Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-10
A REVOLT IN CHINA.
Secret Societies Organized to Over
throw the Reigning Dynasty.
STEPS 20 PROTECT FOREIGNERS.
Recent 0utrages Believed to Be the Fore
runner of Revolution.
THE VICEROY'S AMBITIOUS PROJECTS


respondent at Shanghai, China:
Events in China are rapidly going from
bad to worse. Grave disorders and serious
uprisings have broken out in the principal
open ports of the Yangtse Kiang. AS you
are already aware, the scene of the first re-
volts took place at Woo-Hoo, but the dis
patches to the London Times on the subject
were inaccurate. Since then the blaze Of
straw has become a confagration.
The numerous secret societies, and among
them the all powerful Kolaghwei, have
thrown themselves heart and soul into q
movement directed toward the overthrow of
the present dynasty. am in possession of
a thousand details of the metods of action of
this extraordinary association, which 1
shall make the subject of another
letter. The Kolaghwei has found q
most favorable field of action in the
Yangtse Klang country, because the distress
and misery there are terrible. The drought
has destroyed the harvests and the people
there are on the verge of starvation and
dying off BY the hundred thousand The
surviving wretches, instigated by hunger
and want of every kind, are burning, robbing
and numbering on every side, so they
naturally become the unconscious agents of
the leaders of the revolution.
AMONG THE SOLDIERS
ALI soldiers who have served their time
in an army organized in regiments and
brigades are now ready to obey any orders
emanating from he Kolaghwei. All these
people have nothing to lose, but everything
to gain. Mandarins of the highest rank and
at least two viceroys are connected with the
movement This Chinese socialism is diff
ferent from that of Western Europe, but
has certain points of similarity to nihilism.
Governors of provinces, provincial func-
tionaries, officials of every rank, down to
the most insignificant employees, and almost
the whole of the literary classes are
joined together with the common object of
overthrowing the present Government and
reigning dynasty. In Russia the peasant
workman and the lowest classes are not, as
a rule, implicated in nihilism, but remain
loyal to the Gar; but in China the ignorant,
starving masses become docile agents of the
Kolaghwei, who remain in the background
secretly directing and fomenting the move
ment.
As you already know, the American mis-
sionary, Mr.. Argent, and the English Gus
tom House official, Mr.. Green, were assas-
sinated at Wusueh. Their heads were
crushed between large stones and their
mangled bodies were kneaded into jelly.
The river boat arrived in time to save the
women and children. Do you suppose that
the British authorities, the Consuls who
represent England and who should protect
the lives of Europeans in danger, gave
themselves any anxiety about such slight
affair? They neglected to take any meas
ures of precaution for other persons, but
looked out pretty carefully for themselves.
A CONSUL S ESCAPE.
At Woo-Hoo, for instance, the English
Consul, who, according to the inaccurate
dispatch sent to the London Times, was
said to be wounded" in reality was in a
state of absolute despair. He, however,
managed to escape by Disgusting himself as
Chinaman, and went to place of safety
without troubling his head about the
European women and children in peril. {
AS to the British feet, which is pretty
strong now in Chinese waters, it was alto
gether invisible and only put in an appear
ance when the emeute was all over. Ad-
miral Richards was, in fact, cruising to-
ward Japan On the other hand, the United
States ship Palos and the French cruiser
LInconstant were on hand, and at Kukiang
acted in friendly cooperation
They cleared their decks for action and
threatened to lombard the town if the rioters
moved step. The commander of L'Incon-
slant, Captaine de Fregate de Jonquieres,
watch in hand, fixed the hour for the Taotai
of Kukiang himself to bring the entire
European OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES nuns,
orphans, women and children-into the
'Bund,' in default of which the
two men-of-war would open fire and reduce
the town to ashes. All the guns
were loaded and pointed. Mitrailleuses,
Hotchkiss, quick firing and machine guns
were placed in the tops and Ito quarters"
was sounded on both the ships. Singularly
enough, in the London Times dispatches
L'Inconstant was referred to as All English
man-of-war.
These good relations and perfect under
standing between the United States and
French naval officers are everywhere ap-
parent, especially at Shanghai, where the
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT SIDE.
Every one asks, What was the Chinese
fleet doing? 1t is an open secret that Just
before the outbreak the all powerful Lii
Hung Chang, surnamed "the Chinese Bis
marck," who, among other important. func-
tions, ,fultlls that of Chief of the Admiralty,
sent a fleet off to the north to execute the
grand naval maneuvers 1t is the great Lii
hung CndIlp, III ldCJ, hHO HoluS tuc ldtc Ol
the Empire in the palm of his hands. He
is Viceroy of Petchili.
Pekin is situated in his territory, and is
at his mercy. His bodyguard alone conf
prises 1O, 900 splendidly armed and equipped
veteran soldiers. Admiral Tzing, who COM
mands the fleet, is his near relative. Lii
Hung Chung, Viceroy of Canton including
the provinces of Quang-Toung and Quang-
See, is his brother. The Viceroy of Szech
uen is his devoted servant and anne damnee,
who owes him everything he possesses in
the world.
IHUNG CHANGES POSSESSIONS.
Ii Hung Chang's relatives, friends and
devoted adherents occupy important posts
scattered through the length and breadth
of the vast Empire All the money from
the provinces comes to him. His private
fortune is enormous. He is absolute and
arbitrary. He is untrammeled by the
slightest control, and all the resources of
the Empire are at his disposal. What does
the dynasty weigh in the balance against
this experienced statesman and general?
I'm to the present time he has not signi-
fed any positive intention to overturn the
DYNASTY, but he has most certainly done
nothing to defend it against the present |
reyolutionists.
The rebels have already caused the nomi- |
nal rulers at Pekin to become estranged |
from the European powers, who might |
otherwise protect them. but who, on the |
contrary. are sure to demand from the i'm !
neriol Government heavy indemnities At |
Shanghai there is intense excitement in the
foreiSn settlement and in the French con-
cessions There is here a large settlement
of English and an important American
colony; there are Germans, Russians, jap
anese, etc.