The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-07-20

tions in the orient, and see how often
they have fought side by side in the
same cause or in one another's behalf.
Our growing trade in China has not
been bought without sacrifice of
brave lives. And in the conflicts in
which these lives have been lost the
Anglo-Saxons have many times joined
hands. In the old days before the re-
mote part of the earth was connected
with civilization by means of the ocean
cables and telegraphs our naval officers
were thrown upon their own resources
to uphold the glory and honor of the
flag. In those days it was not possible
to ask the department for instructions
or assistance when sudden emergencies
arrived, and it was in those days when
aid was given and asked by Anglo
Saxon commanders in far eastern wa
ters.
It was as late as 1860 that the Amer
lean Commodore Tattnall said to the
English Admiral Hope that "blood is
thicker than water" The incident
that caused the revival of this famous
remark of Walter SCOTS is both in
teresting and illustrative of the point
in view. England was fighting Chinese
barbarism and superstition with
France as an ally. Commodore TAFT
nall was conveying new American
minister to China in the chartered
steamer 'Toeywan," and arrived at the
I'ei-ho river on June %, 1860, just in
n h0 OF o1s h.
nese forts by the French and English
boats. The Chinese gunners caught
the boats of the allies in a trap and
were rapidly destroying the feet.
Many of them had been sunk or cap
tured, IS men were killed and 345 were
wounded. Aboard the English flagship
Plover all was confusion; the boat
had parted her cable and drifted a
helpless mass until dashed to the side
of the Cormorant; the English ad-
miral was wounded; nearly all of the
men on the vessel were killed or dis
abled, there being but half dozen left
to operate the bow gun.
At that time the American commo-
dore ordered his cutter that he might
pay visit to the wounded English ad-
miral. Before the English boat was
reached a Chinese round shot had car
ried away the stern of the commo-
dore's cutter and killed his cockswain.
Once aboard the English ship the Amer
lean tars relieved the exhausted Brit
ish sailors at the bow gun and served
the gun themselves.
It was when the English admiral ex-
pressed his surprise at such actions on
the part of a neutral power that Com
modore Tattnan replied that ''blood is
thicker than water" and that was the
excuse he gave for practically assisting
in an assault upon Chinese fort.
It was but few months before that
incident that Capt. Foote taught the
Chinese a we'll deserved lesson. At that
time England was having trouble with
the Chinese Commissioner Yeh at Can
ton. The Chinese gunners persisted in
making no distinction between Ameri-
can and English ships, and had twice
fired upon our merchants when passing
the forts near Canton. Capt. Foote'S
flag flew from the sailing vessel Ports
mouth. The only American steamer,
the San Jacinto, drew too much water
to get near the forts, and the Ports
mouth had to be towed into position by
the little Willamette. She was alone
in q narrow and unknown channel,
without steam and without wind, but
when night closed down the great fort
was nearly silent.
After several days of useless diplo-
macy, the Portsmouth in the meantime