THE CHINESE REVOLUTION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1322, 28 December 1911, Page 3

THE CHINESE REVOLUTION.

A LETTER FROM HANGCHOW. The hon. secretary of the New Zealand Church Missionary Association writes: "\Vo have just received a letter from our missionary, Dr. Strange, the medical representative of this association in China. He is working in Dr. Main's hospital, Hangclijw, belonging to the Church Missionary Society, London—of which the New Zealand Church Missionary Association is a branch. The hospital is said to be the largest missionary hospital iu the world. New Zealand incdicnl men, especially in Auckland, have shown Jarso practical interest in Dr. St.rangc's work. He is a. New Uealaudor with London experience."

Tlip loiter states: This revolution, which commenced la=t month at Wuchang and Hankow, has spread over China with ainaziug rapidity. Last Sunday Hangchow was seized by them. For weeks previously all the rich people had bren ilecing from tho city either to Shanghai or to the country, as they all feared a battle in Hangchow because of the presence of tho Tartar City. Jlaiicbu troops and the Yamen of the Tartar Geueral— even our servants used to come aud ask us if it was dangerous to remain here, and were always asking if their heads wore going to bs taken off. Nearly all the hospital Amahs ran away because they were ™ frightened, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Airs. Slain could persuade tho nurses to stay. The revolution began in Hangchow list Saturday night. Two companies of soldiers entered the city lit midnight-one by the North Gate, the other by the South.'They inarched to the Governor's Yamen, anil at I) a.m. set it ou fire. No attempt was made to put it out, and at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning it was still burning. The Clovornov fled by tho back door, but was afterwards capture;!, and is now a prisoner in the revolutionaries hands. Then they took possession of the railway and tho telegraph office, ami by the moVnini; light Hangchow was lost to the Imperial Government. Everywhere tho revolutionary Hug was flying—fipm the Provincial Assemblies, new beautiful buildings, and trom ail , public places, and almost from every house and shop. This flag consists mostly of a piece of white cloth. All tbe revolutionary soldiers have cut off their queues, and wear a while band round tho sleeve. A detachment of them are stationed at the front gate of the hospital for our protection, aud some twenty of them have been, or are, in hospital recovering from their wounds Ihe Tartar City, or the Manchu Camp, as it is called, is a walled city inside l.nngcno.v walled city, and as this was expected to strenuously resist the revoluV°i n ' c Inis was made tho centre of attack. All Sunday firing was going on, and (ho revolutionaries had commanded the City Hill—a point of vantage from which thev shelled the Tartar General's Yamen. On Sunday night, however, evervbody was greatly relieved to know that" the Manchus had i urrendcred-the Chine-e ottering them more generous terms than they ever anticipated from them. On bunday afternoon I had to amputate the leg of a Chiuawoman who had her lc« simply shattered by a bullet. The same day Dr. i.vaixs, in the men's hospital, had to operate upon live of the wounded V*meso soldiers. On Monday the gates ot the tartar City were opened, and Dr Main went to see if he could find any wounded One poor old widow was brought to me who had been shot throiißU the hand. < All the wounded arc doin" well, mill we hope that wo will not lo=o a single lite. Tho Red Cross flag is still flying above our hospital, and Dr. Main has been thanked by the leaders of the revoluho/i for the assistance which we have -rendend both tides-Chinese and Alanclius. JiveiT morning, at our service m tho hospital chapel, some of tho soldiers attend, and we are praying that the Gospel may enter their hearts and regulate their lives. I would ask you all to daily remember China in prayer very specially Smnc very dreadful things are" happening at banking and Hankow, and China needs your prayers, that Ihe Kingdom of God may bo extended, and that"tho light of the bospel may shine into their dark hearts and bring the light of life which ?°i! so , sor . el yneed.- At present the lives ot tbo toreigners are being most carefullv protected by the revolutionists. Prav that this may last, and (hat we may be able to continue sowing the good seed of the Kingdom, ami iye who are medical missionaries!, not hindered in ministering to the body and soul of those needy people — lour fellow worker. C. I'KEDEIUCK STBAXGE