CHINA. 



109 





convention was referred to the Imperial Gov- 

 ernment ut IVking and the Foreign Office in 

 i.nii.li.ii fur ratiticatiun, and at the close of the 

 year ii- previse terms had not been published, 

 all hough the following concessions were known 

 to h;i\c heen made by the Chinese commis- 

 sioner : Mrs. Margary is to receive an indemnity 

 in money ; three new ports are to be opened to 

 foreign trade ; an important city in the province 

 of Vim nan is to be opened to commerce, with 

 a political or consular resident there to protect 

 and watch over British interests in that dis- 

 tant quarter; and the opening of the Yang-tse- 

 kiang as far as navigable. 



In 1875 a dispute arose with Germany about 

 a German vessel, the Anna, which was cap- 

 tured and plundered, and the captain and mate 

 murdered by her crew, mostly composed of 

 Chinese, at Foochow. The German Govern- 

 ment claimed that the Chinese authorities had 

 not observed due diligence in the arrest and 

 punishment of the pirates, and demanded an 

 indemnity, and that the guilty officers should 

 be punished. The Chinese Government tried 

 at first to evade the responsibility, but upon 

 several men - of - war being sent f-rom Ger- 

 many in the beginning of the year 1876, the 

 Government showed itself more accommo- 

 dating, and after' considerable delay the fol- 

 lowing agreement was arrived at : Three of 

 the pirates having been captured, the two 

 principal ones were executed, while the other 

 received one hundred blows with a bamboo 

 stick, and was banished to another province 

 for three years. Rewards of $1,000 and $500 

 were offered for the capture of the other pi- 

 rates, still at large. The persons who received 

 the rice from the vessel in their houses were 

 sentenced to blows with the bamboo stick. In 

 the villages Pak-soeung and Sei-soeung, six 

 huts belonging to receivers of the stolen goods 

 were burned. Captain Lam, who should have 

 watched over the safety of the coast, and who 

 permitted the people to commit unlawful acts, 

 was discharged and placed before a court to be 

 tried. Lieutenant-Colonel Yin and Colonel 

 Lin, who did not take the matter in hand 

 with the necessary vigor, lost their buttons, 

 the sign of their rank, temporarily. The man- 

 darin Tsu was transferred to another place, 

 because he did not arrest the murderers. The 

 rest of the cargo found waa sold, and the 

 receivers were fined, making in all $13,880, 

 which was handed over to the consul for the 

 ship-owners. 



The Viceroy of Canton had some trouble in 

 the early part of the year with the Portuguese 

 authorities in Macao. The difficulties were set- 

 tled by the Chinese yielding and abandoning 

 their position, having been intimidated by the 

 threats of the Portuguese. The intention was 

 to establish a custom-house on Patera Island, 

 near Macao. The Portuguese authorities de- 

 clared their purpose to resist any such attempt 

 by force, and they garrisoned their forts and 

 occupied the island with a large body of troops. 



In consequence of these energetic preparations 

 the Chinese stopped proceedings. 



On January 2tfth, the Chinese New-Year, 

 Prince Kung, attended by the highest dignita- 

 ries of the empire, some forty in number, re- 

 ceived the diplomatic body. Prince Kung and 

 the Chinese officials returned the visits of the 

 foreign ministers on February 6th and 7th. 



The difficulties with Kashgaria continued 

 during the year. Jakub Kushbegi, the Amir 

 of Kashgaria, assumed the offensive, and col- 

 lected an army of 40,000 men, with which he 

 marched against the Chinese. He defeated the 

 latter in several battles, the Chinese general Tso 

 in consequence committing suicide. The war 

 with Kashgaria as well as the numerous local 

 rebellions cost large amounts of money. In 

 April, Governor-General Tso gave the cost of 

 the impending campaign against Kashgaria at 

 50,000,000 taels, being then in arrears 27,000,- 

 000 taels. The Viceroy of Kansnh required 

 15,000,000 taels for the suppression of local 

 rebellions. Heavy liabilities had been in- 



