CHINA. 



era on the telegraph-line from Foo-choo to 

 Amoy, at the town of Kwang-tao, and de- 

 stroyed the poles, interrupting the work. It 

 is generally admitted that the attack was in- 

 cited by the authorities, who waited till the 

 line reached a point where it would be at 

 their mercy. The troubles ended by the Chi- 

 nese offering to purchase tiie work as far as 

 completed. This was regarded as a generous 

 proposition, the Danish Telegraph^ Company 

 having clearly begun operations without due 

 authority or permission. The Chinese state 

 that, if indemnity were asked for property de- 

 stroyed by mobs, they would not only refuse 

 it, but would withdraw the present offer. 



The attacks upon foreigners by Chinese 

 mobs were, in 1875, of frequent occurrence. 

 In March, an American named C. E. Hill was 

 attacked and severely injured by Chinese at 

 Shanghai. Several arrests were made, and 

 the case was investigated by the United States 

 consul-general. On the 1st of May an attack 

 was made upon the American Methodist Epis- 

 copal church in Ku-kiang, in consequence of 

 a quarrel arising from a superstitious belief 

 among the natives that children were mal- 

 treated by missionaries. The Chinese authori- 

 ties promptly offered ample reparation for the 

 outrage. In June, an attack was made upon 

 an attache of the German legation, who, while 

 on a scientific expedition with some compan- 

 ions, forty miles from the capital, was severely 

 beaten and robbed of astronomical instruments. 

 One of the most serious anti-foreign riots 

 occurred at Ching-kiang, on the llth of July. 

 The American consul, while walking with 

 his wife, was assailed with offensive language 

 by a party of Chinese soldiers. The native 

 police interfered, when a fight ensued between 

 them and the soldiers, the Americans not be- 

 ing further molested. Two soldiers were ar- 

 rested and taken to the British consulate for 

 incarceration, which place was soon surround- 

 ed by a military mob demanding the release 

 of their companions. They were soon dis- 

 persed, however, by one of their own officers. 

 Magnified reports of the affair having reached 

 Shanghai, Consul Seward (American) and Med- 

 hurst (British) proceeded to Ching-kiang in 

 American and British ships-of-war, for the 

 purpose of investigating the matter. The Chi- 

 nese authorities promptly offered fall repara- 

 tion and inflicted ample punishment on the 

 offenders. 



In October, American missionaries and 

 ladies were assailed by mobs in Nanking, and 

 an English lady was attacked at Jaku. The 

 telegraph - builders were again driven from 

 their work near Foo-chow, and the Amoy 

 officials protested their inability to control the 

 populace. 



Some of the most prominent governors of 

 China have presented memorials to the Gov- 

 ernment, in which they urge the necessity of 

 introducing reforms. A collection of these 

 memorials has been printed by the Govern- 



ment press and widely circulated throughout 

 the empire. 



Li-hung-Chang, Viceroy of the Chihli prov- 

 inces, has petitioned the throne for the intro- 

 duction of Western studies into the schools of 

 China, and that candidates for public offices 

 hereafter be examined in the sciences as taught 

 in foreign schools. Li-huDg-Chang says in this 

 memorial : " Since the opening of our connec- 

 tions with foreign nations, our literary men 

 and officers have continued to adhere to tradi- 

 tional ideas. In arrogant language and high- 

 sounding phrases, they deride foreigners, and 

 regard it as beneath their dignity to take no- 

 tice of them, and they are therefore at a loss 

 what to do when foreign affairs have to be 

 disposed of." 



Some of the memorials urge the appoint- 

 ment of ambassadors to the courts of the 

 treaty-powers and consuls in the principal 

 ports. The memorials are fully discussed by 

 the Chinese press, which begins to be a power. 

 Most of the papers recommend the appoint- 

 ment of literary men as consuls, and refer to 

 the example of Germany. 



Notwithstanding the treaty of peace con- 

 cluded in December, 1874, between the Gov- 

 ernments of China and Japan, a new difficulty 

 between the two countries arose early in 1875 

 in regard to the Loo-choo Islands. An article 

 in the treaty of peace seems to provide that in 

 future these islands, which lie between For- 

 mosa and Japan, shall be regarded as belong- 

 ing to the latter country. Formerly both 

 China and Japan claimed supremacy over the 

 islands, and, shortly before the treaty was 

 concluded, the Japanese Government officially 

 informed the representatives of the European 

 states that the Mikado had taken the islands 

 under his protection, and had permitted their 

 ruler to reside in the Japanese capital with the 

 rank of an ex-king. It appeared, however, 

 that this announcement was premature ; for 

 the official Peking Gazette declared that China 

 still regards herself as the lawful proprietor of 

 the Loo-choo Islands. This view, according 

 to Chinese accounts, seems also to be adopted 

 by the inhabitants of the islands, who sent a 

 deputation to Peking to bring the Emperor of 

 China the usual yearly tribute. A warm diplo- 

 matic correspondence passed between the two 

 Governments in regard to this new difficulty. 

 The troubles between Germany and China, 

 relative to the plundering of the bark Prince 

 Bismarck, were satisfactorily settled. . 



In December the Chinese Government ap- 

 pointed ministers to Chili, Peru, and Japan. . 

 The Peking Gazette states that the King of 

 Burmah has offered to send tribute in ac- 

 knowledgment of Chinese supremacy. This 

 ceremony was discontinued two centuries ago. 

 On June 12th the steamer Carisbrooke, from 

 Singapore, and owned by British subjects, was 

 discovered landing passengers and cargo on 

 the island of Hainan, which being closed to 

 foreigners, the ship was boarded and seized 



