Evening star., 1919-10-05
g a9Qysterious Ways Of fWanq @oo z:E;z5:|

"Quite true, sir" added the in
spector. as he turned to enter his pony
trap. which was waiting at the
curb for him. but we're not at
home now. and you must remember
that we have practically no trucks or
drays here, and that we are dependent
on these thousands of barrow coolies
to handle all the freight that passes
in and out of Shanghai; so, you see,
It's serious question, sir. We are
practically in their hands, and they
can do us thousands of pounds of
minds to it
His excellency, the British minister
at Peking, was just bidding his coll
league from France good night, after
friendly rubber at the club. when
the latter said. by the way, anything
further from that anticipated trouble
at Shanghai? l have word from our
consul general that they are begin
.nlng to feel a little uneasy in the
French concession, and some Of the
ladies' are so nervous that they are
talking of sleeping aboard the war
SNIP and so the captain has sent
marine guard ashore to reassure
them"
on l don't anticipate that 1t will
really come to anything. Shanghai is
the best protected place in all the far
Ihey have splendid police force and
the volunteers can be called out at a
moments notice and besides, there are
Always two or three men-of-war w.
ing In the upper and lower reaches of
the river"
But then there's the arsenal. Won
know, just above the city, and two or
three thousand native braves there
might be induced to join the rioters
II they saw good chance for plum
der, might they not?"
Not likely under Chang, the pres
ent taotai He's clever fellow and
ne knows that his moneyed interests
demand that he stand in with the
european authorities Just at present.
Why, his Squeeze on the opium alone
last year was worth $4,000 taels to
hlm' they say. and you may be sure
nell 40 all he can to protect the GUS
tomhouse and the rest of the settle
ment. If worst comes to worst. why
he will just distribute thousand or
TWO among the ringleaders and the
discontents and that will make it all
right. They have their own way OF
adjusting these things. and. as Sir
harry my esteemed predecessor used
TO say. they can always control their
own people when they really want to-"
In spite of these reassuring re-
marks on the part Of the British rep
resentative, however. the kilograms
posted In the Peking Club on the fol-
lowing morning We're of such a dis
qu'eting nature that he wired to the
consul general at Shanghai for i'm
mediate and full particulars OF the
exact situation and in the evening
sent dispatch to the admiral at
aohgkong. asking him to hold an
extra vessel or two in readiness to
proceed to the north IL necessary.
AT the British legation a little
group OF individuals deeply interested
IN the keeping of peace and friendly
relations between China and the Eu-
ropean powers had been discussing
the news from the south. The Ameri-
can minister and two of his Oldest
missionaries were there as was also
the English bishop with his chaplain
and archdeacon and two leading heads
or large mercantile establishments.
me military and naval attaches were
unfortunately both away on a hunt in
the western hills. After a general re-
view OF the situation and a discussion
OF what had taken place on similar
occasions in the past, his excellency
the minister expressed the opinion
very decidedly that prompt 4 and
strong display of armed force was the
only way to handle 1t. Gums! gentle
men, he said, gums and ball-cart-
ridses--no blanks if you please-right
from the beginning" bringing his
hand down with emphasis upon the
office table, cold lead and plenty of
1T right in their faces. that's the only .
way to talk to rioters, whether in"
China or South Africa (the latter
country having ham Tho ooo - r,i.