§ 15. Sir A. POWNALLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to the steps that have been taken against those responsible for the recent murder of two British women missionaries in China?
§ 25. Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make public full details of the steps which were taken by His Majesty's representatives to endeavour to secure the safety of the two British lady missionaries recently murdered in China?
Mr. A. HENDERSONEarly in June, His Majesty's Consul at Foochow, Mr. A. J. Martin, formed the conclusion that British subjects in his district, practically all of whom were missionaries, should at once be evacuated owing to the prospect of fighting between the Government forces and those of a bandit chief who, at that time, controlled the interior of the province of Fukien.
The task was, for various reasons, extremely difficult, but was almost completely successful, in that by the 24th of July 23 British subjects had arrived safely at Foochow. Two missionaries, however, the Misses Nettleton and Harrison, were captured by bandits while proceeding down the river.
448 Strong representations were at once made by His Majesty's Minister and His Majesty's Consul to the National Government, and to all other authorities who might be able to assist. At considerable risk to himself, Mr. Martin paid a second visit to the interior in order to get into as close touch as possible with the captives, and was absent from his post for two months in company with a representative of the Church Missionary Society.
As the House is aware, his efforts were, unfortunately, unavailing, and the missionaries were barbarously murdered. I am satisfied that everything humanly possible was done to avoid this shocking tragedy, which His Majesty's Government, in common, I feel sure, with hon. Members in all quarters of this House, deeply deplore.
I may add that, on receipt of this news, His Majesty's Minister in Peking formally demanded punitive measurers against the culprits. In reply, Dr. Wang said that the barbarous incident would be severely handled, and that the Fukien authorities hoped to capture the guilty very soon. Extra troops were being sent to assist. The Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs was very fully alive to the deplorable impression created by the tragedy.
In view of the interest which naturally attaches to this terrible event, I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a more detailed account of the measures taken with a view to securing Miss Nettleton's and Miss Harrison's release.
§ Sir A. POWNALLWhile thanking the right hon. Gentleman for his very full information, may I ask whether he has considered communicating with the principal missionary societies, asking them, in view of the disturbed state of much of China, to withdraw some of their men missionaries, or, at any rate, their women missionaries?
Mr. HENDERSONI happen to know that the missionary societies do not like to withdraw their workers, whether male or female, from even a disturbed area. We have been in touch with them but I have not put forward the request for a withdrawal, because I think that is a matter which they themselves ought to determine.
§ Sir K. WOODWhen did the right hon. Gentleman last hear from the National Government on this matter, and can he say whether there is reason to think that there is any likelihood of the murderers being apprehended?
Mr. HENDERSONI cannot say exactly, but quite recently we have been in touch with them. The only reply we could get was the reply that I have given to the House, that they are doing their very best to bring the guilty to justice.
§ Mr. STANLEY BALDWINWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of conveying the appreciation of the hon. Members of this House to Mr. Martin for his conduct in the matter?
§ Following is the detailed account:
§ In the early part of June His Majesty's Consul at Foochow, Mr. A. J. Martin, formed the conclusion that British subjects in his consular district, practically all of whom were missionaries, were in serious danger owing to prospect of hostilities on a serious scale between forces of the National Government and those of a bandit chief who had controlled the interior of the province of Fukien for some time, a further element of danger having been introduced by the invasion of Northern Fukien by brigand bands from the neighbouring province of Kiangsi. The missionaries were consequently advised to withdraw from their stations and to make for Kienning, where Mr. Martin would endeavour to meet them and to convey them to safety. This task was very difficult, since craft had to be secured, sent up the Min River (the only practicable channel of communication), and brought back to the seaboard. The lines of opposing armies had to be crossed, and the commanders of both were apprehensive of military information passing with the party of foreigners. Moreover, the bandit chief was known to be detaining all boats that entered his area. Nevertheless, Mr. Martin succeeded in making the necessary arrangements, proceeded up the river and, by the 24th July, had conducted 23 British subjects to safety at Foochow. Only two British subjects were left in the interior, the missionaries Misses Nettleton and Harrison.
450§ So far as is known, these ladies left their station at Chungan in North-West Fukien on the 28th June, making for Kienning. Before they had proceeded far down the river, however, they were captured by a band of men who styled themselves "the Communist Government (Soviets)" who forced them to write a letter to the Church Missionary Society representative and to His Majesty's Consul stating that they had been convicted of being "imperialists, drugging the people and hurting the revolution" and had been fined $100,000. The money, to be spent on hospitals and schools, must he paid within two weeks, otherwise the ladies would he shot.
§ His Majesty's Diplomatic and Consular Officers in China at once began to make every effort to secure the ladies' release. On hearing of their capture, His Majesty's Minister made urgent representations to the Central Government and also took the matter up with the representatives of Marshal Yen, the Northern leader, both of whom replied promptly that they had instructed their local dependents to effect the ladies' liberation. The brigand leader, Lu Hsing-pang, who was nearest to the scene, also promised His Majesty's Consul at Foochow to do his utmost to secure their release.
§ On 4th August a letter signed by Miss Harrison was received by a Chinese convert, stating that one of Miss Nettleton's fingers had been cut off and sent in a letter with the statement that if $50,000 were not at once paid, one of the ladies would be shot. Urgent representations were then made by His Majesty's Consul through the brigand leader, while His Majesty's Minister urged the Central Government, in the strongest terms, to take every possible step at once in the interests of humanity and of China's good name to secure the safe release of the two ladies, whether by the payment of ransom or otherwise. Similar representations were made to Marshal Yen. It was, however, felt to be insufficient to rely only on the power of any Chinese authority. A representative of the Church Missionary Society was asked to call at the Foreign Office to discuss the matter, and as a result a telegram was sent direct to His Majesty's Consul at Foochow asking him to inform the representative of the Church Missionary Society, as from the headquarters of his 451 society, that he was authorised to pay the amount of ransom absolutely necessary as soon as in his judgment the time had come when the lives of Misses Nettleton and Harrison were in danger if ransom were not paid.
