The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-05
513-515 Seventh Street.

death. There was "A common mistake in
England at the time that the TAPPING
rebels were Christians. In outward forms
and in their claims they were, but later
information showed the monstrOus and
blasphemous character Of their religion.
Devastating the Country.
They were essentially destroyers, with
10 talent for good government, leaving
the cities in ruins and the country de-
| populated Of human beings. They swept
| over southern China to the intense fear
of the peasantry. When the Taipings
! came near Shanghai. 1900 peas ants would
| crowd into the city till the incursion was
| over. BY means of English troops the
country for thirty miles around Shanghai
was kept clear Of the rebels, and it was
from the army organized there that their
power was finally broken.
First an American l.amed Ward, a man
of reckless daring, enlisted a band OF for
eign seamen at Shanghai. and with these
as officers, corps OF rudely drilled ma
tiyes was raised. However, their outrages
on the country folk were as bad as the
rebels, and they had a tendency TO desert
en- masse TO the rebels if their pay got N
arrears. Ward treated the whole matter
as a commercial speculation. He fell in
an assault on Ningpo in 1862; the com
mand was taken for time by an unprin-
cipled man called Burgevine, who finally
deserted to the rebels, when Gordon had
superseded him.
The Chinese appealed to England for the
loan OF a commander, and General Stavely
appointed Major Gordon Gordon had come
out Of China in 1860. He had been present
at the march on Pekin and at the burning
of the summer palace. The soldiers under
his command were about 1000 native Chi
neso soldiers. divided into four regiments.
and Differed by seventy Europeans and
Americans, many CT whom had been sailors
or soldiers in the English forces. lie
made no attempt to Introduce strict Brit
ish discipline. but his men soon becarIe
devoted to him, and world follow him any
where.
His personal influence is shown by the
fact that toward the end of the campaign
his body guard consisted of TAPPING rebels
who had been captured and yet became
his devoted followers. His men were paid
S. or 36s a month Their arms came
from the stores OF sm1oth-bore muskets,
in use by our Indian troops, and a few OF
the veterans were favored with Enfield
rifles. Certain lines of streets in the ruined
city Of Sunkiang were set apart as the
army's quarters, but there was no attempt
at barrack discipline
When off duty the Chinese soldiers wore
their native dress, and might b. seen
Longing in the tea shops or working at
their trades, and Chinese magistrates and
policemen melted out the bamboo every
morning to offenders. None of them under
stood any English except the words of
command. which were learned by rote.
General Gordon's Reforms.
Before Gordon took command the force
was useless for any great effort. He
resolved to have effective artillery, and
by judieious drill the pick of the Chinese
soldiers were trained in the rougher duties
OF artillery. while the English sailors.
some of whom had been commissioned
officers and gunners in the navy, became
the artillery officers For guns he vas
empowered to draw on the military stores
at Shanghai.
He also took advantage of the peculiar
nature OF the country. which is intersected
by canals and lakes. and where all trave.
is by water, and had his own little navy.
1t consisted of two little vessels, the Hyson
and the Firefiy, which had originally been
built as towboats and in appearance
seemed altogether unfit for warlike pur-
poses. The Hyson was about eighty feet
in length, and drew nearly three feet OF
water, and could penetrate the most shall
low lakes and canals. She carried 32-
FOUNDER howitzer overlooking the stern. |
There were practically no bulwarks, ana
one ell-directed shot in the boiler OF