Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1900-12-13


and maintaining spheres OF influence IN
China the circular proposals OF 1899, iD-'
viting from them declarations OF Their
Intentions and Views as 10 desirabiiity
OF the adoption Of measures insuring the
benefits Of equality Of treatment OF all
foreigners throughout China.
With gratifying unanimity, the re-
sp0nses coincided In this common policy,
enabling me 10 see IN the successful ter
minati0n of these negotiations proof Of
| tho friendly spirit which animates the
various powers interested IN the untram-
meled development Of commerce. and in-
dugtry in the Chinese Empire as a source
OF vast bcnent TO the whole commercial
| world.
| Powers Acted I'm Concert.
| In this conclusion. which l had the
| qualification to announce as completed
engagement TO the interested powers
March %. 1900. ! hopefully discern a po-
teDtial factor for the abatement of the
distrnst Of foreign purposes, which for
d year past had appeared to inspire the
policy Of the imperial government, and
| for the effective exertion by II OF power
and authority TO quel the critical and
foreign movement in the northern prov
inces most Immediately influenced by the
! Manchu sentiment.
Seeking 10 testify confidence in the will
\ ingncAs and ability Of the imperial ad-
ministratlon TO redress the wrongs and
| prevent the evils we suffered and feared.
tho marine guard, which had been sent
TO PekIn In the Autumn Of 1893 for the
| protection OF the Legation. was With
drawn at the earliest practicable moment,
ana all pending questions were remitted.
as far as we were concerned. to the or
dlnary resorts Of diplomatic intercourse.
1 The Chinese Government proved, how
ever. unable TO check the rising strength
OF the Boxers and appeared to be prey
10 Internal dIssensl0ns In the unequal
contest, the anti-foreign influences soon
gained the ascendancy. under the leader
ship OF Prince Tuan. Organized armies OF
Boxers. with which the imperial forces
affiliated. held the country between Pekin
and the coast, penetrated into Manchuria
up to the Russian border and through
their emisRaries threatened a like rise
Throughout Northern China. Attacks upon
Foreigners destruction Of property and
daughter Of native converts were re-
ported from all sides. The Tsung II
Yamun. already permeated with hostile
sympathies. could make no effective re-
sponse 10 the appeals Of the Legations.
At this critical juncture. in the early
Spring OF the year. a proposal was made
by the other powers that combined
fleet be assembled In Chinese waters as a
moral demonstration. under cover OF
which TO exact OF the Chinese Govern
ment respect for foreign treaty rights and
the suppression of the Boxers. The
United States, while not participating in
the Joint demonstration, promptly sent
from the Philippines all ships that could
be spared for service on the Chinese
coast. A small force OF marines was
landed at Taku and sent 10 Pekin for the
protection Of the American Legation.
Other powers took similar action until
some 400 men were assembled In the capi-
tai us legation guards.
Sun the peril Increased. The Legations
reported the development OF the seditious
movement In Pekin and the need OF In
creased provision for defense against It
Taking Of Taku Forts.
While preparations were In progress foi
larger expedition to strengthen the
legation guards and keep the railway
. OPEN an attempt OF the foreign ships "a
make landing at Taku was met by
, iire from the Chinese forts. The forts
were thereupon sh He'd by the foreign YES,
sells, the American Admiral taking nc
part In the attack, on the ground that
, we we're not at war with China, and thai
hostile demonstration might consolidate
the anti-fortdgn elements and strengthen
the Boxers 20 oppose the relieving col
umn. Two days later. the Taku forts
, were captured after a sanguinary con.
= filct Severance of communication with
Pgkin followed, aud a combined force oi
additional guards. which was advancing
TO Pekln by the Pei Ho. was checked al
|. Lang Fang. The isolation of the Lega.
tions was complete.
By June .. the Legations were cut on
: An Identical note from the Yamun or
, dered each Minister to leave Pekin, undel
promised escort. within "a hours. TX
gain time, they replied asking prolonga
Of he iNna al Fyra 70
granted and requesting an interview with
the Tsung II Yamun on the following
day. No reply being received, on th'
morning OF the 20th the German Minister
Baron Won Ketteler. set out for the va
mum TO obtain response. and on th'
way was murdered. An attempt by th'
! legation guard to recover his body wa
foiled by the Chinese.
Pekin Legations Attacked.
/. Arm d forces turned out against tn
, Legations, Their quarters were surround
cd and attacked. The mission compounds
were abandoned. their inmates takinl
refuge In the British legation, where al
the other Legations and guards gatheres
for more effective defense. -Four hundred
, persons were crowded in its narrow com
. pass. Two thousand native converts wsr'
/ assembled in nearby place under pro
, lection Of the foreigners. Lines of defens'
, were strengthened. trenches dug, barrt
, cades raised and preparations made &
!, stand siege. which at once began.
With the negotiation OF the partia
: armistice OF July IL. a proceeding whici
: was dC Cubtless promoted by the represen
tations OF the Chinese envoy In Wash
ing ;on. the way was opened for the con
veyance to Mr.. conger of test message
! sent by the Secretary of State through
J the kind Offices of Minister WI TIM
Fang. MIR. Conger's reply. dispatched from
Pekin on July is through the same chan
mel. afforded to the outside world th
; first tidlngs that the inmates Of the lie
4 cations were alive and hoping for succor
( This news stimulated the preparations TO
n joint relief expedition. in numbers suffi
Client TO overcome the resistance whicl
: for month had been organizing betweel
v Taku and the capital. Reinforcement
4 sent by all the cooperating government
were constantly arriving. The unite'
9 States contingent, hastily assembled from
< the Philippines or dispatched from thi
! country, amounted to some 5000 men, un
der the able command OF the lamente,
!, Colonel Liscum and afterwards OF Gen
!, eral chaffee
q Rescue of Legationers.
d Toward the end OF July the movemen
/, began. A severe conflict followed at Tfel
s Tsln, IN which Colonel LLscum was killed
4 The city was stormed and partly de
= stroyed. Its capture afforded the bas
/, OF operations from which to make tn
n final advance. which began In the frs
4 days OF August, the expedition bein
made up OF 10 aese. Russian, Britis
i and American troops at the outset. An
4 other battle was fought and won a
n Yong Tsun, Thereafter, the disheartene
ii Chinese troops offered little show Of re
.la A f.axp in ha frtn