Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-11
CH|NA'S ATTITUDE
BIames Foreigners for
Recent txCaSse5,
AN IMPERIAL DECREE
Outbreak by Rebellious Subjects Was
Unexpected.
TRIED TO SAVE LEGATIONS
Mob bVoIenceC Charged to Attack on
the Forts.
TRIED TO SAVE LEGATIONS
A CRISIS AT TEN TSIN

A CRISIS AT TIEN TSIN
Mr. wu. the Chinese minister. was an
early visitor to the State Department this
morning. He handed personally to Secre-
tary Hay q copy of official statement
from the Chinese imperial government dis
claiming responsibility for the present
riotoUs situation at Pekin and vicinity. The
text Of the document is follows:
An imperial decree dated Sd day of 9th
moon (29th June) has this day doth july
been received by telegraph by Minister WI
from the Taotai of Shanghai, transmitted
on the LIST July from the treasurer of the
Chill province, who received it by special
courier on June 81 from the board of war,
who in turn received it from the privy
council in Pekin- The decree Is as fol-
lows:
The Imperial Decree.
The circumstances which led to the
commencement Of fighting between Chinese
and foreigners We're of such a complex,
confusing and unfortunate character as to
be entirely unexpected. Our diplomatic
representatives abroad owing to their dis
tance from the scene of action. have had
10 means Of knowing the true state of
things. and accordingly cannot lay the
views OF the government before the min
listers for foreign affairs of the respective
powers to which they are accredited. Now.
take this opportunity of going fully INTO
the matter for the information of cur rep
ressntativeS aforesaid.
IN the hrSJ place, there arose in the
provinces of Chihi ard Shantung kind
Of rebeiIoUs subjects. who had been in tie
habit Of prdcticing boxing and fencing IN
their respective villages. and at the same
time clothing their doings with spiritua-
is5Ic and strange rites. The local authOri-
ties failed to take due notice of them at
the time. Accordingly the infection spread
with astonishing rapdity. Within the
space Of month it seemed to make its
appearance everywhere. and finally even
reached the capital itself E cry one looked
upon the movement as Superna tuTal and
strange, and many Joined it. Then there
Were Iawless and treacherous persons. who
sounded the cry If Down with Chris
ttanity-
Beginning the Disturbances.
About the middle Of the fifth moon
these persons began to create disturbances
without warning Churches We're burned
and converts were killed. The whole city
was in a fermant. \ situation vas ere
ated which could not be brought under
control.
AT first the foreign powers requested
that foreign troops BE- allowed to enter
the capital for the protection Of the lega-
tions- The imperial government, having
in view the comparative urgency of the
occasion, granted the request as an extra
ordinary mark IF courtesy beyond the re-
quirements Of international intercourse.
over 500 foreign troops Were sent to Pc
kin This shows clearly how much care
China exercised in the maintenance of
friendly relations with other countries Th.
legations al the capital never mad much
To do with the people.
Charges Against the Guards
But from the time foreign troops enter
ed the city the guards did not devote them
selves exclusively to the protection of their
respective legations They sometimes fired
their guns on top of the city walls and
sometimes patrolled the streets every
where There We're repeated reports Of
persons being hit by stray bullets. More
over. they strolled about the city without
restraint, and even attempted to enter the
TCughUa gate Uhe eastern gate of the
palace groundS). They only desisted when
admittance was positively forbidden. on
this account both the soldiers and the peo-
PIE We're provoked 10 resentment and
voiced their Indignation with one accord.
lavless persons then took advantage of
the situation To do mischief, and became
bo!icr than ever in burning and killing
Christian converts.
Reinforcements Defeated.
THE powers thereupOn attempted to re-
inforce the foreign troops in Pekin but the
reinforcements encountered resistance and
defeat at the hands Of the insurgents on
the way and have not yet been able to
proceed The insurgents Of the two prov
inC-s Of Chill and Shantung had by this
time effected complete union. and could
not be separated. The imperial govern
ment was by no means reluctant to issue
orders for the entire suppression of this
insurgent element But. as the trouble
was 50 near at hand. there was a great
fear that due protection might not be as
sured 10 the legations if the anarchists
should be driven to extremities. thus
bringing ON national calamity. There
was also a fear that uprisinSs might oc-
cur in the provinces pf Chill and Shan
tuug at the same time. with the result
that both foreign missionaries and Chinese
Converts in the two provinces might fall
victims 10 popular fury. 1t was. therefore,
absolutely necessary to consider the mat
ter from every point of view.
Minister Won KetteIer's Assns.inatiop
"As measure Of precaution, it was final
ly decided to request the foreign ministers
To retire temporarily to Tien Tsin for safe
ty- Il while the discussion of this
proposition was in progress that the Ger
nan minister. Baron Won Ketteler was as
saSSinated by riutOuS mob one morning
while on his way To the Tsung Ii Yarneu
on the previous day the German minister
had written letter appointing time for
calling AT the Tsung Ii Yamen. But the
ydmen, fearing he might be molestod on
the way. did not consent To the appoint
ment. as suggested by the minister
Since this occurrence the anarchists as
sumed more bold and threatening atti-
tude, and consequently Il was not deemed
wise to carry out the project of sending
the diplomatic corps to Tien Tsin under an
escort However. orders were issued to the
troops detailed for the protection of the le-
cations to keep stricter watch and take
greater precautiOn against any emergency
To our surprise. on the 2Dth of the fifth
moon (June 16) foreign tnaval2D officers al
Taku called upon Lo Jung Kwang the
general commanding. and demanded his
surrender of the forts. notifying him that