There being much unoccupied land in Hang-chow, your petitioners are willing to procure at their own expense a place such as will be agreeable to the missionaries. They will also, for the expenses necessary to be incurred in rebuilding, pay them the full price of their present buildings. You, Mr. Consul, have resided long in Ningpo, and are thoroughly acquainted with the customs of the people; your conduct has ever been influenced by a regard for them, and they hold you in grateful remembrance. We therefore intreat you to request the missionaries to consent to exchange their location, in order that the prosperous influences there may be preserved, and the harmonies of the spot carried out. For doing this, our gratitude will truly be boundless. A respectful petition, TUNGCHI, 12th year, 6th intercalary moon. [Inclosure 2 in 1 in No. 17.] Mr. Lord to the missionaries Houston and Helm. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, DEAR SIRS: You are aware, I suppose, that the movement in your city last year directed against natives who had transferred, or aided in transferring, houses or lands to foreigners, was at the time supposed to have originated in a particular dislike that some of the officials, and perhaps gentry, had to your position and houses on the hill. It is true that this fact was not mentioned to me and my colleague in the discussions that we had with the officers at that time. Still, we knew well enough that the difficulty had originated there. The movement referred to was unreasonable and anarchical; for which reason, perhaps, we were the better able to get it arrested; the magistrates, themselves, no doubt becoming alarmed when called to face the storm they were raising. After our protests no further arrests were made, and the persons already arrested were soon released; moreover, the proclamation deemed necessary to quiet the minds of the people was issued in accordance with our request. From that time to the present, so far as I know, there has been no action on the part of the officers or people calculated to disturb foreigners. However, I have suspected that neither the officers nor people were, or would be, satisfied to have your houses remain where they are, and recently this suspicion has been confirmed by a petition presented to me asking for their removal. I will briefly state the history (so far as it is known to me) and import of this petition, before expressing any opinion in regard to the attention which it should receive. About a month ago, a native gentleman of this place, of high standing and influence, called on me and stated that the gentry of Hang-chow had consulted with him in regard to the mission-houses on the hill in that place, and the possibility of getting them removed. He did not state to me what advice, if any, he had given to the gentry of Hangelow. But he said that they had decided to bring the matter before me; they would unite in a petition, and they would be glad to present their petition respectfully through a deputation representing their body, if I would permit them. I replied, of course, that if they had any grievance in regard to the matter referred to, which they wished to present to me, they had a right to present it, and it was my duty to give it the consideration it might deserve. As for the deputation, this did not appear to me a matter of much importance; still, if they chose to send one, I had no objection; it might supplement their petition, and explain more fully what they wanted. About a week ago this deputation, consisting of three gentlemen from Hang-chow, and the gentlemen above mentioned, belonging to Ningpo, waited on me, and presented their petition. The petition contained the names of the three gentlemen present from Hang-chow, and five others, who, it was said, would also have been present but for the difficulty of leaving home. Both the petition and the statements of the deputation convinced me that the matter was by them considered of very great importance. It was stated that the houses occupied by your mission on the hill were but a short distance from, and over against one or two of, the principal official residences; in consequence of which, according to their notions, the fung-shuy was disturbed, and their residences were rendered liable to the visitation of evil influences. It was said, too, that Hang-chow was the provincial capital, and also the residence of a large number of officers and scholars, by whom the doctrine of fung-shuy was universally and sincerely believed, and by whom the regulations in regard to it were considered to be of very great importance. Now these regulations, it was said, were violated by these houses being where they are. The officers and people, therefore, were anxious to get them removed. But, in asking to have them removed, they were willing to indemnify their owners for any loss that they might sustain. They would see that they were provided with a suitable place elsewhere, and be enabled to erect (or they would erect for them if they preferred) buildings as good as those that they now have. In short, they would leave me to decide what was just and reasonable in the matter of compensation. This is the history and import of the matter as it has come before me. Now, in presenting it for your consideration, I will call your attention to a few points which I think you should keep in view. I. In the first place, it is a settled question, so far as the Government of the United States is concerned, that missionaries have no treaty-right to reside in China elsewhere than at the open ports. This matter has to some extent been misunderstood. But it is known now that the clause in the French treaty, from which it was supposed the right of missionaries to reside in the interior was derived, does not exist in the French text, which alone, in cases of discrepancy, is to be regarded as authoritative. Moreover, irrespective of the French treaty or any other, our Government