Letter from Harriet to Father, January 3, 1883

Letter from Harriet to Father, January 3, 1883

Diplomatic and consular service; United States--Foreign relations--China; Missionaries; Imperialism; France--Foreign relations--China

Hattie tells her father that the Consul held a New Years' party to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the US Consulate in Canton. The Americans of Canton are trying to get the current Consul approved to remain in the position. There are rumors of a French invasion, but Harriet doubts them. Miss Butler and Lewis are in Macau at the beginning of the mission there. Miss Butler will return soon. Harriet really likes the place she is currently renting and she hopes she can keep it, even though she does think they may be able to get a home for the mission once the current occupant returns to the US.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #3

Unpublished

1883-01-03

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_304

Canton China
Jan 3rd 1883
My dear Father
I only got as far as the
date of this letter and then learned
that the steamer would be delayed
a few days so now it is the 7th
instead of the 3rd I came back
from Macau on the 2nd had
a delightful visit there and
enjoyed Christmas and New Years
far more than I should have
in Canton I am sure. The
Consul had a grand
dinner party New Year's evening
which I just escaped. It was
to celebrate the centennial
of the establishment of the US
Consulate in Canton. There
were sixty invited, and about
fifty present. We hope notwithstanding
the change in the administration
at home that Consul Seymour

may be allowed to remain here.
The gentlemen here (Americans)
have drawn up and signed a
paper to be sent to Washington
requesting that he may be [?continued?]
here. We hope that on account of the
existing troubles that authorities there
may think it best not to make
any change at present. It
seems very providential that just
at this time we have had such
a good Consul very unlike most
of those who have filled the
position in Canton. The wave
of excitement has subsided now
so that everything goes on much
as usual. Occasionally we hear
rumors that the French are
coming to attack Canton but
it is generally believed that
they will confine their operations
to Formosa and [?Tongren?].
We expect to open the

Boarding School after the
Chinese New Years. We are
observing the week of Prayer
now. Monday evening the
meeting was here and Henry led
it which arrangement suited me
very well. We have the meetings
alternate days in the evening
and at eleven o clock in the
morning, and every day a
Chinese meeting at two in the
afternoon. Miss Butler and
Miss Lewis are still in Macau
and have meetings every day
with the Chinese Christians there
Miss Young of the Baptist Mission
is with them. We are rejoicing
over getting some Mission work
commenced in Macau have a
Boys' school a girls' school
and a Chapel a native
assistant who preaches every
day [Illegible] a Bible Woman

There are two or three Christians
there and we hope there may
soon be enough to form a
church. Dr Thomson has been
put in charge of the assistant
there and as soon as he can
find time he will go down
and have a communion service
there. Miss Butler expects to come
back here as soon as the Boarding
School opens if not before, but I
presume Miss Lewis will stay
down through next summer. She
has so much better opportunity
for study there than here where
there are so many interruptions,
and it is so much more healthful
there. We like the home so much
which we have rented and I
hope we will be able to keep it on.
The other side of the home which is
larger but not quite so pleasant rents for
only $10.00 a month. The Judge who

[Continues vertically on the first page]
now occupies it
is going home in
a year or two
and I think
it would be very
nice if the
Mission could
get it then.
It is certainly
the best and
most available
place for a
Sanitarium
for Canton.
We think if the
Mission does
get a home we
will keep our
own if we can.
With much love
for all. I send
you a paper which
Dr. Graves gave me for you
Harriet

中国广东
1883年1月3日
我亲爱的父亲
起初我写了这封信的日期
然后我得知轮船会晚点
所以现在我回来写这封信
虽然我是3号开始写这封信的，
现在已经是7号了。
我是二号从澳门回来的。
我在那里有一次很棒的访问。
我在澳门过的圣诞节和新年比在广州要好得多。
/
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我勉强避开了领事盛大的除夕派对。
/
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晚会是为了纪念领事馆成立100周年。
/
邀请了60人，
参加了50人。
即使有了新总统，
我也希望现任领事Seymour能留任。
/

/
广州的美国男子致函华盛顿特区，
要求新政府保留领事Seymour。
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我们希望由于最近的麻烦，
美国政府会认为最好保留现任领事，
而不是做出改变。
/
现在有这么好的领事真是太幸运了，
其他大多数美国领事都不好。
/
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紧张局势得到缓解，
一切恢复正常。
/
偶尔会听到法国人要进攻广州的传言，
但普遍认为，
如果法国入侵，
他们只会进攻台湾。
/
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我们计划在春节后开办寄宿学校。
这周是祷告的一周。
/
我们在家里开了一个祷告会，
他主持了会议，
这很适合我。
我们每隔一个晚上就开会。
然后，
每隔一天我们在11点开一次早会。
每天下午2点我们有一个中文会议。
/
Butler 小姐和Lewis小姐
还在澳门，
每一天
他们跟中国基督徒开会，
洗礼传教士Young小姐陪她们。
我们很高兴在澳门开始传教工作。
我们在那里开了一所女子学校和一所男子学校，
我们还建了一座小教堂，
还有一位当地的助教在那里每天传教，
/
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现在那里有两三个基督徒，
希望很快能建一所大教堂。
/
Thomson医生
他和助理有关系，
所以他很快就会去那里做圣餐。
/
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寄宿学校已开的时候
Butler小姐打算回广州，
但是
Lewis小姐计划整个夏天都留在澳门。
她有更好的机会在那里学习，
广州这里的干扰太多，
澳门也更健康。
她有更好的机会在那里学习，
广州这里的干扰太多，
澳门的环境也更健康。
我们喜欢我们租的房子，
希望我们能够保留它。
另一边的房子更大一些，
但租金却没有那么好，
每月只有 10 美元。

现在，
屋子那边住着一个法官，
不过一两年后他就要回家了。
/
我想如果他离开后传教组织能把整栋房子租给我们就好了。
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这绝对是全广州最好的疗养院所在地。
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如果传教组织租用另一个地点，
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我们将能够保留我们的房子。
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我送你很多爱。
我还附上了一份Graves医生让我寄给你的文件。
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Harriet

Letter