The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-12
RESCUE OF MISSIONARIES
Report of the Rev. George Corr
well to Consul Fowler.
Grent Difficulties Experienced in
Getting Away From Hostile Terri
tcry-JunL Load of Refugees
Nearly Svamped by High SeEs-Im-
possible to Board Waiting steamer

| report from Consul Fowler. at Chefoo,
showing the steps taken by him to secure
vessel to go to the rescue of the mis-
slonaries and their families who were
escaping from the interior of China The
! Consul states that through the extreme
kindness of the japanese Consul, Mr.. r.
| Tayui, he succeeded in obtaining the Jap
anese steamer Kwanko Maru, which made
four trips along the coast and brought
| back 125 persons, whose names were given
in an appended list. Thirty-four others
were rescued by the Heian Maru, and five
| by the United States steamship Yorktown
The Consul also encloses report CT
| the Rev George CornweIl, who went in
charge of the ship on its trip to Yang
kiakou to rescue the endangered Ameri-
cans and other foreign missionaries.
Mr. Tayui, the Japanese Consul above
mentioned, was also of great service to
the United States Navy in connection with
obtaining a tug for the battleship Oregon.
/ MIR. Corn,ve.ps Report.
Mr.. Cornwell's report to Consul Fowler
follows:
japanese Ship Kwanko Maru,
June % 1900.
| John Fowler. Esq. United States Consul:
| Dear Sir: Herewith | submit to you my
report of -the undertaking with which you
honored me in sending me in charge of the
Japanese steamship Kwanko Maru to res
cue the missionaries who should gather at
Yangkiakou.
Leaving Chefoo at 3 p. m. on the goth
| inst, we reached Yangkiakou roadstead at
10 a. m. on the 21st and arrived at the
/ DOCK some 40 Ii away t13 miles,, at 2
/ D. M | found only one person on hand,
the Rev Cesaire, French Bishop. That
| evening the French Consul and his wife
arrived, bringing word that the Chinan-fu
party would not arrive before the 10Th.
| Consequently l made a proposition to the
| Consul to take the steamer and return to
! Chefoo at once. paying all of the, expenses
of his trip. He gladly accepted the propo-
sition. On arriving on the afternoon OF
| the 21st had al once sent special mes
| senger TO Wei-hsien with warning and
| promise TO wait until the 2Sd On the
/ 23d ! sent another messenger to Nei-hsien
and one to Chouping and Ching chow-fu,
promising to wait for the people or for
return letters. On the oath Mr. Nickalls,
English Baptist missionary. and a party
of four adults and TWO children, and about
noon Mr.. Fitch, of Wei-hsien, American
Presbyterian missionary, arrived overland
/ with large party of ladies and children,
ten in all. Al my request the French Con-
sui had left his guard of twenty Chinese
soldiers for me. and they were very eff
cient and obliging.
During the two days before the people
began to arrive I explored the town and
made arrangements at the best hong ina
tive FIRM for sheltering them, and laid
in supplies. Realizing that eggs would be
scarce in Chefoo. | undertook to buy up
all on the market, both for use on the
boat and for use of the refugees after
ward at Chefoo. Several thousand were
secured. On the morning of the 25th !
sent the two above mentioned parties
| down to the steamer and watched for
the Chinan-fu party in order TO transfer
| from the river boat without going to the
inn. The Honan party Canadian Presby
terian Mission of ten persons, consisting
OF five adults and five children, were thus
| transferred when they arrived at a.
| m. and sent aboard the steamer. large
| Chinan-fu party arrived in twelve boats at
a. m. of the 18th instant.
Difficulty was found in securing light
ers The third lighter which l had prev
iously secured was filled and sent down
! the river to be driven back shortly after
starting by head winds. Failing in seeur-
ing lighters, | applied to the customs who
| obtained for the rest OF the party large
to drop down the river to the ship. Wind
! and tide were contrary and we could not
start till after midnight. We kept TO the
| boats eating and sleeping as best could
! aboard and at the turn Of the tide were
able to make about 1C1 Ii before daylight
| against head winds. We tackled against
| the wind all day and late in the afternoon
reached the coast, sim some 20 Ii from
| the steamer The wind became high and
| clouds threatening so we we're forced TO
| lie to another night.
Feared IL Typhoon.
The rain fell heavily and l feared
| typhoon so we had all the foreigners get
aboard the junk lest the lighter should be
sunk in the night. When the rain ceased
FIVE people returned to the lighter and
| The wind increasing TO prevent the bump
| ing of the boats against each other we
| cast off the lighter and it anchored near
| by Ia the morning we determined 10
| make an effort TO reach the ship which
we could just descry. for the Japanese in
| terpreter. Mr.. Wato, had come aboard the
evening of the 26th and informed us that
! the water was low so that the ship would
| have to return to Chefoo il we could not
| embark the morning OF the 27th. We
| worked out on the last of the ebb tide
| and were forced to the northwest of the
| ship by the strong wind. Nearly all be
came seasick. Reaching a depth where
the steamer could come we anchored and
| sent up flag of distress, also firing sew
eral yolleys with the guns of our native
escort Most of these were 100 sick to
| hold 2 gun and three of US foreigners as
sisted
The lighter headman, while he fol-
| lowed us out did not dare to anchor. In
| peril of swapping the crew he tried to
put the passengers aboard our junk, but
| we did not dare let them attempt il. The
| soldiers and sailors were much scared
and put bnrk, slowly sailing out of sight
After two hours of waiting and tossing
| about, We managed to attract the atten-
| tion of the steamer. She cautiously drew
| near and signaled to us to draw along
| side. This we could not do for the tide
had turned and dared not lift our
anchor, lest we should be drifted entire
| ly out of sight. Then two sailors from
the ship dropped down and swan through
the heavy sea to us. bringing ropes. and
were pulled aboard exhausted. Hawsers
| were attached and the steamer drew us
up within talking distance. During this
| process in attempting to raise our anchor
| the bowsprit broke off and we had to let
the anchor and rope 60 into the sea. The
| sailors were so reluctant to do this and
| the delay so increased our peril that
| Wat0 drew his sword and seized the dag
| ge. OF one OF the guard to cut the rope
| The sailors thought we were about to
| attack them and pleaded for their lives,
| and at once proceeded to cast off the an
| Choir. Then Mr. Wato. while Interpreting