The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-07-12
Demanded the Surrender of
Forts at Taku.

Washington, July 11.-An imperial de-
cree dated third day Of sixth moon,
(June 29), was received by telegraph to-
day by Minister WI from the Taotai of
Shanghai transmitted on July 1, from the
treasurer or the Chihi province, who
received it by special courier on June SO
from the board Of war, who in turn re-
ceiyed it from the privy- council in Pc
kin. The decree is as follows:
1.-THE circumstances which led to the
commencement Of fighting between
Chinese and foreigners were of such q
complex, coafusing and unfortunate
character as to be entirely unexpected
Our diplomatic representatives abroad
owing to their distance from the scene
Of action, have had no means Of know
Ing the true state of things and accord
ingly cannot lay the views of the gov
ernnent before the ministers for foreign
affairs of the respective powers to which
they are accredited. Now we take this
opportunity of going fully into the mat
ter for the information OF our represen-
tatives aforesaid.
I'm the first place there arose in the
provinces Of ChihH and Shan lung a
kind Of rebellious subjects who had
been in the habit OF practicing boxing
and fencing in their respective villages,
and 1T the same time clothing their do
ings with spiritualistic and strange rites.
The local authorities failed to take due
notice of them at the time According
y the Infection spread with astonishing
rapidity Within the space of a month
1t seemed to make its appearance every
where, ana finally even reached the
Capital itself. Everyone looked upon the
movement as supernatural and strange
and many joined it. Then there were
lawIess and treacherous persons who
sounded the cry of down with Chris
tianity-" About the middle of the firth
moon these persons begun to create dis
turbances without warning. Churches
we're burned and converts were killed.
The whole city was in a fer1nent. A
situation was created which could not be
brought under control. At first, the
foreign powers requested that foreign
troops be allowed to enter the capital
for the protection of the legations. The
imperial government, having in view the
comparative urgency Of the occasion,
granted the request as an extraordinary
mark OF courtesy beyond the require
ments of international intercourse. Over
900 foreign troops were sent to Pekin.
This shows clearly how much care China
exercised in the mainte nance of friend
II relations with other countries. The
legations at the Capital never had much
to do with the people. From the time
that the foreign troops entered the city
the guards did not devote themselves
exclusively to the protection of their re-
spective legations They sometimes 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.
Moreover they strolled about the city
without restraint and even attempted
to enter the Tung Hua gate, 1.-THE east
ern gate of the palace grounds They
only desisted when adnittance was posi-
lively forbidden. On this account both
the soldiers and the people were pro-
voked to resentment, and voiced their
indignation with one accord. Lawless
persons then took advantage Of the stu
alton to Go mischief and became holder
than ever in burning and killing Chris
tian converts The powers thereupon at
tempted togre-inforcs the foreign troops in
Pekin, but the re-inforcements encoun-
tered resistance and defeat at the hands
of the Insurgents on the way and have
not yet been able to proceed. The in
surgents of the two provinces of Chill
and Shan Tung had by this time effected
q complete union and could not be sepa-
rated. The imperial government was
be no means reluctant to issue orders
for the entire suppression of this insur-
gent element.
But as the trouble was so near at
hand, there was great fear that due
protection might not be assured to the
legations, if the anarchists should be
driven to extremities, thus bringing on
q national calamity. There also was a.
fear that uprisings might occur in the
provinces of Chihli and Shan Tung at
the same time, with the result that both
foreign missionaries ana Chinese converts
In the two provinces might fall victims
TO popular fury.
1t was therefore, absolutely necessary
to consider the matter from every point
Of view. AS a measure of precaution it
was finally decided to request the foreign
minister to retire temporarily to Tien
Isin for safety. 1t was while the dis
,ussion of this proposition was in PRO
gress that the German minister, Baron /
Won Ketteler, was assassinated by a
riotous mob one morning while on his
way to the Tsung LII Yamen. On the
previous day the German minister had
written letter appointing time for
falling at the Tsung Ii Yamen. But the