§ On receipt of this message, Mr. Martin immediately telegraphed to the two principal Church Missionary Society representatives in the province to come to Foochow, and disclosed the message from the Church Missionary Society in London. It was decided that the right course was to press for the despatch of Chinese soldiers to secure by force the liberation of the ladies and to offer money as an inducement to this end. Mr. Martin left for the interior on the following day, 8th August, accompanied by Mr. Sills of the Church Missionary Society. By the 11th he was able to report that 500 soldiers had been sent to effect the ladies' release, and he himself with Mr. Sills, proceeded further inland on the 12th.
§ Six days later he reported that a further letter dated 10th August, signed by both ladies, had reached him at Kienning, and that the amount. of ransom had been reduced to $10,000 (one-tenth of the original sum) a definite promise of release being made if this were paid.
§ At that time the news appeared promising. Mr. Martin was informed by the local Chinese commander on 21st August., that the soldiers had defeated 10 times their number of brigands both to the east and to the west of their headquarters as a preliminary to releasing the ladies. The commander refused to entertain the suggestion that the local authorities should pay $10,000, to which figure the captors' demands had been reduced, and declared that the ladies' lives were not in danger and that he could effect their release. Mr. Martin and the Church Missionary Society representative for their Part were averse in principle to the payment of ransom by the society.
§ On 30th August, however, events took a new and disquieting turn. The soldiers returned escorting a, large number of boat s and Chinese refugees, together with one United States citizen, but without having done anything for the ladies.
§ By 2nd September, the Church Missionary Society's representative and Mr. Martin were convinced that it was hopeless to expect any solution through 452 Chinese action, and the Church Missionary Society representative determined that the time had come to negotiate with the captors and to pay ransom. He began at once to take the necessary steps, Mr. Martin remaining to help him. As events proved, the decision was reached too late.
§ Mr. Martin reported on 10th September that a messenger had brought a further letter from Miss Harrison dated 1st September, and had been sent back to the captors' headquarters on the 8th with authority to offer ransom up to $10,000. His return was expected by 18th September. On the 20th, Mr. Martin reported the messenger's return with letters from Miss Harrison leaving no doubt that it was a case of death or of the payment of $50,000. The captives were reported to be as well as could be expected—they had now been in captivity for almost three months—but their health had suffered. Mr. Martin and Mr. Sills proposed to proceed still further inland on the 22nd with what money they could collect.
§ On the 23rd, however, Mr. Martin reported that he and Mr. Sills were remaining in Kienning, the authorities being unable to provide the necessary guard. The messenger, instead, left on that day and hoped to secure the release of the captives.
§ The next news did not, however, come from the messenger. On 29th September, Mr. Martin reported in a telegram not wholly decipherable that soldiers had visited the brigand headquarters which the brigands then evacuated, moving east. They did not find the captives, and some of them, under their commander, came to Kienning where Mr. Martin was, and the remainder returned in the direction of the brigand headquarters, taking with them the ladies' baggage, the contents of which they had been selling.
§ On 2nd October, Mr. Martin reported that he had received a telegram, presumably from the messenger, informing him that both the ladies had been shot.
§ The Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs, to whose knowledge the tragedy was at once brought, asked His Majesty's Consul-General at Nanking to convey to His Majesty's Minister his full sympathy. He requested Mr. Hewlett to add in explanation "that the ladies were captured by bandits in an area under rebel 453 rule, who, moreover, had kidnapped six officials from Foochow." Although the Chinese Government had no direct information regarding the fate of the latter, they learnt from outside sources that four had already been killed.
His Majesty's Minister in reply sent the following message to Mr. Hewlett:Please inform Dr. Wang that I have received his message. It is a lamentable business. I am addressing him a format note asking for punitive measures and you should urge upon him as personal message from me and in strongest terms the necessity for immediate drastic action. He will understand that, it is essential that effective measures shall be taken to brink the miscreants to hook in spite of all the difficulties, not only in the interests of humanity and of the good name of China but also in view of the deplorable impression the tragedy is already creating at home and its reaction upon public opinion generally.
§ Dr. Wang, in reply, said that the barbarous incident would be severely handled and that the Fukien authorities hoped to capture the guilty very soon. Extra troops were being sent to assist. The Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs was very fully alive to the deplorable impression which this tragedy had created in England.
§ 18. Sir K. WOODasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make a statement concerning the present conditions in China, particularly the circumstances under which two British missionaries were recently murdered; and what steps are being taken to protect British subjects
Mr. A. HENDERSONFollowing the intervention of the Governor of Manchuria, the civil war in China appears to have come to an end for the time being. Manchurian forces now control a large area in North-Eastern China outside Manchuria. The National Government have declared that they will now take the suppression of Communist agitation and brigandage in South and Central China seriously in hand, and that they are moving troops to the affected areas. With regard to the murder of the two British missionaries, I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for East Lewisham (Sir A. Pownall).
§ Sir K. WOODDo I understand that, notwithstanding the unsettled state in 454 China, discussions are still going on in respect of extra-territorial rights at the present moment?
§ Sir K. WOODDoes not the right hon. Gentleman appreciate the fact that it is difficult for any Government to give an undertaking of this kind in relation to this matter?