The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1911-09-08


NA/ has arisen in the turbulent
province of Szechuan in China
and the foreign offices of the United
states and other countries have taken
precautionary steps for the safety of
their citizens in that region.
American gunboats win be brought
into play to guard American citizens
and formidable international naval
array is at hand in Chinese waters.
American Charge d'Affaires Williams
at Peking today cabled the state de-
partment that the situation had be-
come critical in Szechuan. where pub
lie meetings in various cities. accom-
panied with the closing of shops and
schools and refusal to pay taxes. have
4 eliminated in serious disorders.
Women Missionaries Leave
American Methodist missionaries at
Chungking and Chengtu have in
formed williams that none of them
has left his post except that American
and British women have left chengtu
e for Chungking.
Sc Twenty one districts are said to be
affected by the present agitation Tax
Offices have been destroyed and several
ofcials have resigned, but resistance
TO the government has been passive
Z rather than active.
The Chinese foreign ONCE has assured
the legation that protection will be
given all foreigners and their prop
erty and has offered escort to all who
desire to leave the disturbed area. The
viceroy of szechuan is said to be act
ing with energy.
Protection of Warships
British gunboat is now proceeding
to Chatting. while three other gun
boats. one British. one French and one
German. are at Chungking.
Admiral Murdock's flagship, the Sara
toga. is at Woo Sing. the New Orleans
is at Shanghai. and two or three United
States gunboats are cruising in the
Yangtze river
On receipt Of today's disquieting re-
ports, the department of state tele-
graphed the legation at Peking to re-
quest Admiral Murdock to dispose the
Americas gunboats in the manner best
American citizens.
The department also sent telegraphic
Instructions to Consular Agent Pom
titus to go at once from Hankow to
Chungking. The trip from Chengtu to
hchungking, where there are gunboats,
requires 10 days journey, while Ching
tn is four days journey from Chatting.
l.
ing
Trouble Over Railroads
An imperial edict recently placed un-
der the ministry of communications or
the central government the construc-
.tion of all trunk lines throughout the
empire and cancelled all concessions for
private construction of trunk lines
granted before 1911. This measure af-
fected the line which was building by
Chinese private enterprise in Szechuan
and, according to the state department,
has doubtless precipitated the present
manifestations in a province always
considered more than ordinarily turbu-
lent.
In the view of American officials. the
province Is one Wnere redct1Onary ten
dencies. the cry of China for the Chi
nese," and a certain amount of anti
foreign tendency have made the eco
nonic and progressive measures of re-
form and industrial development aided
by the central government more slowly
appreciated than in other parts of
China
State department officials say there
is no reason whatever to attribute the
present uprising to the recent railway
projects, in which the United States is
interested. In fact, those railways, as
now planned under present concessions.
lie wholly outside of the province OF
Szechuan.
The question of ultimate extension
into that province has been set aside
A for possible future consideration.
Missionaries to Concentrate
PEKING. Sept. 7-Missionaries in
the outlying districts Of szechuan
province have been ordered by the
Continued on Page B Column