The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-16
Stirring Up Trouble in
the Chinese Empire.
MISSIONARIES IN DANGER
TWENTY DEATHS DAILY FROM
THE PLAGUE IN Annoy.
Chinese Cruiser Fuching Wrecked
in Port Arthur and All of Her
Officers and Crew Are
Drowned.

The steamer Gaelic arrived from the
Orient Yesterday with news that the
plague was raging in Hongkong and
Annoy. that the Black Flags were stirring
up revolts all over China and in conse-
quence over 200 American missionaries
We're in danger. and also particulars of the
loss of the Chinese cruiser Fuching with
all on board.
The Gaelic brought over IS cabin pas
sengers, 13 Europeans In the second cabin
and IS Japanese and 263 Chinese in the
steerage. After leaving Hongkong she
stopped at Annoy and Shanghai in China,
at Nagasald Kobe and Yokohama in Jap
an, and at Honolulu. The plague was
prevalent at Hongkong and the authori-
ties were working hard to keep it under
control 1t was attacking the Europeans
when the Gaelic left, which is something
unusual. AT Annoy there were twenty
deaths a day while the steamer was there
and the epidemic seemed to be getting
worse instead of better.
There was the usual clash between the
deputy left temporarily in charge of the
revenue cutter Golden Gate and the GUS
toms boarding officer. Owing 10 the fact
mat the plague was epidemic in Hong
kong and Annoy the quarantine officers
made a very searching examination of the
passengers and crew. This took over an
hour and in spite of all that Boarding Of
ficer Hart could do or say he could not
get the Golden Gate near the steamer.
The helmsman had his orders from Lieu
tenant Butts and he carried them out to
the letter. In consequence, not a custom
house OfnCer set foot on the Gaelic until
the quarantine officers had left the ship
and the seventy eight cabin passengers
had TO remain that much longer aboard
while their declarations were being taken
up.
The passengers by the Gaelic say that
the whole OF South China is in a turmoil
and that the Triad Society and the no.
torlous kaolao Hui are at work. Ennis
saI1eS OF the Black Flag are spread all
over the country and are stirring up re-
volts IN every direction. At Hoping, in
the hWangtung province. an American
mission house was burned down and the
missionaries threatened. In this province
lhtTe are american stations in all the
principal towns and over 200 missionaries
scattered through the district. Arms and
ammunition are being smuggled into the
dlsaHected districts from TOnkin, either
with the sanction of the French or else
tnere IS a very loose watch kent The
Black Flags were in Canton when the
Gaelic left Shanghai and were behaving
IN a most insolent manner. All in all, the
OUTLOOK was not encouraging and the
Chlnese papers were urging the American
ana British governments to take some ac-
ton in the matter.
The Chinese cruiser Fuching went
ashore in Port Arthur while the Gaelic
was at Hongkong. A terrific gale was
blowing and in six hours the man-of-war
went to pieces and of her crew of 1870
men not one was saved. The F'uching
harDOr
near hcs- were two other Chinese war
ships and two Russian cruisers. The Flu
ching had only one anchor down and the
storm came up so suddenly there was no
time to let go the other She went broad
side on the same spot where a similar dis
aster happened three years ago. The war
ships did nothing toward rescuing the
drowning sailors and one after another
they were washed from the wreck and
drowned. Some Of the merchantmen in
the bay sent their crews ashore and these
went around the beach and tried to send
a line over the wreck. They were Joined
by the cadets Of the Chinese Naval
School, who managed to get line to the
vessel but they could not make their
countrymen do anything to help them
selves.
The Fuching went ashore at a. m and
At noon she was total wreck Three
or four of the crew could be seen cling
ing to the wreck, but each succeeding
wave carried one away until none were
left
The Coptic, which left here on the 7th
Inst. with the annexation news, when
three days out spoke the Gaelic and the
passengers of the latter vessel We're soon
informed that Hawaii was now part of
the United States. Everybody appeared
delighted. more particularly those who
We're on their way from Honolulu to the
United States. Owing to the number of
steamers that have been turned into
transports the service between Honolulu
and this port is very poor, and in conse-
Quence the Gaelic could not take all the
passengers who wanted first-class ac-
cOmmOdatiOnS to San Francisco