LORD, United States Consul to S. Wells Williams, November 17, 1873

Mr. Lord to Mr. Williams.

Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith, for your information and approval or otherwise, an account of a transaction recently concluded between myself and the local authorities of Hang-chow, our provincial capital.

You are probably aware that soon after the ratification of the treaties betwixt China and England, France, Russia, and the United States, a number of missionaries connected with different organizations in England and the United States located themselves in this city. As at that time it was generally supposed that the right for missionaries to reside in the interior was guaranteed by the treaties, the missionaries arranged for a permanent residence in that city. They bought or rented lands, built houses and chapels, established schools and hospitals, and arranged generally for extended and permanent work. The people appeared friendly, and the officials manifested no hostility. The city had been greatly desolated during its occupation by the rebels and the imperial soldiery; so that unoccupied lands were plentiful, and for a time not very difficult to be obtained.

The city of Hang-chow lies mostly on the plain; but there are mountains surrounding it on the west. A spur of one of the adjacent hills extends within the limits of the city wall, to the distance of half a mile or more, and is elevated in its highest parts several hundred feet. This hill, as I suppose hills in Chinese cities usually are, seems to be regarded with some degree of veneration. At least its connection with fung-shuy is supposed to be of great importance. Moreover, it is a kind of park or common, much resorted to by the people, especially by visitors during the provincial examinations and religious festivals. The views from this hill are pleasant; and a residence on it would be more quiet, and one would naturally suppose more healthful, than on the plain.

Influenced probably by considerations of this kind, the Reverend Mr. Inslee, at that time representative of the Southern Presbyterian Mission, sought and obtained ground situated on the northern slope of the hill on which to erect mission-buildings. Mr. Inslee’s successors retained this situation, and enlarged and increased the mission-buildings. The situation of these buildings is nearly in front of, and only a short distance removed from, the office of the Fan-tai, or provincial treasurer, though at the time this circumstance was not noticed, or, if noticed, was not thought to be of any consequence. Not long, however, after these buildings were erected, there were, it is said, several cases of sickness and death in this officer’s family. The idea was started, and the idea was confirmed by the government, that the fung-shuy had been disturbed by the position and form of these houses, and that these calamities had come upon him in consequence. The matter seems to have been discussed among the officials and their friends, and no doubt a good deal of feeling existed in regard to it The first expression of this feeling observed by the missionaries was in the spring of last year, in the appearance of a placard denouncing foreigners and threatening all natives with punishment who should rent or sell any more places to them. A copy of this placard was sent to me, and I forwarded it with a translation to the legation. I also thought it of sufficient importance to call to it the attention of the lieutenant-governor, and urge him to repress such hostile and inflammatory proceedings. His reply was friendly, and there was no more trouble until the autumn, when suddenly warrants were issued for the arrest of all persons known to have sold or leased houses or lands to foreigners. The matter was of course at once brought to the notice of the British consul and myself, and our action in regard to it you are already acquainted with. After this storm passed, there was a calm for several months; indeed, I heard no more of the matter until the latter part of the past summer. I then had some intimation, not through the missionaries, that an effort would be made to secure, through friendly negotiation, the removal of the mission-buildings on the hill, which had really been the cause of all the previous difficulty.

A week or two later I was waited on by a deputation from the gentry of Hang-chow, accompanied and introduced by a native gentleman residing at Ningpo, who presented to me a petition (inclosure No. 1) to the effect that the mission-houses on the hill in Hang-chow were obnoxious; and that if the missionaries would consent to remove to some other place they would cause a suitable place to be procured for them, and payment to be made them to cover their expenses.

The further history of this transaction I think you will best learn from the inclosed correspondence. I will here add only one or two particulars, which the correspondence does not contain.

On my arrival in Hang-chow I called on the principal officials, namely, the lieutenant-governor, provincial treasurer, and prefect, all of whom promptly returned my calls. They all seemed well acquainted with my business there. They talked about it freely, and thanked me with apparent sincerity for the trouble I was taking in the matter. They also spoke kindly and gratefully of the missionaries, who had been willing to entertain their proposition, and who were ready to accede to their request, at the expense of their own personal inconvenience.

You will observe that the only reason assigned in the accompanying petition and dispatch of the Chinese for the removal of these buildings is that which regards fung-shuy. I may add that no other reason was mentioned in my conversation with them. I have the impression, however, that, in point of fact, this was not the only, and perhaps the stronger, reason. The idea of having foreigners located on the hill at all, or where they would be particularly conspicuous to officials and scholars continually visiting the hill, was to them disagreeable. While foreigners were thus in the way, the local authorities were liable to be criticised and censured for it. And it is quite possible, also, that they had some apprehensions that in time the matter might lead to some popular disturbance.

In conclusion, I may remark that in the conduct of this affair I have spared neither time nor effort to get it arranged, and arranged in such a way as would be just and satisfactory to all concerned. And so far I have every reason to believe that both parties are satisfied, both with the arrangement made and with my efforts in effecting it. The assurance of this affords me satisfaction, and this satisfaction I accept as my chief reward.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,