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CHINA THROUGH WESTERN EYES
Manuscript Records of Traders, Travellers, Missionaries & Diplomats, 1792-1942

Parts 1 & 2: Sources from the William R Perkins Library, Duke University
Part 3: The Papers of J A Thomas, c1905-1923, from the William R Perkins Library, Duke University

EXTRACTS

The following extracts from the collections covered in Parts 1, 2 and 3 give some idea of the richness and diversity of the material included.

Papers of John Backhouse (Reel 1)
Letter, 20 July 1844 (Box 14, Folder 4)
"...We have had two or three small rows with the Mob, since I have been here, and on one of the occasions a Chinaman was shot by an American, which event for a week or so occasioned a very inimical feeling towards Europeans among the Chinese, who had bills stuck up about the suburbs demanding life for life, but for the present that feeling has disappeared, but as the Chinese are so very deceitful, there is no knowing how it will End. We have been very busy here lately shipping off an instalment of silver for England, part of the amount to be paid as arranged by Treaty."

Papers of John Backhouse (Reel 2)
Letter, 1845 (Box 15, Folder 1)
"...I hope, & I think it will be the case, that, in a short time when they [the Chinese] become better acquainted with us, and find that we are not such a bad race of people as they fancied us to be, that they will mix much more with us and thereby become more civilised; they are a very ingenious and enterprizing people - & if the law, 'of nobody being allowed to leave the Country', was reversed, they would in a very short space of time spread themselves in all parts of the world."

Papers of John Backhouse (Reel 2)
Translation of a Chinese proclamation dated 15 Jan 1846 (Box 15, Folder 4)
"The high minded literate and righteous people of the villages, inland and by water, of the whole province of Kwangtung and of the capital and its vicinity hereby issue a clear and perspicuous notification to the Barbarian Merchants of Every Country for their full information.
Whereas the English barbarians harbour dangerous and deceitful hearts, are cruel, are useless old horses, great birds of prey and their wicked crimes could hardly be numbered on the hairs of the head.
Now they
[are] again harbouring devices for the usurpation of territory have repeatedly desired to enter the City [Canton] and have intimidated our high officers who being of great kindness and deep benevolence, who are to be abundantly gracious so as to be, on the other hand, weak have issued a proclamation at length permitting them to enter the City.

They do not however reflect that the English barbarians are born and grown up in wicked and noxious villages without the pale of civilization, have wolfish hearts, and brutish faces, the looks of the Tiger and the
suspicion of the fox....

...we will wait with undivided attention till the day when these barbarians enter the city to End their lives, when we will...
[graphic details] ... abscond previously that your lives may not be wasted in vain. ... Do not say that you have not been forewarned."


Correspondence, 1837-1945, of the Fairbank family (Reel 11)
Letter from a missionary friend in Foochow, China, 12 December 1911 (Box 4, Folder 3) (illustrated opposite)
"My dear Miss Fairbanks:
I have long been wanting to write to you concerning my welfare here during these days of change in China, but time has been the missing factor, as it generally is in our busy lives. Now since the times have become more quiet I must make an opportunity to give you some idea of how things are in Foochow.
For some time before the fall of the city into the hands of the Revolutionaries all sorts of wild rumours were set afloat which excited the people and caused an exodus lasting some ten days. From October 31st to November 8th there were continual lines of sedan chairs and 'dang' loads leaving by way of the city gates to points beyond the zone where fighting was expected to take place. As the days went by, and time drew nearer to the day set for the army to begin operations, the people became more and more excited, so that by the 6th of November the flight took on somewhat the appearance of a panic which continued until the gates closed oon the evening of the eighth of November. Every Sedan chair that passed through South Gate was loaded with women and children, along with as much of their personal effects as it was possible to fasten to a chair. A continuous line of coolies entered the city, carrying guns, ammunition and supplies for the Revolutionary forces. Our College continued its regular sessions until the afternoon of November 7th, the day we learned that the shops within the city walls were closing their doors. The boys assembled in the College Chapel where President Peet explained the situation and advised all that could leave before dark to return at once to their homes. All left but some half dozen or so whose homes were in distant villages.
Captain Root of the U.S. Torpedo Boat Destroyer 'Bainbridge' ordered six of his 'blue jackets' into the American Board Compound...."

The diaries and papers of Martha E (Foster) Crawford (Reel 16)
Volume 3 Diary, 1853-54 (Shanghai)
"1853
Jan 16th. Snowed all last night and all day. Still continues though not so much and it is already melting and falling from the house. About four inches thick. Been indoors all day with a grumbling tooth. Husband and I finished Fuller's comments on the Apocalypse. What bearing is this rebellion to have upon the religious destiny of the empire? The insurgents are already within a hundred miles of Nanking - less than three hundred from here. They are to attack Nanking about the first of the Chinese year (8th of Feb). Soldiers have been sent from this place- insurgent army has made its way through the very heart of the country & gained some important Battles. May all these wars work for the extension of our Master's kingdom."


