The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-26
BLOOD THICKER THAN WATER.
o SO COMMODORE TATTNALL HELPED
THE BRITISH At PEI-HO.


10 the stars and Stripes and Add.
ed One of the Most Expressly,
Phrases to the English TOhsgue
Neutrality Thrust Aside for tn,
Succor of Men at Hopeless odds.
BLOOD is thicker than water" said N,
Hon. Joseph Chamberlain in the Britist
Parliament few days ago in defending
his birmingham speech in favor or a closel
understanding with the United States
And when he said it he quoted the words
Of a Savannahian, one Of me noblest aid
bravest men this city or state has given
TO the nation. The body of the patriotic
Tattnan has mouldered into dust in The
sacred soil of his old homestead, Bonaven-
tura, Qonavonture), but the epigram that
he uttered thirty-uine years ago, while
the water about his vessel was red with
British blood, keeps marching on" To
day it has acquired new and greater force.
In the halls Of Congress and of Parlia-
ment it is on the lips of statesmen who
make the policies of the two great sister
nations. 1t has passed into the stock of
expressive phrases of all English speaking
and no one ever demonstrated the power
of Il kindred feeling at greater risk, or
under more dangerous circumstances, than
Commodore Tattnall did in the Pei-lIo
river n 1850.
The story is one that every American.
and especially every Savannahian, should
know. 1t is one of the incidents that have
added greater lustre to the American flag
In foreign seas, that have thrilled the
hearts of the people, and have served to
knit together two nations Of common
speech and origin. Two Savaunahians
stand out as the central figures in the pic
Commodore Josiah Tattnall and Hon.
John f. Ward
In October 1857, Tattnall, then a cap
tain in the navy was put in command Of
the naval forces of the United States in the
East India and China seas, with the rank
of flag officer. This was the first step
taken in the American navy toward The
establishment of the permanent grade of
admiral At that time our affairs, like
those of the maritime Powers of Europe,
were ia a critical condition in those waters.
A treaty was under negotiation with IA
pan, and China had consented to receive
an American minister. TattnaBs select
ion for a post requiring especial prudence,
experience and capacity for prompt, yet
conservative action, showed ,the resT
TEEN in which he was held at
Washington. England and France
had gathered a large naval force in
Chinese waters for the purpose of backing
up diplomacy with adequate force, The
United States, as has been So often the.
NOS fvn al in
ships. But the caliber of the men who
represented her flag more than made UP
for the lack of guns. dh 20
After conveying United States 6Sommis-
sioner Read from China to Japan, where
the treaty Of amity and commerce of
1853 was concluded. Tattnall returned to
Chinese waters where he received orders
to proceed to Singapore and meet Hon.
John e. Ward of Savannah, the newly
appointed minister to China. Chartering
a small British steamer, the ToeyrWan.
Of but 175 tons burden, Tattnau proceeded
with the Powhattan and this tender, took
on beard Mr. Ward and his suite and on
June p. 1853. they arrived off the mouth
of the Pei-ho up which it was proposed
TO proceed TO Tientsin. at which point II
was understood the foreign representa-
tives were to be received by the Chinese
officials.
The allied fleets lay off the barr twenty
/
haitian and the tender alone, flew the
American flag. 1t was found that the
Chinese had rebuilt the fortihcations
which had been destroyed by the allied
forces the year before and had placed ad-
ditional Instructions across the entrance
to the river. These they obstinately refus-
ed to remove to permit the foreign en-
voys to pass 10 Tientsin. The forts, they
claimed, were there with only few vol
unteers 10 defend that route from pirates
and rebels seeking to move on Pekin. Or
ders had been given them. though to fire
on any warships attempting to pass the
barriers.
bar on which there was never more
than ten feet of water kept all the larger
warships five miles from the forts. Only
small guuboats and such tenders as that
of Tattnalls could enter the river. The
British admiral Hope, in the tender Cos
romandel, the French commodore on the
Norzagara, and Tattnall with Minister
Ward and suit, on the Toey-Wan crossed
the bar with thirteen gunboats. The
American tender soon grounded directly
under the guns of the forts She was alb
solutely at the mercy of the Chinese Adj
miral Hope dispatched a gunboat to tow
her off. The chain parted and the at
tempt was abandoned Then the British
admiral offered Tattnall the unconditional
use of one of his gunboats on which the
American flag should be flown, the Amer
leans Ito retain her as long as they de-
sired The generous feeling which prompt
ed the offer bore fruit later, but the
proposition was declined. Messengers
were sent ashore and the Chinese while
refusing to allow the ENJOYS to proceed
up the river, gave assurances that the
Ioey-Nan would not be fired on unless
she attempted 20 remove the barriers.
The duplicity OF the Chinese was soon
made apparent to the allied forces. A
clever ambuscade had been laid for them
only few Chinese We're TO be seen about
the tortihcations, and they seemed to
mount but few guns. BY a skiful use
OF mats the portfolios had been concealed
by the Chinese, and the true. strength of
the forts kept from the British and
French. Admiral Hope was deceived into
the belief that a passage could be easily
forced. One of his gunbOats was ordered
to- commence the removal of the stakes
composing the first barrier A single gun
only was fired from one of the forts. "A
few Chinese soldiers seemed TO be care
lessly watching operations. 1t appeared
as though a nominal resistance only was
20 come. But the trap had been skilfullv
laid and the allied fleets of gunboats were
soon enmeshed in t..
An opening was finally made Through
this the gunboats made their way early in
"a a