OMINOUS UNREST IN CHINA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 33, 7 February 1906, Page 5

OMINOUS UNREST IN CHINA.

THE. SHANGHAI RIOTS. FIGHTING IN THE STREETS. The special correspondent of the Sydney ''Telegraph" writing from Hongkong on lipcember 27. says:—lt has been patent to most observers for a long time that the success of the Japanese in the late war was going to considerably influence the attitude of China towards foreigners. While few people w\iose opinions are wor v th more than passing consideration believe that the Yellow Peril bogey evoked by the Kaiser for political purposes will ever be other than a discredited nightmare, there arc others who think that the party known as "Young China" will cause trouble. This organisation consists of a number of rather bright young men, who have absorbed something of Western learning, but have not assimilated it. 111-digested ideas of a China as great and powerful and progressive as Japan are fermenting in their minds, and they imagine that a political millenium can be achieved by a resolute trumpeting that China has shaken off the shackles and is free. Unfortunately they fail to recognise that Japan went through a long and arduous apprenticeship before she was qualified to sit in the seats of the mighty. For several mouths past, however, the Taotai has exhibited a tendency to irritate the Consuls and" the council at every opportunity. He has hvz. backed up by the magistrate at the Mixed Court, who dared not long since to order his court runners to forcibly take certain female prisoners out of the custody of the British police to which they had been committed. These officials appear to have been instigated to their displays of anti-foreign sentiment by the unbridled and incessant clamor of a scurrilous native , press. STARVE OUT THE FOREIGNERS. Encouraged by the Young China Party, and it is morp than hinted with thejjßountena.-nce of tbe responsible officiaflf the riff-raff—pirates, smugglers, and brigands—which always hangs round the outskirts of any great Chinese city, determined to cut off the settlement's food supplies. It had apparently been arranged that this should be done on December 18, as prior to that date inflammatory placards were posted all over the settlement warning the "patriots" to be on the gui vive. These, it is believed, were distributed by the boycott committee, and it is not altogether clear that this body did not have much to do in fomenting the trouble. The first symptoms of a disturbance were manifest near the Hongkew .market early in the morning, when gangu of roughs set upon the market gardeners and others on their way into the cily with the usual supplies of meat, vegetables, and other produce. Food was scattered about the streets, stalls, and barrows were smashed, and goner-' ally the crowd ordered and compelled a suspension of business. The rice shopkeepers were commanded to close their shops and moat of them did so, fearing , that their premises .would be looted if they did not obey. STREET FIGHTING. Simultaneously with the action of the mob in the vicinity, of -the Hongkew market, other crowds made- themselves manifest in various parts'.bf.the city, and foreigners proceeding into city as usual to business were molested. The German and the United States Consuls were made particular marks by the mob, and several .stones were thrown a a they dashed away. The business part of the settlement quickly became the centre of the riot, and the huge crowd of howling Chinese c ultimately became too much for the limited European and Sikh police. The British warships and the men-of-war of other nationalities in port were notified that an anti-foreign rising was imminent, and detachments of bluejackets, with Catling guns,/were soon landed. The Volunteers were called out, and served with ball cartridge, and, being the first on the scene, were ordered to fifix bayonets and charge the Maloo mob. The appearance of cold steel had an immediate effect upon the rioters. They fled for the time hut quickly re-assembled in greater force, but without lethal weapons. Many had picked up stones and clubs of wood, but there were no firearms to be seen, though later on some were used.

POLICE STATION DESTROYED. In order to protect property -as much as possibble, guards were set round the principal buildings, though the Louza and Hongkew .police stations were charged in force by the mob. The police —who were the centre of attack during the early part of the day—-were not armed with ball cartridge, and consequently were no match, for the rioter 4 opposed to them. The Louza station was soon a wreck, and burning, and the bricks were being torn from tho walla by the Chinese to be used as weapons. In the struggle three foreigners were wounded so seriously that they had to be taken to hospital, and most of the prisoners were released. Encouraged by the success at this quarter, the crowds quickly spread to other spots. The Hotel iletropole annexe -was soon on fiie, and furniture and fittings were being thrown into the streets, when a party of bluejackets and volunteers appeared on the scene. Imagining that they—like the police—were unarmed with cartridge, the Chinese defied them, and endeavoured to ward off attack with brickbats. The sailors promptly received orders to fire on the mob, and the result was staggering to the Chinese. Several of they- number lay dead on the street, and the rest rapidly melted into thin air. They did not relish the taste of lead. Earlier in the day a Chinaman was killed in the Nankingroad by a volunteer who had been struck with a stone, and the body was left in the road for some hours as a warning to others. It probably incited them to more desperate ends. A mob rushed an arms and ammunition shop in order to procure weapons, and they stripped the shop before they driven away. There were many desultory skirmishes in the various streets, but firearms were not used any more than possible. One fanatic Chinese rushed at a corps of volunteers, brandishing a sword, but he bit the dust before he could do any damage, and his followers fled. In the afternoon the centre of trouble seemed to shift to the Bund— the water front—but there was no rioting or attempt at disturbance. By this time gangs of bluejackets were patrolling the streets and the Chinese subsided whenever, they saw the colour of a gatling gun. They seemed to appreciate the sinister mission' of the weapon, and gave it a wide berth. Naturally there was nraeh anxiety felt regarding the <*te of tho foreigners, and their {wonertj en the outskirts of the town* n4 in ike sntwrhs ovt Babbling fettmi m&vul mimnj taautA ma^

as posible were despatched, to collect the women and children, and escort them to the country-dub prcmines.whcr* a strong guard was mounted. - There was no rioting-at all in the French Set- ! tlcment, and\ l>y nighttime .everything J appeared to ■bo "quiet, though many Chinese shops wtire looted by the swarms of beggars who consistently followed up the gangs of rowdies. THE AFTERMATH. \ There was no of finding out accurately how many Chinese lost their lives during the day, as the Chinese carried away theic own dead. There were no Europeans killed, though several were wounded seriously, and "the Chinese next day were prepared to say that they had received a lesson. Many of the roughs still swarmed about, and one or two attempts were made to again stir up strife, but the constant appearance of bluejackets checked their ardor. Generally" shops were opened, and business was resumed under normal conditions, the only evidence of trouble being the armed sentries posted at intervals along the streets and in the gates of the native city. The Taotai personally requested, the peonle to resume business, and remain quiet, and immediately they were convinced that they would be safe from ■ looters, and obeyed.