has decided that it is impolitic to claim from the Chinese government rights for missionaries not claimed for other citizens. I mention this fact as one important to be borne in mind in settling difficulties of this kind. The Chinese are dissatisfied with your present location on the hill, and they ask you to exchange it for one somewhere else. You may have thought, and so you may very naturally say, "We are here by right; why, then, are we asked to remove?" But just here is the mistake. "Your right," replies our Government," to reside on the hill, or in Hang-chow, at all, is only such as the Chinese give you. We are willing and pleased to have you reside there, if you can do so with their consent." Now, it seems hardly necessary for me to add, that in order to obtain and secure this consent it may be necessary at times to concede something to their prejudices. To reside on the plain with their consent and good will I should judge to be far better policy than to insist on remaining on the hill without them. II. I remark, in the second place, that, however little or much the ruling classes at Hang-chow knew or cared about your position on the hill at first, there can be no doubt but that it has now become among them a matter of notoriety and concern. The present movement is proof enough of this. I think that all classes of Chinese in Hang-chow are peaceably disposed toward foreigners; but they are, of course, capable of being irritated, and, with this standing cause of irritation among them, it would be no strange thing if in time it led to the disturbance of the peace you now enjoy, or even to acts of wrong and outrage. Indeed, my opinion is that the feeling on this subject is already too deep and wide-spread to be safely ignored. III. The present method adopted by the Chinese to get rid of what is to them a grievance seems to be just, and even generous. It admits that your being where you are is no fault of yours. It is a mistake, (as they look at it,) harmless perhaps to you, but disastrous to them. They courteously ask you to change your location, and they offer to pay your expenses in doing so. IV. By your acceding to their proposition, I think I can secure to you a location that will in most respects, if not in all, be as eligible as that which you now have; and, in addition to this, succeed in placing you and all the missionaries in Haug-chow on a safer and better footing. In this way the conflict that commenced a year ago will be well ended, and the Chinese will have had at least one proof that the better way to redress their grievances against foreigners is not by violence and wrong, but by law and order; and if this lesson is learned by them to any extent, you cannot fail to see how great a boon it must be to us all. V. In conclusion, I have to say that I am strongly of the opinion that you ought to 'accede to the request that the Chinese have made. I think it will be for your own interest, and for the interest of your fellow-missionaries. And I suppose I hardly need say that, if you do accede to their request, I will use my best endeavors to secure yon every interest and convenience that may seem just and practicable. The Chinese are anxious to have the matter decided as soon as possible; so I trust you will let me hear from you on the subject at your earliest convenience. I am, sirs, your obedient servant, Rev. M. HALE HOUSTON, Rev. B. HELM, EDWARD C. LORD, Missionaries of the Southern Presbyterian Board of Missions, Hang-chow. [Inclosure 3 in 1 in No. 17.] Rev. B. Helm to Mr. Lord. HANG-CHOW, August 22, 1873. RESPECTED AND DEAR SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt on yesterday (21st) of your recent communication to Mr. Houston and inyself, with regard to a petition presented by some gentlemen of Hang-chow, who desired through you to secure the removal of the foreign houses occupied by the Southern Presbyterian Mission on the hill known as the Kwan-me hill. The above-mentioned letter I have forwarded to my colleagues, and our mission will act on the matter and return you an answer as soon as possible. In the meantime, permit me to express to you individually my thanks for your kind and full letter. If the gentlemen who waited on you are really authorized to act for the citizens of this city, then my own opinion is that, owing to their courteous manner of relieving themselves of what they consider to be a grievance, it becomes our duty as Christians and citizens to comply, notwithstanding the great inconvenience and injury we must necessarily experience in the change proposed. If left to our own free will, we would not for any sum of money again spend our time in brick and mortar instead of preaching Christ crucified to perishing souls. Money cannot compensate this; but daty may demand it. Secondly, the healthiness and comfort of our present place would by no means be relinquished merely for money, did not some higher motive enter. Both of these considerations ought to be borne in mind when any estimate of our loss is considered. Building now costs (I am safe, I think, in saying) one-fourth to one-third more than when we built. Stone and tiles and wood and brick are all selling much in advance. For example, tiles sold for $18 per ten thousand are now $23. I should feel it necessary, in entering into any agreement of so much importance and delicacy, that you should give it official sanction on the one side, while in some way it should receive the same on the native side, that there might be confidence; and in case of perfidy, redress might be obtained. The native gentlemen ought to secure us a lot in a part of the city both healthy and suitable for our work, else as missionaries we could not occupy it; and we should keep possession of our present premises till we had houses in the new ones suitable to move into, when they could do as seemeth them best with the present buildings. Your official sanction should be a guarantee to them of good