The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-08
FOR SHhNGHhTS DBFENCG
Preparations of Foreigners for Re-
sistiDg an Uprising.
Adopting tine Policy of Keeping the
Natives in Good Humor-The Chi
Avoid TrOub1e-yiccroys Suppress
ing MaIcontents With Firm Hand

Shanghai:
Shanghai. June 27-"The important
thing for US to do said one Of the Oldest
inhabitants of Shanghai today, ''is to keeI
our own Cinnamon goo6-natured; the out
siders won't bother u.s." This seems tc
be the general opinion of the best-informed
residents here. And to this end the ma
tive press, which. on the whole, is en-
lightened and respectable, has been in
duced to print reassuring paragraphs con-
demning the violence of their coGntrymer
in the north and calling upon all respecta-
bic men TO expose the falsehoods and mi
raculous claims of the Boxers. The French
Consul General has set a good example by
posting proclamation in the French con-
cession notifying the natives that the pow
ers have no other intention in China than
to protect their citizens, and advising ma
tiyes mot to hear or believe rumors of
any kind, but to work on as usual"
Yu Taotsi has also issued a proclamation
TO residents of the native city, urging
them to preserve order. His proclamation
reads: 'As the Boxers have recently cre-
ated disturbances in the vicinity of Pekin,
there is every reason to believe that in a
large city like Shanghai there are ruffians
and loafers who will seize upon this pre-
text to do mischief. The people ought to
know that magic is but absurd and can
sued to quei. them 1.-THE Boxers their
heads will be quickly severed from their
bodies). II this happens they are too late
TO repent. In order that an early prepara-
tion for safety should be made have OBJ
tained permission from the Viceroy and
Governor that strong forces be procured
for the purpose of keeping good guard. 1t
is expected that good people, after seeing
this notice, will not listen to and believe
he " lrad hut uiIl
quietly to each individuals own proper
occupation and daily work.
Forming Volunteer Companies.
All this sounds well, but, knowing the
capacity of our local officials for double
dealing. the formation of volunteer COM
panies goes on steadily. There is now a
Spanish and Portuguese corps, in addition
to the American, French, and British COM
panies. But everyone knows that if il
comes to an attack on Shanghai there is
no force here TO effectually oppose it, If
the whole foreign population of Shanghai
we're capable of hearing arms there would
De only force of 5000, against ten times
as many Chinese At Woosung alone there
are 10000 Chinese troops, among whom
mutiny is reported TO be rife
With view to ascertaining Just how
the natives feel here l have made two
trips to the native city and talked with a
number Of Cinnamon in tea shops and on
the streets. car assert positively that
the Cinnamon of This. port do not want
any trouble; they have no special liking
for the foreigners. and many were morose
and inclined to avoid conversation with
re when others were about. but / saw no
signs whatever of a hostile disposition
The Shanghai Chinaman is not a fighting
man; he breads disorder and trouble al
most as much as the foreigners do. Never
theless. 1t was apparent that a large num-
Der of our Cinnamon believe the yarns
that are n circulation as to the dark
crimes of foreigners in connection with
the rites Of their religion, and belief in
the miraculous powers of the Boxers or
the Iho-Ch'uans. is quite general. Sew
erai Cinnamon answered my statements
that the invulnerability of the Boxers had
been 3isproved by the killing OF hundreds
of them, by reitera;ing that they were
really OF superhuman nature; that they
came from the heavens, and had taken
upon themselves the form of men If shot /
by guns, they said, the Boxers fall. but
only to rise again Cinnamon that must
be classed as intelligent actually believe
that the Boxers render themselves in
visible at will. The Chinaman's credulity
darky-he will believe anything that is
The Viceroys Energetic.
For myself. and / know that my opinion
Is shared by the managers of such houses
as Jardine's. shall feel no uneasiness as
long as We have two such Viceroys on the
west as Liu-Kun-Yi at NankIng and
Chang Chi-Tung at Wuchang. These Of
heials are depressing disorder with firm
hand. Correspondents from these points
cay that beheading is the penalty for the
slightest disorder that savors of an attempt
to extend the northern troubles to the
south. and letter OF June says that an
average of two decapitations take place
everyday. II has just come out that these
two Viceroys were asked by the court at
Pekin for advice and promptly answered
that il would be unwise TO break up the
good relations now existing between China
and the foreigners" Liu-Kun-Yi is said
to nave added that he would have no part
In a passive treatment of anti-foreign
movements on the part of his people. This
old man is known to be one of the few !
Chinese officials who hit from the shoulder.
His proclamation to the people of Marking
warns them that anyone who claims
miraculous powers will have their in
tested with "a long sword"
Making rumors to stir up trouble against
Western religions and people," he con-
eludes. will be punished by speedy head
seyering
Still farther west the situation is not so /
A letter from Kiukiang saws
that the natives are very much excited
along the faugtze. Whispers Of all sorts
and descriptions are flying around among
them, and even the most trustworthy serv-
ants VIII do no more than shake their
heads when asked what the trouble Is
about placards have been uostad a,
calling on the Chinese to settle .
upon day when all the foreigners shall
be done away with
HattIeship In Port.
The battIeship Undaunted has just ar
rived at Wooslng. and it is reported that I
she will be lightened and come up the river
as guardship for Shanghai This is good
news. But after all one cannot feel Alto
gether comfortable when he observes the
feeble preparations for defence and sees
the native sh0pkeepers in the settlements
TO take bank notes and changing
all their money into silver at the banks
You ask for an explanation OF this and get
3 smile of superior wisdom
Talk OF the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of China"
Is very scarce here. and II would be scarcer
In Europe II Western statesmen realized
tie nature OF the situation. | have vet 10
fnd man here who. even granting that
the worst will happen at Pekin. viii saw
that he wants anything but Chinese gov
arnment of China. The English newspapers
here voice this desire unanimously but /
'eel bound to add that one reason why they
prefer Chinese government is that IL IL
we're not Chinese 1t would be anything but
British. One OF these papers says: We
want government by the Chinese that
Fni satisfy our conscience by its Integrity,