The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-08-13
Pekin and

Tho history Of the Indian Mutiny Of
1857 contains q curiously close parallel
to tho present conditions in and before
Pektn. In that great Chinese city are
some eight hundred Europeans. Americans
and Japanese. besieged in the legation or
Great Britain by thousands Of Chinese
mutineers and their adherents. Rather
more than forty years ago. the British
residents OF Lucknow. a large city In the
heart OF India, were besieged In the Resi-
dency by thousands Of Indian mutineers.
To the rescue Of the foreigners imprisoned
in Pekin q force Of allied troops IL hasten
ing. Just a. forty.three years ago q forcs
Of British troops wa hurried under the
ablest Generals.
The first siege Of Lucknow began on July
l.. 1857. In the city at that time were the
British Resident, Sir HENRY LAWRENCE. who
died within a few days. and his stan. and a
few hundred others. women and children.
and officers and men Of a British regiment,
tho Thirty-second Foot. The number In the
Residency was about seventeen hundred.
Gen HAvRLoCK. with Sir JAMES OUTRAM.
at tho head Of a small body Of British and
loyal Indian troops. managed. with much
fighting. to enter the Residency on Sept,
rs. 1857. after the garrison had been under
fire for eighty-seven days, In spite OF
HAvELocK's arrival. there was no cessa-
ton in the attack. He had brought too few
men with him. and as a fact did more harm
than good TO the besieged. for his men had
to be fed from the scanty supplies in tho
Residency.
The arrival in India OF Sir COLIN CAMP
BELL as COMMUNICATIVE Chief changed
matters. CAMPBELL. spent two months
In Calcutta organizing the army. which
before his coming had been operated too
independently. In October, however, he de-
cided to attempt the relief OF the garrison
in Lucknow. having learned that 1t could
not either release itself or hold out much
longer. On tho nth Of the month CAMPBELL
left Calcutta. and on Nov. Q reached the
Alumbagh. a suburb Of Lucknow; thence.
on Nov. IA. with about ive thousand
men. he began the attack on the city. In
accordance with a plan formed after con-
sulting with THOMAS KAvANAoH. Lucknow
KAvANAoH." who had passed through the
enemy's lines in the disguise Of a native.
The attack was complete on the 10th. when
OUTRAM. HAvKIOCK and CAMPBELL met.
and the besieged residents OF Lucknow
were saved.
The retirement from the Residency was
the next thing to be done. for the entire
movement had been made TO bring away
tho besieged residents. The withdrawal
began on the 10th, and on the 22d OF Novem-
Der the original garrison left the city. The
entire force retired SO secretly that the
enemy maintained a fire on the ResIdency
for some hours after the last British soldier
had gone,
On Nov. "a HAvErocK died OF disease.
The retreat was made under great diff
culties and with a sharp battle near Gavin
pore with the Gwalior contingent Of the mu-
tineers. The refugees were placed in safety
finally at C%awnpore early In December,
In January CAMPBELL returned to Luck
now. this time not to relieve any garrison.
but to capture the city and teach the mutt
neers a lesson. He besieged the city on
March 8. 1858. and after successive assaults
took the place In eleven days.
The allied forces now In China ara ad-
vancing on Pekn to rescue tho foreigners
now in that city. They have fought battles
at three places thus far-Tientsin. Peitsang
and Yangtsun. The approach to the city
may be more sharply contested than hith-
erto: but that the city will soon be taken
is practically certain now. Whether the
allies will withdraw with the rescued Euro
peans, as CAMPBELL had to with the English
in Lucknow. will depend on the amount Of
fighting before the city Is taken and on
the conditions then existing. The rescue
Of the prisoners is the most important
work before the allies.
CAMPBELL lost few men, and rescued |
everybody In Lucknow; let US hope that
the allies may be as successful as he, and
at as little cost.