The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-24
49, .4H - - sl54-5ll
DEGREES OF
The emf: R||'E::S''!I'S 5
Interesting Docttillci1ts Received
Here IRON 17ar-A,yuy
Nj Ctiiiia. /.
Will PROTEC THE It MISSIONS /; IS s
Dowagc, Declares Neutr'aliltty net
tile Empire and Says She Will vii Y.
FIJI Take Care Church Property.

a document 4of unusual interest has
come To the Central I7rcsbyteli through
the REV. a. 70. syNToodbridgc, a missionary
stationed ut Shanghai. II Is ;l,5tran ~ g
copy OF the DEGREES Of tho 5E'npc'rrof '
DowagcrS Of C'hlnn, touching upon the fp'o'Ti
sltio1, the Empire will occupy IN tic war
between Russia and Japan. The vigorous
announcement OF protection FOR churches htt l''s
aud mission property IS OF very Ereat IN IN
tcrest and has ali inp9 rtant ben ring upon ION
Tie effect OF tho war upon Tie q. merlc ca
missionaries in China. There are two ~ de- Y e.
crces and they are as follows: u IN
10 Jarar, & and Russia having broken ken
Off friendly relations With each 9Th! othe y
followed by mutual /, hostile acts, ne
Imperial Governments, bearing in3.inind
tho fact that both belligerents are friendly
with China. It, is our bo,nden8 duty as.
cordingly to#inalntain ncu trallt 1l1 IN
present wa r. We therefore hereby com con-.
mand 4 lie Tartar generals vlcesr roy ana
tgoverrors Of provinces to instruct AZ Il
their subordinates military and civil
TO inform the army and 4 PEG pie 4 Of t h ne
state OF affairs and! To reyerert Q o.
serye tho imperial commands 81 ile,ntral 4
Nv. IN r rfer t., cement the friendship ex-
listing. between ourselves and the bclltEer
ents. ,Let4tl,ere be no Elnista kes n1 -,
liz this matter, and let our WIS hes ll' 'e
made, known to all.g "a
n (2J ia pnn a nd Russia being a t. wa I nl'e
not fighting against ChinnY hence our
subjects in the gImperial& capital and 7ot her
5parts OF our doniniols should II pursue
their several avocations peaceably rs
usual, we this day Hlrcutl y issued
our declaration a Of neutrality, ana We
further hereby command our Tartar
generals. viceroys and governors. 45 o.. OF
provinces and especially those on the
frontiers. TO take extra ]
tho safety OF their. respective jir1s' d Ll1c
tons They are6also commanded to Edlli-
gently protect treaty and other ports and
keep from harm the property ard N ollses
uf all foreigners and also churches ara
mission property. Should desperadoes
and bad cllarac ters seek to spread harm
8ful lunprs or create riots they are 70 fpe
speedily taken in hand and severely pun
9ishct. AS for the peace Of the capital
which is of even greater Importance, VIC
hereby command the commandment . t the
fpckin gel.darnere. the officers Of the
department OF works and public safet y
and the censors or the nvetclties Of Pc
kin 10 take great care and observe strict
surveillance over bad characters and keep
such order that tradepeople ana Az q }" ii
abiding residents shall be able to PUT
sue their daily avoca Lions as in times
81 peace. Extra precautions also should
be exercised with regard toHtlle /. safety satfy
Of the foreign legations churches aud
mission property, and II any be found
spreading rlmors and creating disturb
anccs, they are 10 be arrested at once
and tried. Those guilty Of lesser offerses
are to be sternly punished according g
law, whilst all who are guilty Of more
serious crimes must be .slmmarily de-
gcapitatcel. Officials outside the pital
should keep careful watch over the signs
orfthe times ard rcpress tile slightest
attempt atSbrenking tho peace. a mus {
do their duty In order to supplement- the
desire or the throne to maintain peace
ful relations with other countries.
LETTER FROM JAPAN.
The Rev. ia mes II. Ballagh. a lnission7
airy Of the Reformed Church in Japan
and we'll known in the Valley of Virginia,
writes from Yokohama:
81 have been much exercised bout the
disturbance OF the peace Of the Orient
BY perfidious Russia, thrice repeated.
finally OctobersS. 1908, by non-with drawalH
of troops from Nanchura, and now after
all tho delayed negotiations is probably
entering Korea and eliciting (from Japan
a declaration Of war: II so. 1t will be