Letter from Hattie to Father, April 16, 1885

Letter from Hattie to Father, April 16, 1885

Sino-French War, 1884-1885; Baptists--Missions; Missions--Study and teaching; Physicians, Foreign

Harriet writes to her father about some of her fellow missionaries. She went to visit Miss Thompson of the Baptist Misson in Swatow who is about to leave for home. Depending on if peace really is declared, she expects more scholars to return to school. They currently have forty scholars. The Chinese say that the French are vanquished but things seem more complicated than that. The Viceroy asked the Consul to find foreign physicians and have them go to the seat of war. Dr. Wenyon of the English Wesleyan Mission is going but Dr. Thomson has decided to stay.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

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

Unpublished

1885-04-16

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_368

Sino-French War, 1884-1885

Canton China
April 16th 1885
My dear Father -
I intended to
spend the evening
in writing home letters
but instead we went
down to Mr Simmons
to see Miss Thompson
of the Baptist Mission
in Swatow who leaves
here tonight "homeward
bound". She has
been out just one
year longer than
I have so you see
my turn ought to
come soon. Yesterday

made just seven years and a half
since I left home so if I stay [u]ten
years[/u] I am now in the [u]last fourth[/u]
of the time -- We have now
about forty scholars in the
Boarding School and if the
people are satisfied that peace
is really declared I suppose the
schools will soon fill up. Although
according to the newspapers we
do not [u]feel[/u] much difference
as yet The Chinese all say
that the French are completely
vanquished and begging for
peace on any terms. If they
do not have to pay any indemnity
they will conclude that they have
won the day. The Viceroy recently
asked the Consul to find some
foreign physicians to go to the seat
of war. He said in his dispatch
"the foreign physicians have their
skill and methods and the Chinese
physicians their skill and methods
at such a time as this it is well

to avail of all kinds
therefore the Viceroys
desires et cetera et cetera et cetera"
Dr Wenyon of the English
Wesleyan Mission is
going . Unfortunately we
hav'nt any one that
can go, as Dr Thomson
could not leave his family
in the 1st place and
in the 2nd place could
not well leave the
hospital And if it
is really to be peace
now there does not
seem to be need
for any one to go.
Dr Thomson is boarding
with us this summer
while Mrs Thomson
is in Macao. With much
love for all from
Hattie -

中国广东
1885年4月16日
我亲爱的父亲，
我打算晚上在家写信
但我们去Simmons 先生家
参加了Thompson 小姐离别派对,
她在汕头做过浸信会传教士，
今天晚上她将回美国。
/
/
/
/
她来中国的时间
比我长一年，
所以很快就轮到我回家了。
/
/
昨天是我来中国7.5周年纪念
如果我待十年，
那么我在这里的最后一刻
/
我们寄宿学校有大约40名学生
如果人民对和平协议感到满意
我希望学校很快就满了
/
/
我们没有受到战争的影响，
对中国人来说，
他们胜利了，
法国人在乞求和平。
/
/
如果中国不用赔偿，
他们会认为他们赢了。
/
最近两广总督 【张之洞】
要求领事派外国医生到战区。
他对领事说：
"外国医生有他们的技能和方法，
中国医生有他们的技能和方法，
这个时候我们需要大家的帮助
等等等“
/

/
/
/
英国 Weslyan 传教士
Wenyon 医生要去战区救人。
不幸的是
我们没有人可以去，
Thomson 医生
不能离开他的家人，
也不能离开他的医院，
而且，
如果真的和平了，
就不需要派医生了。
/
/
/
/
因为 Thomson 太太在澳门，
Thomson 医生今年夏天和我们再在一起。
/
爱你们，
Hattie -

Letter