New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-08
POWERS WILL PROTECT
MISSIONARIES IN CHINA
Formidable international Naval
Display Near Scene of Trou-
BILE Impending.
THE SITUATION CRITICAL
Precautions Taken by United
States, Great Britain, France
and Germany American
Warships on Watch.

Washington. Sept. IA crisis has
arisen in the turbulent province of SEE
Chuen, in China. and the United States
ar1 other countries have taken precau-
tionary steps for the safety of their citi-
zens In that region. American warships
Will be employed to guard American citi-
2ens, and a formidable international
pending.
Mr.. Williams. the charge d'affaires in
Peking. who is acting in the absence of
William J. Calhoun, the American Min
lister TO China, who is at home on leave
cf absence, sent a cable dispatch to the
state Department to-day saying that
the situation I'm Sze-Chuen had become
critical. Public meetings in various
cities, accompanied by the closing o;
shops and schools and refusal to pay
taxes, eliminated in serious disorders.
American Methodist missionaries at
Chung King and Cheng-Tu have in
formed Mr.. Williams that none of them
has yet left his post except that
American and British women have leit
Cheng-Tu for Chung King. Thirty-one
districts are said to be affected by the
present agitation. Tax offices have been
destroyed and several officials have re-
signed. but resistance to the government
las in general been passive rather thafi
active.
China Promises Protection.
The Chinese Foreign Office has assured
the legation that protection VIII pe gwen
10 all foreigners and their property, ana
has offered escorts to all who desire 10
leave the disturbed districts. The wee
roy of Sze-Chuen is said To be acuhs
with energy. \ British gunboat IS no"
proceeding to Chatting, while three othel
gunboats. one British, one French anu
one German. are at Chung King.
Rear Admiral Murdock's flagship inc
cruiser Saratoga. is at Woosuns' 'i'
New Orleans is at Shanghai ana TWO VI
three American gunboats are cruising II
the Yangtse River. on receipt OF TO-
6av's disaIieting reports the state De-
nartmeut instructed the legation at fe-
king To ask Admiral Murdock to dispose
the American SunbOats in the manner
best calculated to forestall any possible
danger to American citizens. Inc ue-
nartment also sent telegraphic instruc-
tions to Mr.. Pontius, Of the consular
service. To proceed al once from Hang
kow TO Chung King. The distance lroH
Chengtu TO Chung King. where there are
ounboats now, requires ten days
Journey. while Chengtu is four days
tourney from Chatting, to which place
British gunboat is now proceeding.
Causes Of the Trouble.
An imperial cdict recently placed un-
der the Ministry Of communications o.
the central government the constructor
of all trunk lines throughout the empire
and cancelled all concessions for the pri'
vate construction of trunk lines previous
TO 1911. This measure affected the lln'
which was being built by Chinese pri'
vate enterprise in the province ol
szc-Chuen and. according t, the state
Department, has doubtless brought about
the present manifestations in province
always considered more than ordinarily
turbulent. In the view of the govern
ment officials, reactionary tendencies
the cry Of China for the Chinese and
certain amount of anti-foreign tendency
have made the economic and progressive
measures Of reform and industrial devel-
orment introduced by the central gov
ernment in that province more slow tc
be appreciated and understood than in
other parts If China.
state Department officials say there is
no reason to attribute the present up
rising to the recent railway projects in
which the United States is interested
In fact. those railways, as now planned
and under present concessions, are
wholly outside Sze-Chuen, the question
of ultimate extension into that province
having been set aside for future con-
sideration.