The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-12
CHINA'S SIDE OF IT.
AN IMPERIAL DECREE TO MINIS
TIERS SETS 1T FORTH.
HISTORY OF THE TROUBLE.
MINISTER'S DIRECTED TO LAY IT
BEFORE FOREIGN POWERS.


IiOus Subjects Their Conduct
sprang From Their Boxing and
Fencing Practices Foreign
Troops, Allowed to Enter Pekin,
Were Disordcrly-Iaku Forts Sum-
mnrily BOmbarded.
Washington, July I1.-An imperial de-
cree, dated third cay of sixth moon was
received by telegraph to-day by Minst Ter
Wu. from the Tao Tai of Shanghai, trans
mltted on July from the treasurer of the
Chila province, who received it by spec
ial courier on June 90 from the board of
war. who in turn received it from the
tprivy council in Pekin.
The decree is as follows: The oircum-
stances which led TO the commencement
of fighting between Chinese and foreign
ers were of such a complex confusing and
unfortunate character as to be entirely un-
expected Our diplomatic representatives
abroad, owing to their distance from the
scene of action, have had no means of
knowing the true state of things, and ac-
cordingly, cannot lay the views of the gov
eminent before the ministers for foreign
affairs Of the respective powers TO which
they are accredited. Now we take this op-
portunity of going fully into the matter
for the information of our representatives,
aforesaid
HcbeIIious Subjects Arose.
in the first place, there arose in the
provinces of Chill and ShantuLg a kind
of rebellious subjects, who had been in
the habit of practicing boxing and tenc-
ing in their respective villages, and at the
same time clothing their doings with spir-
itualisdc and strange rites. The local au-
thorities failed to take due notice Of them
at the time. Accordingly the infection
spread with astonishing rapidity. Within
the space of month, it seemed TO make
its appearance everywhere and finally
even reached the capital itself. Everyone
looked upon the movement al supernatural
and strange and many joined il.
Then there were la wless and treacner-
Gus persons, who sounded the cry of
Down with Christianity! About the mid
die of the fifth moon, these persons began
| 10 create disturbances without warning.
! Churches were burned and converts were
| situation was created which could not
| he brought under control AT first the for
eign Powers requested the foreign troops
be allowed to enter the capital for the
i protection of the legations. The imperial
! government, having in view the compara-
tive urgency of the occasion, granted The
request as an extraordinary mark of
courtesy beyond the requirements OF in
ternational intercourse.
Fcreiga Troops Rowdy.
"Over 800 foreign troops were sent 10
Pekin. This shows clearly how much
care China exercised in the maintenance
of friendly relations with other countries.
The legations at the capital never had
much to do with the people. But from
the time foreign troops entered the city,
the guards did not devote themselves ex-
clusively to the protection of their re-
spective legations. They some times fired
their guns on top of the city walls, and
sometimes patrolled the streets every
where. There were repeated reports of
persons being hit by stray bullets. More
over they stroIed about the city without
restraint, and even attempted to enter the
Tung Hua gate 0he eastern gate Of the
palace grounds) They only desisled when
admittance was positively forbidden.
'On this account, both the soldiers and
| the people were provoked to resentment,
and voiced their Indignation with one ac-
cord. Lawless persons then took advan-
tage of the situation to do mischief, and
became bolder than ever in burning and
killing Christian converts. The Powers
thereupon attempted to reinforce the for
egn troops In Pekin. but the reinforce
ments encountered resistance and defeat
at the hands of the insurgents on the
way, and have not yet been able to pro-
| coed.
Dangerous for Legations.
THE insurgents of the two provinces
of Chihli and Shan Tung had by this
time effected a complete union, and could
| moi be separated The imperial govern
ment was by no means reluctant 10 issue
orders for the entire suppression of this
insurgent element. But, as the trouble
was so near at hand, there was a great
fear that due protection might not be as
| sured 10 the legations, if the anarchists
should be driven to extremties, thus
bringing on a national calamity There
also was a fear that uprsings might oc-
cur in the provinces of Chilli and Shan
Tun at the same time, with the result
that both foreign missionaries and Chi
nese converts in the two provinces might
fall victims to popular fury. 1t was,
therefore, absolutely necessary to con-
slider the matter from every point of
view.
LAS measure of precaution 1t was
| finally decided TO request the foreign min
isters to retire temporarily 20 Tien Tsin
| for safety. 1t was while the discussion
| of this proposition was in progress that
| the German minister. Baron Won Ketteler,
was essassinated by a riotous mob one
morning on his way to the tsung-li-ya-
men. On the previous day the German
| minister had written a letter appointing
a time for calling at the tsung-li-ya-
| men. But the yamen, fearing he might
he molested on the way, did not consent
20 the appointment, as suggested by the
| minister.
! after this occurrence the anarchists
! assumed more bold and threatening at
titude, and. consequently. il was not
deemed wise TO carry out the project Of
sending the diplomatic corps 90 Tien Tsin
under an escort However. orders were
issued to the troops detailed for the pro-
! lection of the legations TO keep stricter
watch and take greater precaution
against any emergency.
m':.-lMY .gg shrdlu cmfwyp eta oinp n
Opened on the Forts.
"To our surprise. on the 2Oth of the NTH
moon (June 16), foreign (naval?) officers at
! Taku called up 10 Jung Kwang. the gen
eral commanding, and demanded his sur
| render Of the forts. notifying him that
fauing TO receive compliance they would
at o'clock next day take steps to seize
the forts by force.
| u, 49, ,1ound bv the duties of his Office