NOTES ABOUT THE MISSIONARIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11809, 11 August 1900, Page 7

NOTES ABOUT THE MISSIONARIES.

The Key. A. Don, Chinese missionary, writes: — One hundred and fifty Europeans and Americans are said to bo in great peril in Sze-chuan. In this province there are 205 American and European Protestant missionaries, belonging to the nine societies —viz.: China Inland, 88; Church Mission, 37 ; Methodist Episcopal (American), 22; Canadian Methodist, 18 ; American Baptist, 14; Frienda Foreign Mission., 16; L.M.S., 6; National

8.5., 2; American 8.5.,' 2. Those who were stationed in and near the capital Chen-tu should not bo in danger, for the Viceroy is pro-foreign; while those in. and about the treaty port Chung-king will be xinder the protection or the two British gunboats—Woodlark and Woodcock—there. At Pao-ning city, some 170 miles from Chcn-tu, Bishop Casscls, Bishop of Western China, is stationed: He is one of the " Cambridge Band" of seven, who arrived in China in 1885. Three others of the same band—Messrs Cecil H. Polhill-Turner, Arthur T. Polhill-Turner, and Montague Bcauchamp,—also are stationed in Sze-chuan province. There are ten Australians among the 88 of the C.1.M., but no New Zealanders. There is, however, one who is well known here, Mr V\r. 8. Strong, who wrote in May that he was going to Ta-tsicn-lu, near the Thibetan frontier, but would very likely turn back before reaching Sui-fu.

The " 124 European missionaries " officially admitted as having been murdered in North China no doubt include the already reported murders in the Stangtung, Chih-li, Shan-si, and Shing-kdng provinces—at T'ung-chau, Pao-ting-fu, T'ai-yuan-fu, Yung-cheng, Mukden, etc.

Regarding the foreigners at Poking, things look very black indeed. There seems little hope now for them, unless as a last resource they should accept Prince Ching's hospitality, which seems to have been offered before and refused. Eighteen days ago Li Hung Chang warned us strongly against advancing on Peking while the foreigners were there; and, in quite good faith, I believe, promised to arrange for their safe escort to Tientsin if the advance should be abandoned. We could easily have waited in Tientsin, and given up the immediate march on Peking until it should be seen that the capture of the city was absolutely necessary for the settlement of the problem. That we should have had ultimately to take Peking there can be little doubt, for the Empress Dowager, the usurper Tuan, and ail their tribes must be either captured or driven far off before terms can be come to. Moreover, with the foreign Ambassadors free, we should have had wise advisers—whom it appears we sorely need just now—as to our course of action.

In the past the " bull at the gate " method perhaps served us in dealing with China, but we shall find that South Africa is not the anyplace where wisdom as well as bravery is needed. If we do not find this soon, it is only a, matter of a few years. China will not always stand having bits nipped out.of her by the West. The nipping process is already resulting in unifying a people that, united, will—well, we had better cultivate her friendship. Little Japan judged rightly the cither day, when she threw the weight of the present trouble upon Russia and Germany for their, unwarrantable encroachments. China must, of course, get a severe lesson from the Powers for what is going on; but, as teachers, wo are going a queer way about it, practically distrusting every word of the only man who could, if we trusted him, give us untold help. When Viceroy Li said what would be the likely result of our advance on Peking, I wrote: "Viceroy Li Hung Chang knows what he is talking about." And I cannot help feeling that if, after .all these weeks of rising and falling hopes, the Peking Legations and missionaries should now be massacred, no inconsiderable blame will attach to ourselves. This, without in the slightest degree mitigating the enormity of China's crime.