs and the long reaching guns, which would
have enabled her to have out-msneuvrsd them, snd
picked them off one at time, guerilla party would
The strsgglers Of fatgued army during long march,
for the whole British navy does not boast such guns
the shifting or pivot guns OF the Powhatan.
The affair in question finally transferred from tho
petty officials to his Excelency the Governor, Sir John
BowriDg. By a reference to the accompanying docu-
ments from him you will be able to form your own esd
mate Of his caibre He studiousy avoids the question:
and talks about the necessity Of upholdng British law in
British colonies the right Of which not attempt to
dispute; but we do most emphstcay deny the right
in the Of armed force to board an Ae-
With SsS and in
ion which has long since been settled, would have
hada repetition the doings OF 1872 and 1916 before this
The turn which tho affair took would have been beau
ul test question: had not its been altered by the
fine being paid contrary to the wishes OF all concerned
except Mr. Sssset, American and one-third a
the ship who furnished the necessary funds for It's qua
cation, thereby giving color OF legality TO ths
proceedings and the sneaking and contemptbls man
which the fine received-it hAvine
been paid to apoceman instead of the clerk Of the court
as is customary, gave unmstakesbe evidence Of their
the vicinity OF Hong Kong and Canton highly
very properly so indignant At the payment OF the ans,
ana must say that the individual who authorized liz
payment has forfeited all claim the sympathies of an
high minded and noble hearted Americans, This ques-
ton is CT more Importance than might appear at first
sight, and one that requires the immediate attention Of
government; or should the be passed over in
sencewhch it Is not likely be by present ecsnt
Secretary Of Sta would not be long before the rets
aton upon British vessels in the port OF San Francises
would outstrip any thing Of the kind record rheo
the snr would be inquired into the result of which
would be difficult to conjecture II the proceedings IL
the case Of Capt. Nichols board the Reindeer
legal and correct, the petty British authorities
ing the out of her. and leave the ship the mercy
OF the elements therefore there safety for the
snip, OF the ShpJAln Inc OHence, III sucn II
committed against American law, and not British
1t in connection with the discipline Of the ship
one recognized by the laws OF the United States
properly under the jurisdiction of the American
Consul. II petty sgistratc in foreign country Is to
have the po~er American shipping, then 1t is Ger
tany unnecessary well expensive to send
ccnsus abroad when American shipping interests are at
the mercy OF petty foreign official II such things
to be permitted the American ship masters had better
be that hereafter they must take their papers
to the police officers in foreign ports and request them
to please be good as not to be too hard them
xI.x< <luxA har.s -nxIr III
copsus | must now bring my remarks to
close but before doing so, permit to say
that country's honor has not been compromised
in the least far officials concerned - the
position assumed by worthy Consul General James
Keenan, and Captain William j. McCluney ofhe Powhatan
was that BETTING any honorable, high minded and pstr
otc Amercan the only that could have been
pursued under the circumstances. Consul heenanis
~ rson possessipr the energy the will and the determ
nation TO ASSERT the rights all American citizens that
-. Al nfinxa Hn a.o ola Ia