DOI Heft:
September 20, 1884
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17757#0140
September 20, 1884.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 133
DIGNITY IN DISTRESS.
French Hatter (ivith a very limited knowledge of English, to Anglican Bishop,
whose Hat has just been blown aivay into the hea). ‘Homme pA vous VA bien!
Bootifool, my Boy ! ”
A Thorough Draught.—A pull at a pint of stout.
PRESERVING THE PEACE.
How it is managed—according to some of the latest comic International Cable
Company’s Telegrams.
(From Odr Own Correspondent.)
Shanghai, Sept. 16.
Intelligence has just reached us here that the whole of the Nineteenth
Imperial Army Corps (Chocolate Flags) having come suddenly upon half a
squadron of French Chasseurs doing nothing in particular beyond penetrating
into the interior of the country and losing themselves in a back street in Nan-
kin, the Chinese General in command, though admitting himself satisfied with
a full explanation of the affair instantly shown him in large type on the
advertisement-sheet of a hack number of the Figaro, nevertheless ordered a
general massacre of the intruders, I regret to add, with deplorable results. Major
BourLLOT, who was in charge, and is now the only survivor of the party, he for-
warded at once upside down, in an iron cage to the inland fortress of Hue-hang-
bang, beyond the Honan range, pending further instructions from head-quarters.
The incident has naturally produced a painful feeling here, the news arriving
this afternoon while M. Toupet, the French Charge d’Affaires, was entertaining
the Imperial Chinese Commissioner, Li-tung-sting, and a few friendly notables,
at tea. M. Toupet’s first impulse was, naturally enough, to vindicate the honour
of his country by seizing, the Commissioner and holding him by his pigtail sus-
pended out of window, till twirling him he could drop him effectively on the
head of any passing member of the Tsung-li-Yamen who, absent on sick leave,
happens to be making a brief stay in the place.
Fortunately I persuaded M. Toupet to avoid this “ overt act of hostility ” by
I Pointing out to him that, as the two nations were ostensibly at peace, and on
j diplomatically friendly relations, it would be as well privately to ignore the
contretemps. The French Charge d'Affaires is a man of sound sense, and saw
nCe once ! and so, after a little threatening gesticulation behind
j Commissioner’s hack, finally contented himself with telegraphing to the
j Admiral to bombard every place on the coast from Howl-ong to the Ski-hi
forts, blowing up the latter again, together with any fieets
or arsenals that had escaped his notice the last time he
was in the neighbourhood. This seems a happy solution
of the difficulty, as, if successful, it will calm French
susceptibilities, and need not, of course, he regarded by
the Chinese for a moment in the light of an actus belli.
Shanghai, Sept. 17.
Have just met the Chinese Commissioner. He tells
me he has received a despatch from Pekin, acquainting
him with the third successful blowing up of the Ski-hi
forts by the French, including the new garrison of fifteen
thousand men. He laughed heartily at the incident,
remarking, as we concluded our conversation, “If
Frenchee man blowee up Chin-chin-Chinee man, and
makee peacey, why not Chin-chin-Chinee man skinee
everybody allee-roundee, and makee-peacey too F ”
There is really something in this, though I only repeat
it for what it is worth. Still, I think I shall endeavour
to get out of Shanghai this afternoon as a stowaway on
one of the out-going packets, for I hear the Sub-Assistant
Secretary to the New European Club here was found
this morniDg rather maliciously nailed to his own notice-
board. Indeed, as I write, the Committee are barricaded
within the building, and determined, so I am told, to
fight to the death rather than give up their prized French
Chef, the very best on the coast, to an angry mob, who are
raving outside for his eyeballs andthumbs to send to Pekin,
on the as yet quite unsupported plea that in violation
of the treaties of’63 and ’71, he has boiled down a yellow-
buttoned Mandarin in the stock used in the establish-
ment for the lighter spring-soups. The Oriental mind is
easily impressed with a picturesque story of this kind,
and though I should say from what I know of the Com-
mittee personally that it is perfectly unfounded, yet
there are times when feeling unfortunately runs high, and
in case there should he some sort of basis for the canard,
perhaps I had better get a little nearer Hong Kong.
