The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-12
The Government Most Anxious tn Put
Down Rebellion and Protect
the Foreigners.
so SAYS AN IMPERIAL DECREE ISSUED
FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE POWERS
Chinese Priyy Council Declares Conduct o.
Foreign Guards in Pekin Made Bad Mat
ters Worse. Admiral Remey With Part
Of 9th Regiment Probably at
Taku. Allies at Tien Tsn
Hard Pressed.
(By thea ssociated Press.)

Washington, July 11.-An imperial de-
ceived by telegraph today by Minister
WI, from the Taotai of Shanghai, trans
mitted on July 1st from the Treasurer
of the Chih Ii Province, who received
it by special courier on June "0th from
the Board of War, who in turn received
it from the Privy Council in Pekin. The
decree is as follows:
"The circumstances which led to the
commencement of fighting between Chi
nese and foreigners were of such com
plex, confusing and unfortunate character
as to to be entirely unexpected. Our
diplomatic representatives abroad, owing
to their distance from the scene OF ac-
ton, have had no means of knowing
the true state of things, and accordingly
cannot lay the views of the Government
before the Ministers for Foreign Affairs
of the respective pawers to which they
are accredited. Now we take this Op-
portunity of going fully iuto the matter
for the information of our representatives
aforesaid
RISE OF THE BOXERS.
In the first place, there arose in the
provinces of Chih Ii and Shan Tung a
kind of rebellous subjects, who had been
in the habit of practicing boxing and
fencing in their respective villages, and
at the same time clothing their doingS
with spiritualistic and strange rites. The
local authorities failed to take due no.
tice of them at the time. Accordingly
the infection spread with astonishing ra-
pidity Within the space of a month it
seemed to make its appearance every
where, and finally even reached the capi-
tai itself Everyone looked upon the
movement as supernatural and strange
and many Joined. Then there were law
less and treacherous persons, who sound
ed the cry of Down with Christianity.
About the middle of the fifth lloon, these
persons began to create disturbances.
Without warning church IS were burned
and converts were killed. The whole
city was in ferment. situation was
created, which could not be brought un-
der control. At first the foreign po%e '5
requested that foreign troops be allowed
TO enter the capital for the protection
of the legations. The Imperial Govern
ment, having in view the comparative
urgency of the occasion, granted the re-
quest as an extraordinary mark Of COZ
tesy beyond the requirements of inter
national intercourse. Over five hundred
foreign troops were sent to Pekln. THIS
shows clearly how much care China
exercised in the maintenance of friendly
relations with other countries.
CONDUCT OF FOREIGN GUARDS.
1.-THE Legations at the capital never
had much to do with the people. But
from the time foreign troops entered the
city the guards did not devote themselves
exclusively to the protection of their
Irrespective Legations. They sometimes
fired their guns on top of the city walls
and sometimes patrolled the streets ev-
erywhere. There were rcueated reports
of persons being hit by stray bullets.
Moreover they strolled about The city
without restraint, and even attempted
80 enter the Tun Hua gate (the eastern
gate of the palace grounds They only
desisted when admittance was positively
forbidden. On this account both the SOL
diers and the people were provoked to
resentment and voiced their indignation
with one accord. Lawless persons then
took advantage of the situation to do mis-
chief and became bolder than ever in
burning and killing Christian converts.
The powers thereupon attempted to rein
force the foreign troops, but the rein
forcements encountered resistance and
defeat at the hands of the insurgents on
the way and have not yet been able to
aroceed The insurgents of the two prov
anecs of Chih Lii and Shan Tung had by
This time effected a complete union and
could not be separated. The imperial Gov
ernment was by no means reluctant tc
issue orders for the entire suppression
of this insurgent element But as thC
trouble was so near at hand, there wa;
a great fear that during it the protec
Nion might not be assured the legation
ps1ss if the anarchists should be driven t