faith on our part. You will excuse me for making these suggestions now, while they occur to me. They may assist you in any conference with the native gentlemen. I have no authority to speak for our mission as a body, but feel sure it will accede to your request, so courteous and just under the circumstances. If further negotiations are proceeded with, I suppose it would be necessary to ask you to continue to act for us, or at least counsel with us, and give your sanction to what may be done. Our mission can appoint a committee to confer with you, and settle the terms as well as select the site, if it accedes to the request. It would be useless to prove that, according to their own belief, one of our houses is not in front, and could not interfere with the fung-shuy. If the body of the people and officials are determined on a change, we ought to yield. And the petition seems sent in, and a speedy answer required, so as to have the opportunity during the examinations of abating a nuisance anyhow, should we refuse. Mr. Houston is in Chefoo and Mr. Du Bose in Shanghai. Your letter has been forwarded, and an answer will be returned as soon as possible. In the meantime I have the honor to remain, respectfully, yours, BEN HELM. P. S.-Might I request the names of the parties who visited you? We here could readily tell whether they are representative inen, or of a family who gave Mr. Jenkins trouble, and whose head was an official at Tien-Tsin at the time of the massacre. I judge the case is as they represent it, but it would be a satisfaction to us to be sure it is so in acting. Respectfully, yours, [Inclosure 4 in 1 in No. 17.1 B. H. Rer. M. H. Houston to Mr. Lord. HANG-CHOW, September 9, 1873. DEAR SIR: On my return here to-day, from Chefoo, my colleague, Mr. Helm, and I Consulted together about the proposition made by certain of the Chinese in this city, through you, which was communicated to us in your favor of August 15, riz, that the property now held by the Southern Presbyterian Mission on the hill in this city be given up in exchange for property in another part of the city. Your letter had been forwarded to me in Chefoo by Mr. Helm, and on my arrival here to-day he read me his reply, and also your second letter of August 26. I have only to say that the views expressed by Mr. Helm in regard to the matter are my own, and while I feel, as a missionary, that it is a grievous thing to be turned aside from our high and distinctive work to engage in the task of laying out land and building houses, I do not doubt that it is our duty to accept the proposition which has been made, and I trust we shall find that any sacrifice we may now make will not be without its reward. Mr. Helm and I decided, on consultation, that I should write to you, definitely accepting on the part of our mission the offer for an exchange of property; provided, of course, that the offer made by the Chinese should prove bona-fide, and the terms such as would be judged fair and equitable. Having arrived at this decision, we desire, for reasons that will no doubt readily occur to you, that the arrangement which is proposed should be carried out at as early a day as practicable. And as it may serve to expedite matters to let you know at once what terms would seem to us just in the matter, Mr. Helm and I agreed that we should submit to you the following points as constituting a basis for what would be to us a satisfactory arrangement. They are, in the main, only two: 1. That a piece of land of equal extent with our present property, (seven mow, or about one and one-sixth acres,) situated in a locality that is healthy and suitable for carrying on mission-work, should be made over to our mission by a clear title, officially sanctioned. We would prefer, if the Chinese are willing, to make our own selection among the unoccupied lands that are in the plain; the selection to be approved by them. Of course, any expense incurred in making over the land to us or in the conduct of any part of these negotiations should be borne by the Chinese. 2. That the sum of $10,500 (Mexican) should be given us, to be used in inclosing this land and erecting on it buildings for the mission. It is evident that it would not do for us to leave the erection of these buildings to the Chinese. They are without experience in putting up foreign buildings; and apart from this, the buildings we would wish on the new land would be of a different plan from those we now have. Our present buildings were planned to conform to the narrow plateaux on which they are built, and, of course, the plan would not be the best for a broad and level site. We would expect to be left to plan and build for ourselves. As to the sum mentioned, I may say that Mr. Helm and I made a careful examination to-day of the accounts of the mission, to ascertain the amount that has been actually expended by our mission on the property here. The whole amount expended, as closely as we can estimate, is $10,162, including the cost of the land. The land we now have is more valuable than any we can obtain in exchange, both on account of its favorable situation and also on account of the expensive stone revetments which support the different plateaux. In addition to this the price of building-material, as Mr. Helm informed you, has risen very considerably since our houses were built. And when we consider these circumstances, and also the fact that in the estimate of expenditure we have not reckoned the time and labor spent by Mr. Helm and myself in improving our present property, not to mention the time and labor we must give in carrying out the proposed arrangement, we feel sure that the sum mentioned ($10,500) is the very least we ought to ask in compensation for the property we are called on to give up. Were it merely a question of pecuniary interest, we could not think of accepting such an exchange; but as other considerations indicate plaiuly the duty of acceding to the