Shanghai, Sept. 17.
Curiously on my way to the landing-stage, on all-
fours, carefully disguised as a Chinese General of the
second rank, I met Li-tung-sting, who explained to me
that order was perfectly restored, and that there was
not the slightest occasion now for my departure. An
Imperial Edict, full of most friendly feeling to the
French, had just reached him from the Palace, and he
had also received orders to punish the rioters. To as-
sure me of this, he showed me the rough proof of a Pro-
clamation, handing over not only all those concerned,
but their uncles, grandfathers, ground-landlords, and
great-uncles (on the mother’s side) that very same evening
to the permanent board of tortures sitting at Hung-yung.
He asked me if I did not think that that would create
an excellent feeling at Paris, and show that China at
least was anxious to assume towards the Republic an
affable attitude [une position joyeuse), and avoid war?
I replied that I thought it certainly would, and compli-
mented him highly on the vigour of his Proclamation no
less than on the thoroughly friendly and delicate conside-
ration it manifested for ruffled European susceptibilities.
Shanghai, Sept. 18.
This place has just been blown out of the water, some-
what suddenly, by the French, and I have rather luckily
come down on my head on a buoy in the offing. It seems
that the French Admiral, happening to be on shore
dining at a banquet improvised in his honour by the
Eastern Archipelago Benevolent Costermongers’ Aid
Society, a party of Imperial Chinese troops, acting, it is
now stated, under orders in cipher from Pekin, endea-
voured to roast him alive. The. plot failing, the result
has been a good deal of exasperation and reprisals.
Shanghai, Sept. 19.
Things have returned to their normal condition. The
Chinese Commissioner, clinging to the top of a floating
Pagoda, and with the Union Jack painted apparently by
some good-tempered English Sailors in oils, on his fore-
head, has just passed me in the water. ^ He seemed quite
cheerful, and said that, spite yesterday’s incident, which
was “a little surprising” {un peu foudroy ant), and the
repeated declarations of war by his own Emperor, he felt
that the amicable relations between France and China
were never more secure or satisfactory.
Yol. 87.
5
DIGNITY IN DISTRESS.
French Hatter (ivith a very limited knowledge of English, to Anglican Bishop,
whose Hat has just been blown aivay into the hea). ‘Homme pA vous VA bien!
Bootifool, my Boy ! ”
A Thorough Draught.—A pull at a pint of stout.
PRESERVING THE PEACE.
How it is managed—according to some of the latest comic International Cable
Company’s Telegrams.
(From Odr Own Correspondent.)
Shanghai, Sept. 16.
Intelligence has just reached us here that the whole of the Nineteenth
Imperial Army Corps (Chocolate Flags) having come suddenly upon half a
squadron of French Chasseurs doing nothing in particular beyond penetrating
into the interior of the country and losing themselves in a back street in Nan-
kin, the Chinese General in command, though admitting himself satisfied with
a full explanation of the affair instantly shown him in large type on the
advertisement-sheet of a hack number of the Figaro, nevertheless ordered a
general massacre of the intruders, I regret to add, with deplorable results. Major
BourLLOT, who was in charge, and is now the only survivor of the party, he for-
warded at once upside down, in an iron cage to the inland fortress of Hue-hang-
bang, beyond the Honan range, pending further instructions from head-quarters.
The incident has naturally produced a painful feeling here, the news arriving
this afternoon while M. Toupet, the French Charge d’Affaires, was entertaining
the Imperial Chinese Commissioner, Li-tung-sting, and a few friendly notables,
at tea. M. Toupet’s first impulse was, naturally enough, to vindicate the honour
of his country by seizing, the Commissioner and holding him by his pigtail sus-
pended out of window, till twirling him he could drop him effectively on the
head of any passing member of the Tsung-li-Yamen who, absent on sick leave,
happens to be making a brief stay in the place.
