The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-31
NOT PRAYER
|. BUT BULLETS
.Sharpshooters Won at
Tien-TsIn.
COMMERCIAL MANS TALE
Yankee Drummer Gives Credit for
Safety to Defenders Of
The Town.

A weil-known commercial traveller.
speaking on the Boxers at the Hawaiian
Hotel TO an interested circle OF listeners,
told the following story OF his experiences
In China:
several months ago I went TO Hong
kong with the idea OF doing big busi-
ness In the Celestial Empire for my Chi
caro- house. We carry all kinds Of agri-
cultural implements, as well as many
other modern labor-saving machines.
"Of course. I passed through Honolulu
hut only spent n few hours ashore. After
soaring up n fair amount of trade in
Hcngkong. Canton and Shanghai. start
ed for Peking but was detained for some
time az Tien-Tsin on special business. 4.
was about this time that the trouble
with the Boxers was getting particularly
o. rrifying TO people who would be likely
20 suffer by their brutal actions. Fortu-
nately. I gave up my plan OF going on TO
peking and stayed at Tien-Tsin. Fortu-
nateiy7 Well, don't know. From what
saw OF the trouble In Tien-Tsin I don't
think there was much choice between
that place and Peking.
n will never forget the awful days
from the middle OF June until July 5th.
when I left for Taku and thence He'd TO
fIongkonR and so 10 Honolulu. and from
here to Chicago again. I hope. You all
know the story OF the struggle In Tien-
Tsin. hut perhaps some OF the details
win be OF interest 20 you. For example.
after the people OF tho settlement outside
OF the city OF Tien-Tsin proper had sent
i I. zoo men 20 see what had become OF Ad-
mlral Seymour. we assembled to the top
OF n tower In the settlement to see IL we
could see any sign Of the Peking relief
force To the north Of the city where
the great Hsi Gu. large fort fun OF
arms and ammunition doomed. We saw
smoke-the smoke OF battle. and we could
/ also hear the report OF guns. We imme-
ldlately jumped to the conclusion that Ad-
mlrai Seymour was on his way back 10
lrien-Tsin and that the Chinese in the
Hist Gu were firing upon them. We were
greatly and agreeably surprised later
when Admiral Seymour and the relief
force arrived, bearing the wounded. and
reported the fact OF their having taker
the Hsi Gu and that II was their owl
force that was peppering the Boxers from
the fort.
"It seems that Admiral Seymour an,
. his company were winding down the river
many OF them In boats when they cam
upon this large fort quite unexpectedly
There were many Chinese In the fort AM
. several shots were fired as the first boa
was coming around bend. at the mel
IN the boat. Immediately big Americai
: marine jumped out OF the foremost boa
4 onto the bank and showed the boat bac
: around the bend out OF range of the fir
: from the fort. A consultation was hel
and resulted In a sudden attack upon tn
: fort; the fort was taken In grand styl
: land were not the gallant fighters joyou
: when they found the Hsi Gu just packe
with the latest improved weapons--Le
Metford rifles. Gatling guns, swords an
Ammunition. and rice also. They woul
q have held the Hsi Gu with all the arm
. had II not been for the great number
}: wounded that the force was carryin
!. along with ~. But the men brought wit
them all the arms from the fort that tho
could carry.
There were many brave deeds done
a Tien-Tsin. The Russians did fine work
holding the railroad station and the En-
- iish bluejackets did wonders with owe
wheimlng numbers of Boxers. and q
Americans-well. everybody knows VIII
oI the American soldier or marine will do
A. they work miracles. 1 tell you what, -
"a may talk about tho power OF prayer sa
IL ing Tien-Tsin all you like. but was the
70 on the ground and had hold of "A q
myself. and I want TO remind you gent
men that we were blessed with a Z,
sharpshooters stationed In the towe
% who certainly made n few hundred OF {
. Boxers say Now I lay mo during {
- little trouble there. There was that Z
.r low watts. for instance. from Austral
know for a fact that he picked OF
- the rate OF twenty or thirty Chinese gt
ners a day for many days.
"Glve credit 20 the sharpshooters a
- the gunners and the brave men "
fought as only desperate men defend
A their women and children can fight.
al China II ruled by secret societies. a
= II is my opinion that Japan has wond
fm influence with these societies. / th
little Japan can do perhaps more N
is- any other nation In bringing the pres
na. war 10 n close. or course the story
~, sc,,nour shooting his wounded men 4