The diaries and papers of Martha E (Foster) Crawford (Reel 17)
Typed copy of 1853-54 journal, page 9, 12 March 1853 (on board boat)
"12th. Been better all day. Almost becalmed. Not so pleasantly situated as on the Horation. In the first place no other lady aboard: in the second place the servants & sailors are all Chinese, negroes, malays, and manila-men - all despisers of my sex. Not that I care for their regard for me, but their very presence keeps constantly before my mind the condition of women in Asia. O these are heavy thoughts - they crush me! How freely would I pour out my life for their good!"

Diaries of Henry Hayne, British diplomat, 1797-1828 (Reel 19)
Vol 3, 22 Oct 1816 - 1 Jan 1817, page 68 (during the Amherst Embassy)
"The hearing of our having played a match at Cricket at Nantchang-foo [Nantchong] will surprise the European as much as the sight of the game did the Chinese. Our flat, barren island furnished good ground, & the town I will answer for it more spectators than when a match is played in England for 1000 Guineas - they soon saw the spirit of the game and enjoyed it very much - the ball was too soft to keep them at a proper distance, the consequence was that many of them were upset, & got their caps knocked off to the great amusement of the rest - this was no doubt the first game played here & unless the Natives set up a Nan-tchang-foo club, I think it has every chance of being the last. If we had asked permission to play, some objection would have been made; but by experience we have found beyond a doubt, that to obtain an end in China, is to ask no questions, & if there is no real objection, it will pass unnoticed."

Letters of Eliza H Jones, American missionary, c1848 (Reel 20)
Letter, 18 July 1848 (Shanghai)
"... Two female missionaries connected with stations further south have lately died. Neither hd been in China 12 months. How often comes the warning, 'Be ye also ready.' Perhaps few classes of individuals feel the uncertainty of life as missionaries do. I would not have it otherwise; for to my mind there is nothing so well calculated to keep us in the path of duty:-"

Letters of George, 1st Earl Macartney, British diplomat (Reel 21)
Box 2, Folder 6. Letter from Henry Baring to Lord Macartney 29 June 1796
"The Company [the East india Company] have this year sent out a consignment of paper and sword blades, the former will answer for presents to the Mandarins, who like it extremely, but they will never buy it. A Chest has however been sent to Pekin upon trial and if it will sell the remainder will be forwarded. The latter the merchants are fearful of landing as so large a quantity they say would alarm the Mandarins and involve themselves in trouble; for though a few have been occasionally purchased by military Mandarins which were not imported for sale, but by individuals for their own use, yet if the Company attempted to make it an article of their investment it would never be allowed; they are consequently returned without ever having being landed."

Papers of Sir Edward Malet, fourth baronet (1837-1908) (Reel 22)
Box A-17 Letter, 1872 (illustrated opposite)
"the Viceroy said - 'they have struck me Burne -' then he said 'I am not much hurt.' He showed no sign of pain then when they had seated him - he said, very faintly 'to the Ship.' They were the last words. I had heard that the assassin was a good looking man but his photograph gives the unmistakeable look of a murderer, he looks like a skulking wild beast more than a man...."

George Thomas Staunton Papers, 1743-1885 (Reel 29)
Staunton was chief of the East India Company's factory at Canton
Letter, 25 January 1811 (Canton)
"My dear mother
The approaching despatch of the first fleet from China enables me to have the pleasure of giving you some account of myself, though, as usual, I find but little time left on my hands, to write the long letters I could wish to so - After having led on board ship and in England a comparatively idle life, my old employment of secretary here, seems almost new to me; but having now got nearly over the labours of the first despatch, I dare say I shall find the business go on smoothly hereafter - It was certainly more creditable for me to resume this office, than any other which might have been alloted to me; and the very obliged manner in which M Browne has announced my re-appointment as Secretary, in the Letter by this Fleet to the Court of Directors, is calculated, excepting where there may be a contrary prejudice to make a favourable impression - in General my situation here is likely to be much the same as before, but our society, is really I think improved, and the Factory, on the whole, on a more respectable footing than formerly - to the progress of our improvement here, Mr Browne, who is a steady, regular and domestic man will I am sure contribute his share - the English Ladies now settled at Macau, will also always induce to a more rational and pleasant state of Society. ... Generally speaking, the property of Europeans here is not in so satisfactory a state, as when I left the Country three years ago, but I have no apprehensions, scarcely, about its ultimate security....
I will only add under this cover a memorandum of the annual supply of things you can send out to me,
remaining ever my dear mother, your truly affectionate son
George Thomas Staunton."

