CHINA. 



101 



famine, and in the districts rendered noisome 

 by the German-French war. 



The afflicted provinces have been so com- 

 pletely exhausted that they have lost the pow- 

 er of early recovery, even with favorable sea- 

 sons. The Government showed some recogni- 

 tion of the liberal contribution of foreigners 

 for the relief of its distressed subjects, by ad- 

 dressing the following private circular letter to 

 each of the foreign ministers: 



We have recently noticed a statement in the news- 

 papers that foreigners of all nationalities have raised 

 contributions, which, have been sent for distribution 

 to the famine districts of Shantungj to the relief of 

 the sufferers, thus manifesting their delight to do 

 good and grant aid to all men without regard to race. 



We have been exceedingly gratified at what we 

 have heard, and now beg to return to them, through 

 you, our expression of appreciation and thanks. 



The Sungarian revolt in the extreme west of 

 China was finally subdued in 1877, after a 

 campaign which had extended through many 

 years. 



More than 14 years ago, Sungarians, a tribe 

 of Chinese Mohammedans, affected by the re- 

 bellion in Yunnan, engaged in a religious war, 

 and the struggle for independence spread to 

 the Turkish-speaking inhabitants of Western 

 China. The Chinese in quelling the rebellion 

 proceeded very systematically, beginning with 

 the Sungarians. For 10 years this war has 

 been conducted, with all imaginable mistakes. 

 Unexampled cowardice was followed by the 

 most unheard-of barbarities, and a battalion of 

 European soldiers would have sufficed to put 

 to flight the two armies, numbering hundreds 

 of thousands of men. 



In 1876, the Chinese succeeded, by force of 

 arms and by strategy, in securing the cities of 

 Soo-chow (not to be confounded with the city 

 of this name in China proper), Komul, Barkul, 

 and Gutchen that is, a region forming the 

 boundary between Turkistan and China and 

 then marched on Uruntchi and Manas. The 

 two latter cities the Amir Yakub Khan had 

 annexed to his Empire in 1874, and the attack 

 of the Chinese was therefore meant as much for 

 him as for the Sungarians. A body of Kash- 

 garian troops, 700 strong, under the command 

 of Beg Kuli, Yakub Beg's son, had an engage- 

 ment with the Chinese. The latter having, in 

 spite of their cowardice and the absence of 

 anything like discipline, the advantage of their 

 enemies by reason of their superior arms, en- 

 joyed also the aid of those Chinese fugitives 

 who, having been driven 12 years ago by the 

 Sungarians into the mountains, had now gath- 

 ered under the leadership of Shu-sha, one of 

 their chiefs, to aid their approaching country- 

 men. On November 10, 1876, Manas surren- 

 dered, in which city 1,500 Sungarians were 

 murdered in cold blood by the Chinese. Simi- 

 lar cases also occurred at other places. The 

 Sungarians, reduced by famine, were forced to 

 surrender, and were then in most cases mur- 

 dered, without regard to sex or age. With this 

 victory the Chinese have again secured their 

 supremacy in the eastern part of the Amir's 

 territory, in which this fortunate adventurer 

 had always expected danger, and had therefore 

 for years attempted to form an alliance with 

 the Sungarians. To-day the Sungarian revolt 

 may be considered at an end. Famine and the 



Chinese soldiers have reduced their numbers 

 fully one-half, while, of those that have escaped 

 with their bare life, many have sought refuge 

 in Russian territory. This brought the Chinese 

 to the borders of Yakub Khan's territory, and 

 tiie war that will ensue between these two 

 will have an important bearing on the rivalry 

 between British and Russian interests in Cen- 

 tral Asia. 



For an account of the war between Kashgar 

 and China, see KASIIGAB. 



The foreign ministers in Peking were re- 

 ceived at the Tsungli Yamen on February 22d, 

 the Chinese New Year, with festival ceremo- 

 nies, by Prince Kung and numerous high offi- 

 cials. 



In August, the Government issued an edict 

 condemning the use of opium, and sanctioning 



