The year 1905 is a memorable one in the annals of Shanghai， asat that time a change in the attitude of the educated Chinese becameevident， indicating that they were no longer willing to submit passivelyto what they regarded as an infringement of their rights. This， as weshall see， brought about a serious situation at the close of the year—theMixed Court riot in the International Settlement.
War between Russia and JapanBefore giving an account disturbance， a brief reference must bemade to the war between Russia and Japan in 1904–1905. Much tothe chagrin of the Chinese， the war was waged on Chinese territory， inManchuria， and China was helpless to prevent the occupation of herown territory by the hostile forces of two foreign Powers. Indeed Chinahad been compelled to declare her neutrality， while war was beingcarried on in the northeastern provinces. This was humiliating in theextreme.
On the outbreak of war， the Russian gunboat “Manjur” was afraidto leave the harbour， as the port was closely watched by the Japanese;and after the naval sortie from Port Arthur on August 10th， 1904， the“Askold” and the “Grozovoi” took refuge in Shanghai. China， actingin accordance with the duty of a neutral nation， finally took steps fordisarming and interning these vessels.
Psychological Results of the WarThe result of the war， however， had a marked psychological effect.
The Asiatic for the first time for many years proved superior in warfareto the European， and Japan suddenly emerged as one of the greatPowers. The exultation in her victory spread throughout all countries inAsia. It was easy to reason that if China followed in the footsteps of herisland neighbour， by introducing Western scientific education， Westernmachinery， Western military methods， and governmental reforms，she could become even stronger than Japan. What one small AsiaticPower had done might surely be done by another， greater in area， inpopulation， and in resources.
Boycott of American TradeThe first manifestation of the new spirit was the boycott ofAmerican trade， as a protest against the restriction of Chineseimmigration into the United States. The boycott was put in forcein many places， but was most successful in Canton and Shanghai，producing its greatest effect in the latter city. The Chinese Government，anxious not to come into conflict with the United States， tried tosuppress it， but as it was a popular movement， and was fomented bythe students of the new era， especially by those who had studied inJapan， the authorities found themselves in a difficult position. Theboycott finally subsided in September， 1905， chiefly because theChinese traders who had bought American cotton piece goods onlong time contracts， were unable to dispose of their holdings andconsequently became lukewarm in regard to the agitation.
In old China， as we know， the literati exercised great influenceon public In 1905 we have the first instance of the new student classexerting a similar influence.
Mixed Court Riot
This new attitude on the part of the Chinese will enable us tounderstand better the Mixed Court riot.
On December 8th， 1905， some women， one of whom was thewidow of a Szechuen official named Li， and two servants， were broughtup before Magistrate Kuan， the Assistant Magistrate， Mr. King， andthe British Assessor， Mr. Twyman， on a charge of kidnapping girls forunlawful purposes， fifteen supposed victims being present in court.
The case was remanded. A difference of opinion arose as to where theprisoners should be kept， pending trial. The British Assessor wishedto hand over the accused and the girls to the Municipal police fordetention pro tern Under the control of the Municipal authorities， butthe Magistrate directed they should be sent to the cells in the MixedCourt and instructed the runners accordingly. This led to a free fightbetween the police and the runners in which the police proved thestronger. The accused and the girls were put into the police van， butthe runners locked the gate of the courtyard. When the police askedthe Magistrate to have the gate opened， he declined， saying they mightbreak down the gate， break up the whole court and kill him if theychose. The Magistrate then left the accused， with the girls， disposed ofaccording to the orders of the British Assessor.
The Canton Guild called a meeting and made a protest in regardto the indignity to which the widow of a fellow provincial had beensubjected. A telegram was sent to the Waiwupu， the Board of ForeignAffairs， reporting the matter and protesting against such treatment bythe police of Chinese ladies of the official circle. It was stated that Mrs.
Li was the widow of an official from Kwangtung Province and wasreturning to her home with the coffn of her late husband， servants andslave girls， and luggage consisting of over one hundred pieces.
A committee of Chinese merchants also protested against theconduct of the police in striking court runners while the court was insession. A demand was made for the dismissal of the police inspectors，detectives， and constables concerned in the case， and for the removal ofthe British Assessor.
As a result of the agitation， upon request of the Waiwupu， theforeign Ministers in Peking instructed the Consular Body at Shanghaito order the Shanghai Municipal Council to release the lady withoutfurther trial， inasmuch as the Mixed Court had been closed by theTaotai， and it would be unjust to keep her in custody without anopportunity of proving her innocence.
The Municipal Council was obliged to yield to the wishes of theConsular Body， but resented the violation of the established procedureon the part of the Diplomatic Body in Peking.
Meanwhile the Chinese population was inflamed by exaggeratedaccounts of what had transpired in the Mixed Court. Threats weremade of a general strike， a refusal to pay taxes， and a general exodus ofthe Chinese population from the Settlement.