propositious of the Chinese, we desire that our negotiations may be conducted with them in all points so as to show them that we aim to be liberal and fair. I might mention that our dwelling-house here, which is set down in the estimate of expenditure at $3,000, was estimated by Mr. Brown, an architect of Shanghai, who visited Hang-chow last year, to be worth $5,000. The Chinese always express surprise when we tell them the actual cost of this house. In conclusion, I would say that Mr. Helm and I desire very much that you will favor us with your presence here when the negotiations take place. And I need not add that, when you come, Mrs. Houston and I will expect the pleasure of entertaining you in our house. Begging leave to express my appreciation of the very kind spirit you have evinced toward us in this matter, I remain, with much respect, your obedient servant, SIR: Your communication, dated the 9th instant, has reached me only to-day; though a letter from your colleague, written a day later, reached me two days ago. I am glad to learn that the view taken of the matter in question, by yourself and colleagues, so entirely agrees with my own. If the Chinese are sincere and earnest in their proceedings, as I think they are, I see no insurmountable obstacle in the way of its accomplishment. With you, I should like to have the matter arranged as soon as possible. But at this time the examinations are commencing, and during this period the officials at Hangchow will necessarily be much occupied. So I am at present inclined to wait until the hurry of these is over. Then, should I in the mean time have received sufficient guarantee that my visit at Hang-chow would be likely to be attended with success, I shall endeavor to lose no time in coming up. At present I suppose I have all the guarantee that is absolutely needed; but I wish the matter to be more openly official. And more time will be needed for this. I have given attention to the statement you have made regarding the kind and amount of indemnity needed. I have, I need hardly say, entire confidence in your wish to deal fairly in the matter, and it will be my aim to secure to you, so far as I am able, everything that shall appear to me just and reasonable. It is not unlikely, however, that I may have some difficulty in accomplishing all that you, or even I, could wish. That I may have every means to enable me to form an intelligent judgment myself, and also of explaining this judgment, if needs be, to the Chinese, and to our minister at Peking, I shall be glad if you will furnish me with a detailed account of your present grounds, size, original cost, the number and kind of buildings you have put on them, their original cost, the amount you have expended in repairs, the condition the grounds and buildings are now in, the probable difference in the cost of building now and at the time your buildings were erected, &c., &c. In fact, anything relating to past cost and the present value of the premises you now occupy will be acceptable and useful. If anything should occur to change my plan as to the time of my coming up, I will give you the earliest possible notice of it. Very many thanks for your kind offer of hospitality. I should cheerfully avail myself of it unless it should, for reasons of policy, seem desirable that I should stop elsewhere. In that case, my plan is to make my headquarters at the "Keyer Honse." As I should have much to do with the ChiBese, and perhaps with the officials, it might be better for me to be by myself. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Rev. M. HALE HOUSTON, Hang-chow. EDWARD C. LORD, United States Consul. [Inclosure 6 in 1 in No. 17.-Translation.] Koo, intendant of circuit, to Mr. Lord. Koo, by imperial appointment, intendant of the Ning-shao-tai circuit, makes the following communication: On the 28th of the seventh month, (September 19,) I received from his excellency Yang, lieutenant-governor, a communication, in which he states that on the 8th of the seventh month, (August 30,) he received a petition from the gentry of Hang-chow, in which the petitioners state: "Haug-chow is the chief city of the province of Che-Kiang, and the hill in it, called Kran-me, influences the fung-shuy of the whole city. Hitherto the houses of the people on it have been low and small, and have therefore occasioned no harm. But some time ago the people there sold ground to some American missionaries, on which they have erected mission-buildings. This, to be sure, is not forbidden by the treaty; but since these buildings were erected, there have been in the city many disastrous fires, and frequently dangerous diseases. Those skilled in fung-shuy assert that this has been occasioned by these newly-built mission-houses, which, being high and formidable, convert the good influences into those that are bad, and thus occasion much harm. In consequence of this, rumors and complaints have been rife among the people. We, your petitioners, living in the same place with the people, and seeing them in this condition, are not able to be indifferent to it. "We suppose the object of these missionaries in propagating religion is to exhort men to virtne; but if you want men to be virtuous, you must first secure to them tranquillity. Unless the minds of the people are tranquil, how can they propagate religion? At present the minds of the people are much disturbed, and some method should be at ouce adopted to quiet them. "After innch and careful consultation, it is our opinion that a piece of ground must be procured elsewhere for the missionaries, and they be persuaded to remove to it. At the same time, the original cost of their land and the expenses occasioned by their removal must be fully refunded to them. And now, this summer, we will go together to Niugpo, and in connection with Ch'àn Ching-yoh, of the gentry there, wait upon Mr. Lord, the American consul, and request him to communicate with the missionaries, in |