TURBULENT CHINA,

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 109, 11 May 1927, Page 17

TURBULENT CHINA,

AN ANTI-FOREIGN MYTH.

SPANISH NUNS AND BABIES. HOW TROUBLE STARTED A letter which has been received in Auckland throws some interesting light on the turbulent state of affairs in China, and incidentally refers to the exciting experiences that British residents have had. The writer says that the Foochow troubles, thanks to strong action by a Southern Chinese general, who imprisoned 200 Chinese and shot ten, soon died down. The disturbance was started by agitators, and was carried on by bandits who had enrolled in the Southern Army. Plundering by Mob. "The trouble originated over a wellknown anti-foreign fable—that Spanish nuns were killing Chinese babies, and using their eyes for medicine," says the writer. "This seems incredible, but it ie true, and a glance at a Chinese pharmacopaeia makes one see that the Chinese would quite believe it. As a consequence the mob invaded every Christian institution in the city, and plundered and maltreated the foreign occupants. The truth of the baby story has since come out. The- Spanish nuns had an orphanage, and in view of the Chinese custom of doing away with girlbabies, the sisters used to buy them for as much as five cents, clothe and educate them. Through neglect from birth the babies were pf ten in a parlous state when rescued, and the death rate was high. The previous Government had an arrangement to bury the dead, but the Nationalists have refused to carry on that arrangement. The nuns foolishly did not appeal to their consul, but tried to dispose of the bodies, and that started the trouble." Americans Evacuated. Proceeding, the writer says that when the disorders broke out the American Consul "got the wind up" and evacuated the American population at a few hours' notice, and they were scattered at Manila, Shanghai and Hongkong. The British Consul, however, refused to take panic or call for British naval assistance. This made the Americans look a bit foolish, and they are now making their way back. - "Things certainly seem quiet at Foochow," says the writer. "The Chinese population here are not at all revolutionary or hot-blooded like the Cantonese. This is also the base of the Chinese navy—a few old gunboat*, but they have a big influence in this neighbourhood. The Chinese navy is antiCanton and pro-foreign. The other day the British Consul mentioned to the Chinese admiral that he looked to the Chinese navy to protect the place, and next day in walked a dozen Chinese marines to guard us. The Chinese staff were very pleased, as the pirate season has commenced, and with a Chinese guard they now sleep peacefully at night."