New-York tribune., 1903-04-14
CHINESE PLOT FOILED.
FOREIGNERS ARE SAVED.
Massacre at Canton AUerted By Com
mander brakes Action

Washington, April 13.-Quick action and COM
mon sense treatment Of a critical situation by
an American naval officer in China recently
saved the foreign residents in the province Of
Quang-Tung, along the east bank Of the Canton
River, from falling victims to a plot which.
while directed primarily against the Manchurlan
dynasty. inevitably would have eliminated in an
attack on the foreign population While this
attack was averted by the precautionary meas
ures taken by Commander T. J. Drake. Of the
Monterey, with the assistance of the English
gunboats Sandpiper and Britomart. the French
gunboat Avalanche and the German tug Sha-
Meen. the coalition known to have fomented the
trouble extends to several provinces, and official
advices received both at the State and Navy
departments show that reactionary measures
on scale far larger than is admitted either
by foreign representatives the Chinese Gov
ernment have been planned by the rebels.
Hearing that force Of rebels with Hung
Chun Fuk, native Of Wai-Chow had planned
an attack on the Viceroy and Chinese officials Of
Canton in the celebration of the Chinese New
Year, on the night of January 2S and %. Com
mander Drake prepared to defend the foreign
residents. Three thousand armed men had en-
tered Canton surreptitiously several days be-
fore he learned the news, and were hiding with
sympathzers. AS most of the foreigners and
official representatives. of the various nations
lived in Sha-Meen Commander Drake first COM
pleted his plan of defence for this section and
then. to allay the excitement which prevailed
he officially Informed the consulates and Chinese
officials Of his preparations. and advised the
commanders Of the English. German and French
gunboats Of the line of action to be pursued in
case Sha Meen Island was attacked The foreign
commanders offered cooperation, and plans
Were perfected TO meet any trouble that deve1-
oped, whether the island or on water
Instead Of visiting the holy temple in the in
ner city at midnight to offer incense the Viceroy
and officials, contrary TO custom, remained In
their yamens, securely guarded Around the
Viceroy's yamen alone were assembled four
thousand armed troops. BY o'clock the gates
to the inner city were closed and the streets
cleared.
Many arrests were made that night. in which
some compradores were implicated, and large
amounts of stores seized in houses and
shops in Fong-Chun and places opposite to
Sha -Meen. Many other indications OF the in
tended attack were found, and the officials
agreed that the rebels abandoned their plot
only because Of Commander brakes discovery
and his prompt action and that of the other.
foreign commanders in taking ample precau-
tionary measures. Landing of an armed force
from each OF the foreign men-of-war had been
agreed on by the American English German n
and French commanders at the first evidence OF
attack the foreign section.
Consular adViceS received at the State Depart
ment from Canton call attention TO the feeling
of insecurity caused by the shortage of the rice
crop the activity of the reforners and the re-
bellion in Kwang-Si