The Portland daily press., 1900-08-31

progress tonight in vindicat1on of that
principle,
The Tired Sikhs are planting their tents
Do the lawn and the American and Rus
sian contingents are lighting campf1res
along the stretch OF turf extended beyond
the Tartar walls. Through the ruins OF
the foreign settlement, an eager, cosmo-
pOI1tan crowd is josbling-Indians, Cos
sacks, legation ladies, diplomats, Anne RI
cans from the Philippines and French
dfsciplinarians from Saigon, who kept
d1screetly to the rear while the ngnt1ng
was in progress, but came cOnsp1cuOuSly
to the front when the looGing began,
Only the japanese who have earned the
first place are absent.
The barricade hedging the British le-
CATION are marvel of stone and brick
walls and earthWorks Sand bags shield
every foot of space, The top Of the walls
have inches for the rltiemen and the
buildings at their pOrticOs and windows
have arlnOr boxes, bags stuffed with dirt
and pillows too.
The tops OF the American and British
buildings were badly torn by the Chinese
shells. The rest of the foreign settlement
was almost demolished Two thousand
eight hundred shells fell there during the
first three weeks of the bombardment,
400 in one day. Buckets full OF bullets
were gathered In the grounds,
Four hundred and fourteen people lived
in the compound through the greater part
or the Siege 4uI66 uuuIICO Civ AOuA
marines, assisted by So volunteers, COM
manded by the English Captain Poole,
defended the place.
Eleven civilians were killed and 10
wounded
Ffftv-four marines and sailors were
killed and 118 wounded.
The Americans loss was 'seVen killed
and eleven wounded.
The reception which the survivors gave
the army was worth the hardships the
troops had undergone. The entrance was
not spectacular. Sir Alfred u aSeles with
his staff and company of Sikhs waded
up a bed of sewage into the canal under
the Tartar city WALL
The besieged removed the barbados
and when the gates swung inward and
the British cOlOrs appeared, there was
great continuous cheer on both sides.
Generals, soldiers ana correspondents
scrambled ND the banks through the filth,
eIboWing to be- first. Men and women sur
rounded the rescuers and shook the hands
of the Sikhs, pattlng them on the back
The ministers and officers demanded
the latest news on both sides. An hour
afterward, General Chaffee riding at the
head of the 18th u S. infantry marched
to the Tartar wall, An American marine
who was on top of the wall shouted:
"You are just in time We need you
in our business. =
''Where can we get in9' said General
Chatfee
fTbrough the canal. The British came
in there TWO hours ago., was the re-
Spouse,
Although the Americans entered behind
the last Of ths British forces, their recep-
ton was Just as enthusiastic as If they
had been nrst When the Stars and
Stripes emerged into view. Mr. IeWks
bury, the missionary, cried: Americans
cheer your flag.
Ladies waved their handkerchiefs aud
the soldiers Gheered the ladies,
On entering the grounds of the British
legation, the American troops stared in
amazemen5 and inquired ii there was a
lawn party in progress. They expected
to lind the relieved in a worse condition
than themselves, whereas the contrast be-
tween the appearance OF the rescued and
the rescuers was surprisingly in favor Of
the former. The British minister, Sir
Claude Mcdonald was shaven and dressed
IN immaculate tennis hannels. Mr.. Con-
ger, the United States minister, was
equally presentabIe. The assemblage of
ladies was fresh and bright in summer
clothing. Only few civilians were car
rying arms.
Or the other hand the rescuers were
haggard and rOugh-bearded. They
dragged themselves along as If ready
TO drop, the khaki uniforms dripping
witch perspiratlOn and black with mud.
Bat a second glance showed that the res
3ued were pathet1cally pale and thin.
Tney looked like a com pany of invalids.
Every part of the enclosure testified to
their tragic experiences.
The bravery OF the women was 0 te-
worthy They became so accustomed to
ire that it was difficult to restrain til EN-
from walking about the grounds at all
times W hen q proposal was made to
petition the Isung LII Yamen for vegeta-
Oles, some said they would rather starve
than take help from that quarter. The
1amen's food supply was a farce, only
sufficient for one day. When meat was
asked for, the reply was that this could
not be furnished because q state of
war existed. The Tsung Ii Yamen
placarded a proclamation exhorting the
people to kill all foreigners because the
latter had made war on China in attack.
ing the forts at Yaku.
The legations were fiercely attacked
from July II to July %. At the lat
ter date nominal truce was agreed to
and extended to August g. although the
Chinese repeatedly violated It. There
was considerable rife tire from August
to August IL, and then the Chinese
mounted smOOuh-bOres. The malnstay
OF the foreigners was an old gun used
by the British in 1860 which was found
in junk shop by Mitchell, the Amerl-
can gunner. This was mounted on a
russian carriage found by an Italian.
Ammunition was fitted to it and it was
christened 1.-The International Cum
The foreigners remarked that relief had
been long delayed but they insisted that
they had never despaired of the outcome
The Chinese are said to admit that they
lost 1000 killed during the siege.