GUNBOAT AS AVENGER

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 77, 27 September 1924, Page 16

GUNBOAT AS AVENGER

.commander's summary, "*~' justice.;''

Sow. the commander of a British gun--soat in Chinese waters, in the absence of a Higher authority, adroitly assumed the responsibility of enforcing punitive measures, jagajnst Jthe community of a township whose* coolie" inhabitants had killed an American-citizen, is., recounted in a letter, written at Hankow, from a fellowofficer. • ' - ■ 7 '-'VVe have just had an interesting affair on Upper River,", he writes. "The trouble is that the junks are rapidly losing alT'their. trade owing to the large increase *inVUp'p"er.',.Rivei; steamers, some of the smaller of,which. are now able to run all the "year-round. Shippers naturally prefer to send tlieir goods by steamer, as it is safer and""cheaper,. because, if sent by junk, th.ey-.~are; subjected to illegal taxes at various--'squeeze' stations all down the river; tie steamers do.not stop for these. There is a large amount of wood oil exported,.and the junks look on this as their legitimate cargo, and object to steamers carrying it; but last year, by"aint-"df'"the.'steainers paying. 2 per cent, of "fhS^Jif eights- to" the junk guild, they -were allowed to carry it from 15th. 4use to 15th October, the junks doinguldn.-fhe winter. (It is not safe for junks'taimove during this period of very high--water.)' This year no actual agreement "was reached, but the local authorities assured an American agent for a.Britjsh firm that it would be all right, so he proceeded to try to load oil in a steamer."'--One of our "gunboats was there at the time. As soon as loading was conrmenced-ja riot began, and attempts were made to break up the lighters.' -The agent, who was at the time on board, the steamer, went ashore and tried ;to stop. the riot, but the rioters hit him over the head aud he fell into the water. He was carried aboard the gunboat, where.he died. The gunboat landed airarmed party, and fired a blank, at which the coolies fled. "The ..captain had. then to deal with tne situation, there being no consuls | ther o nor any American gunboat present. He proceeded to interview the local general, who said that lao was sorry to hear about it, but did not display much interest. The captain then said'■lf you do not at once have the rinK" leaders arrested and shot, and if you do not, witlC.the^other principal men of the town, follow-the- dead man's- coffin to the. grave on foot, I will bombard the town ;w_ith,..6m guns.' This shook them. J-ney did walk three miles after the coffin, an unheard of thing for a Chinese •swell to do, as they lose a lot, of 'face' if they .walk anywhere. By noon next day, however, no one had been shot so .the captain delivered another ultimatum, expiring at:6_o'clock that eveulng.- ; At a-quarter to?6<o'clock two men were brought-alongside, and they we>- e duly, shot.. If tlie CKinese -had 'called the. captain's;bluft',".l;do not know what he could-have done; he would have had to bombard something, and. we are nominally at peace with China. As it is protests are flowing in, bufr'l~hope our Minister has sufficient sense to stick up for-him. This incident shows the necessity; :.for gunboats. If'one had not been on^-the spot,^ther.o,-would never : have been ; any satisfaction obtainable."