The age-herald., 1900-12-04
PRESIDENT WILLIAM M'KINLEY'S
 MESSAGE TO THE 66TH CONGRESS
tcontInuea From First Page,

eign elements and strengthen the Boxers to oppose the relieving columns. Two days later the Taku forts were captured after a sanguinary conflict. Severance of com munieation with Pekin followed and combined force of additional guards which was advancing to Pekin by the Pei Ho was checked at Sang Fang. The Isolation of the legation was complete. The siege and the relief of the legations has passed into undying history. In all the stirring chapters which record the heroism of the devoted band clingng to hope in the face of despair and the undaunted spirit that led their relievers through battle and suf- fering to the goal it is a memory of which my countrymen may be justly proud that the honor of our flag was maintained alike in the seize and the rescue and that stout American hearts have again set high, in fervent emulation with true men of other race and language the indomltable courage that ever strives for the cause of right and justice.
 Ordered to Leave Pekin.
 By June 19 the legations were cut off An identical note from the Tsieng Li Yamen ordered each minister to leave Pelsin under promised escort within twenty-four hours. To gain time they replied asking prolongation of the time which was after wards granted and requesting an inter- view with the Tsung Ii Yamen on the fol- iOWhHS ddy. NO Itpiy DtIilS HSttlNCd Ou the morning of the 20th the German Min ister, Baron von Ketteler set out for the Yamen to obtain a response and on the way was murdered.
 An attempt by the legation to recover the body was foiled by Chinese troops. Arm- ed forces turned out against the legations. Their quarters were surrounded and att tackled The mission committee compounds were abandoned, their inmates taking ref uge in the British legation, where all the other legations and guards gathered for more effective defense. Four hundred per- sons crowded in it's narrow compass. Two thousand native converts were assembled in nearby palace under protection of the foreigners. Lines of defense were strengthened trenches dug, barricades raised and preparations made to stand a seige which at once began.
 From June 20 until July IT," writes Minister Conger, there was scarcely an hour during which there was not firing up- on some part of our lines and into some of the legations, varying from a single shot to that of a general and continuous at- tack along the whole line"
 Artillery was placed around the legations and on the overlooking palace walls and thousands of three-inch shot and shell were fired, destroying some buildings and damaging all. So thcky did the balls rain that when the ammunition of the besieg- ed ran low five quarts of Chinese bullets were gathered III an nOur Tn one compound and re-cast.
 Attempts were made to burn the lega- gations by setting the neighboring horses on fire, but the flames were successfully extinguiShed, although the Austrian, Bel gian, Italian and Dutch legations were then and subsequently, burned. With the aid of the native converts directed by the missionaries to whose helpful cooperation Mir. Conger awards unstinted praise, the British legation was made a veritable fortress. The British Minister, Sir Claude Macdonald, was chosen general comman- der of the defense, with the secretary of the United States legation. MT. F. G. Squires as chief of staff.
 To save life and ammunition the be- sieged sparngly returned the fire of the Chinese soldiery, firing only to repel at- tack or make an occasional successful sor- tie for strategic advantage Such as that of fifty-hye American, British and Rus sian marines led by Captain Myers of the United States marine corps, which result in the capture of a formidable barricade on the wall that gravely menaeed the Am erican position. It was held to the last and proved an invaluable acquisition be- cause it commanded the water gate through which the relief column entered
 During the siege the defenders lost six ty-flve killed, one hundred and thirty-five wounded and seven by diseaSe-the last all children. On July IA the besieged had their first communication with the Tsung u Yamen, from whom a message came in viting to a conference which was declin- ed. Correspondence. however, ensued and a sort of armistice was agreed upon which stopped the bombardment and lessened the rifle fire for time. Even then no pro- lection whatever was afforded nor any aid given save to send to the legations a small supply of fruit and three sacks of flour.
 The Government Implicated.
 Indeed, the only communication had with the Chinese government related to the oc- casional delivery or despatch of a tele- gram, or to the demands of the Tsung I'd Yamen for the withdrawal of the legation to the coast under escort. Not only are the proteStations of the Chinese govern ment that 1t protected and succored the legations positively contradicted, but ire -sistable proof accumulates that the attacks upon them were made by Imperial troops regularly uniformed, armed and officered, belonging to the command of Jung Lu the imperial commander -in-chief. Decrees en- couraging the Boxers, organizing them un- der prominent imperial officials, provision ing them and even granting them large sums of money in the name of the Empress Dowager are known to exist. Members of the Tsung Ii Yamen who counselled protection of the foreigners were behead- ed. Even in the distant provinces men suspected of foreign sympathy were put lO uedt0, prominent among these DelnS Chang Yen Hoon, formerly Chinese Minis ter in Washington.
 With the negotiations of tine partial arm istice of July IA, proceeding which was Chinese envoy in Washington, the way was opened for the conveyance to MT. Con- ger of a test message sent by the Secret tary of State through the kind offices of Minister Wu Fang. MT. Conger's reply dispatched from Pekin on July IS through tho same channel afforded to the outside world the first tidings that the inmates of the legations were still alive and hoping for succor. This news stimulated the prep arations for joint relief expedition in numbers sufficient to overcome the resis- tance which for a month had been organ izing between Taku and the capital Re- Inducements sent by all the co-opera ting governments were constantly arriving. The United States contingent hastily assembled from the Philippines or despatched from this country amounted to some five thous- and men under the able command first of the lamented Colonel Lscum and afterWard If Genaral Chaffee