Fortunately I persuaded M. Toupet to avoid this “ overt act of hostility ” by
I Pointing out to him that, as the two nations were ostensibly at peace, and on
j diplomatically friendly relations, it would be as well privately to ignore the
contretemps. The French Charge d'Affaires is a man of sound sense, and saw
nCe once ! and so, after a little threatening gesticulation behind
j Commissioner’s hack, finally contented himself with telegraphing to the
j Admiral to bombard every place on the coast from Howl-ong to the Ski-hi
forts, blowing up the latter again, together with any fieets
or arsenals that had escaped his notice the last time he
was in the neighbourhood. This seems a happy solution
of the difficulty, as, if successful, it will calm French
susceptibilities, and need not, of course, he regarded by
the Chinese for a moment in the light of an actus belli.
Shanghai, Sept. 17.
Have just met the Chinese Commissioner. He tells
me he has received a despatch from Pekin, acquainting
him with the third successful blowing up of the Ski-hi
forts by the French, including the new garrison of fifteen
thousand men. He laughed heartily at the incident,
remarking, as we concluded our conversation, “If
Frenchee man blowee up Chin-chin-Chinee man, and
makee peacey, why not Chin-chin-Chinee man skinee
everybody allee-roundee, and makee-peacey too F ”
There is really something in this, though I only repeat
it for what it is worth. Still, I think I shall endeavour
to get out of Shanghai this afternoon as a stowaway on
one of the out-going packets, for I hear the Sub-Assistant
Secretary to the New European Club here was found
this morniDg rather maliciously nailed to his own notice-
board. Indeed, as I write, the Committee are barricaded
within the building, and determined, so I am told, to
fight to the death rather than give up their prized French
Chef, the very best on the coast, to an angry mob, who are
raving outside for his eyeballs andthumbs to send to Pekin,
on the as yet quite unsupported plea that in violation
of the treaties of’63 and ’71, he has boiled down a yellow-
buttoned Mandarin in the stock used in the establish-
ment for the lighter spring-soups. The Oriental mind is
easily impressed with a picturesque story of this kind,
and though I should say from what I know of the Com-
mittee personally that it is perfectly unfounded, yet
there are times when feeling unfortunately runs high, and
in case there should he some sort of basis for the canard,
perhaps I had better get a little nearer Hong Kong.
Shanghai, Sept. 17.
Curiously on my way to the landing-stage, on all-
fours, carefully disguised as a Chinese General of the
second rank, I met Li-tung-sting, who explained to me
that order was perfectly restored, and that there was
not the slightest occasion now for my departure. An
Imperial Edict, full of most friendly feeling to the
French, had just reached him from the Palace, and he
had also received orders to punish the rioters. To as-
sure me of this, he showed me the rough proof of a Pro-
clamation, handing over not only all those concerned,
but their uncles, grandfathers, ground-landlords, and
great-uncles (on the mother’s side) that very same evening
to the permanent board of tortures sitting at Hung-yung.
He asked me if I did not think that that would create
an excellent feeling at Paris, and show that China at
least was anxious to assume towards the Republic an
affable attitude [une position joyeuse), and avoid war?
I replied that I thought it certainly would, and compli-
mented him highly on the vigour of his Proclamation no
less than on the thoroughly friendly and delicate conside-
ration it manifested for ruffled European susceptibilities.
Shanghai, Sept. 18.
This place has just been blown out of the water, some-
what suddenly, by the French, and I have rather luckily
come down on my head on a buoy in the offing. It seems
that the French Admiral, happening to be on shore
dining at a banquet improvised in his honour by the
Eastern Archipelago Benevolent Costermongers’ Aid
Society, a party of Imperial Chinese troops, acting, it is
now stated, under orders in cipher from Pekin, endea-
voured to roast him alive. The. plot failing, the result
has been a good deal of exasperation and reprisals.
Shanghai, Sept. 19.
Things have returned to their normal condition. The
Chinese Commissioner, clinging to the top of a floating
Pagoda, and with the Union Jack painted apparently by
some good-tempered English Sailors in oils, on his fore-
head, has just passed me in the water. ^ He seemed quite
cheerful, and said that, spite yesterday’s incident, which
was “a little surprising” {un peu foudroy ant), and the
repeated declarations of war by his own Emperor, he felt
that the amicable relations between France and China
were never more secure or satisfactory.
Yol. 87.
5