The Kucheng Atrocities.

Southland Times, Issue 13284, 9 August 1895, Page 3

The Kucheng Atrocities.

(United Press Association.— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) , London, Aug. 7. The Chinese soldiers sent to protect the mission house at Kucheng broke in and plundered what remained. • . . ■ Aug. 8. Received Bth, 7.30 p.m. The British naval commander on the China station has received orders to enforce the demand for redress and satisfaction for the Kucheng massacre at once. Received 9th, 0.40 a.m. The U.S. Consul at Foochow obtained evidence that the mandarins were aware that the attack was intended days before it took place. Native Christians are being subjected to terrible persecutions and foreigners are insulted everywhere. H.M.S. Linnet has been ordered to Foochow. Sydney, Aug. 8. The Anglican Church throughout the colony will hold a memorial service on Tuesday for the murdered missionaries. Received Btb, 7.30 p.m. Miss Newcombe, one of the Kucheng victims, was the niece of a New Zealand schoolmaster of the same name. Dr On Lee, a Chinese, in an interview said the Vegetarians were fearless and quiet, but desperate as a class. He did not think the rising had any political significance, but was all on account of religion. The Vegetarians, like the prieuts, have great faith in their religion ; live only for it; leave father and mother and go away by themselves on the hills ; and live in seclusion like hermits. They do not cure what you do with them, but do not like to see people turning away from their religion. They do not like foreigners, and the more Chinese become Christians the more they hate the missionaries and the more determined they are to get rid of them. They kill Chinese who become Christians just the same as they do the missionaries, and are always killing them off quietly. The Chinese Government is not to blame that the Mandarins supported the Vegetarians, because they did not like to see the people change their religion. The Vegetarian Society is one the Government dare not interfere with. Quong Tart,'the well known Chinese merchant, said he believed the Chinese Government is as friendly disposed towards the missionaries as ever, and that their noninterference is attributable to the fact that the war h.s left the troops in a scattered state, and the immediate subjugation of the Vegetarians was thus impossible. He confirms the religious character of the society. [By Telegraph.] Wellington, Aug. 8. The Rev. George Nicoll, of the China Inland Mission, who spent 15 years in China, is at present in Wellington. He is acquainted with Kucheng and its neighbourhood, and is of opinion that the Society of Vegetarians which is responsible for the outrage is an isolated one. He suggests as a remedy for the treatment to which the missionaries are subjected, stoppage of the opium traffic and the sending of missionary labourers into the country to preach the Gospel, although it would probably mean the sacrifice of further lives. The Chinese are taught from childhood to hate foreigners and it is for the .missionaries to teach them better. In five years 481 male and 672 female missionaries had been sent to the country, and had done an enormous amount of Christianising work.