Military Intelligence Report of Captain Parker G Tenney
of the U S Field Artillery on travels in French Indo-China, and the Chinese Provinces of Kweichow and Yunnan, undertaken with the National Geographic Central China Expedition in 1924 (Reel 30)
Extract, 1924
"Yunnan and Kweichow must not be considered as poor provinces, simply as very mountainous ones where communication is difficult. With the exception of Northwestern Yunnan, which is essentially Tibetian, the products of Yunnan and Kweichow may be considered together.

Northwestern Yunnan is of course very high. Peaks of 15,000 and 20,000 feet are not uncommon. These mountain crests are barren but a great part of the country is covered with a heavy timber growth. Fruit and walnut trees grow in this area. Rice is not cultivated, and maize only to a small extent. It is essentially a grass country over which ponies, mules, cattle, sheep, pigs and yaks graze extensively. Of the minerals gold, silver and copper are found. Products of the [animals] are also shipped from this country, such as musk, skins, and horns for Chinese medicines.

The remaining portion of Yunnan and all of Kweichow, have a much more varied list of products. From the flat lands rice is the main crop and forms the principle food of the Chinese. Which is interesting to note in passing that the people of parts of China where the chief article of consumption is rice, are much less strong and are of slighter frame than the folks who consider rice as a luxury who subsists on other cereals.

Other agricultural products are tobacco, tea, sesame, hemp, sugar cane, walnuts, Persimmons, pears, peaches (which are excellent in the Yunnan Plain), other fruits, and all the common Chinese vegetables. Ponies, mules, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs are extensively raised.

Kweichow and Yunnan are certainly China's richest provinces in minerals. Which is common for a farmer in Kweichow to have his own coal mine and coal is found widely distributed over both provinces, - as are copper, silver, iron, lead, gold, tin, gypsum, sulphur and alum. Salt is also found in Yunnan and forms a government monopoly. Marble is quarried.

Should China ever become settled and proper communication established, Kweichow and Yunnan would take their places among the richest mineral producing sections in the world."

The Papers of James Augustus Thomas (1862-1940), tobacco entrepreneur, philanthropist and Sinologist (Reel 31)
Extract from letter regarding business practices and the American Court in Shanghai (Box 1 Folder 1)
"The bad feeling engendered by the unscrupulous and contemptuous treatment of the Chinese by American swindlers and sharks, has made it hard for respectable American merchants to do business in China. The great body of the Americans who are out here have yet to learn what you endeavoured to teach American businessmen in Manila, namely, that in order to trade with people you must first secure their confidence and goodwill. Hitherto, the idea entertained by Americans in China of the principle of extraterritoriality has been 'out of your own country, do as you please.' I need not tell you that I am using all the power the Court possesses to lift the odium which these renegades have placed upon our name here, and to give real meaning to the principle of extraterritoriality. The work of cleaning out the criminals and irresponsibles is practically finished. The bold manner in which the Court struck them down in the beginning has terrorised the criminal element throughout China, and their operations are now almost a negligible quantity."

The Papers of James Augustus Thomas (1862-1940), tobacco entrepreneur, philanthropist and Sinologist (Reel 32)
Letter, 2 March 1915 (Peking) (Box 1 Folder 6)
"Dear Mac,
Your letter of the 22nd of January was forwarded to me from Shanghai, and received this morning - I am glad to hear from you and get the news you send. Moore and Schley have telegraphed me the stock quotations - I take the New York papers - and at the same time I get quotations from both London and New York of all stocks. I expect to buy some more Pennsylvania soon. It is to be regretted that the war still drags on, and I wish that it were all over. There are two books I want you to read, 'The Great Illusion' published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, and written by Norman Angell; 'The Trade of the World' published by the Century Company, and written by James Davenport Whelpley - you can buy these books in America. I am very busy these days - business is good with us - still I find that on my return here that a good many of our price-levels are out of gear, by which I mean that a packet of cigarettes that had been selling for 5 cents per packet were selling for 5½ cents, which is of course detrimental to our business but I have knocked this into shape. There is much speculation in this city as to what the Chinese reply will be to Japan, as to the demands made upon her by the Japanese. 'Might is right' these days, or at least, it looks that way. Public opinion in this country is all with China in their great hour of need. I will not go into the details of the demands made by Japan, for I am certain you have read about them in your daily papers. I was only in Shanghai a few weeks before I came up to Peking for a short visit, and I will be glad to get back, but at this writing I do not know when I can return. Please give my best wishes and kind regards to each member of your family, also please give my kind regards to Dr. and Mrs. lowndes.

Trusting that this will find you well, and enjoying the best of health, I am,
Yours sincerely
Ja T"




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