Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-12-06

1.
maintaining spheres of influence in China
the circular proposals of 1889, inviting
from them declarations of their intentions
and views as to the desirability of the
adoption of mea sures insuring the benefits
CT equality of treatment of all foreign
trade throughout China.
Proposals Well Received.
With gratifying unanimity the re-
sponses coincide in this common pollcy,
enabling me to see in the successful ter.
mination of these negotiations proof OF
the friendly spirit which animates the
various powers interested In the I'm,
trammeled development of commerce and
industry in the Chinese empire as
source of vast benefit to the whole COM
mercial world.
In this conclusion, which had the graf
tfcation to announce as completed en-
gagement to the interested powers on
March 20. 1900. hope was fully discerned
d distrust Of a foreign . PURPOSES t, which for
year past had appeared to inspire tns
policy of the imperial government, ana
for the effective exertion by it OF power
and authority to queil the critical anti
foreign movement in the northern prov
inces most Immediately Influenced by the
Manchu sentiment.
Seeking to testify confidence in the
willingness and ability of the imperial
administrative to redress the wrongs and
prevent the evils we suffered and feared,
the marine guard, which had been sent
to Picking in the autumn of 1899 for the
protection of the legation, was Withdrawn
at the earliest practicable moment and
ell pending questions were RENTED, as
far as we were concerned, to the or
binary resorts of diplomatic intercourse.
Growth of Boxer Uprising.
The Chinese government proved, how
ever, unable to check the rising strength
of the Boxers and appeared to be a prey
to international dissensions. In the I'M
equal contest the anti-foreign influences
soon gained the ascendency under the
leadership of Prince Tuan. Organized
fon i'm
perial forces affiliated, held the country
between Picking and the coast, penetrated
into Manchuria up to the Russian border,
and through their emissaries threatened
like rising throughout northern China.
Attacks upon foreigners, destruction of
their property, and slaughter OF native
The tsung-H-yamen, already permeated
with hostile sympathies, could make no
effective response to the appeals of the
legations. At this critical juncture, in
the early spring of this year, a proposal
was made by the other powers that
combined fleet should be assembled in
Chinese waters as moral dcmonstra-
ton, under cover of which to exact of the
Chinese government respect for foreign
treaty rights and the suppression of the
Boxers.
The United States. while not participat-
Ing in the joint demonstration, promptly
sent from the Philippines all ships that
could be spared for service on the Chi
nese coast. A small force of marines
was landed at Taku and sent to Picking
for the protection OF the American lega-
ton: Other powers took similar action,
until some 400 men were assembled in the
capital as legation guards.
Capture of Taku Forts.
Still the. peril increased. The legations
reported the development of the seditious
creased provision for defense against it.
While preparations were in progress for
larger expedition, to strengthen the ,e-
cation guards and keep the railway open,
an attempt of the foreign ships to make
landing at Taku was met by a fire from
the Chinese. forts. The forts were there
upon shelled by the foreign vessels, the
American admiral taking no part in the
attack, on the ground that we were not
at war with China and that hostile dem
onstration might consolidate the anti-for-
elgn elements and strengthen the Boxers
to oppose the relieving column.
TWO days later the Taku forts were cap
tured after a sanguinary conflict Sever
ance of communication with Picking fol-
lowed, and combined force of additional
guards, which was advancing to Peking
by the Pei-Ho, was checked at Lang Fang
The siege and the relief of the legations
has passed into undying history. In all
the stirring chapter which records the
heroism of the devoted band, clinging to
hope in the face of despair, and the I'M
daunted spirit that led their believers
through battle and suffering to the goal
1t is memory of which my countrymen
may be justly proud that the honor of our
flag was maintained alike in the siege
and the rescue, and tina; stout American
hearts have again set high, IN fervent
emulation with true men of ether race
and language, the indomitabe courage
that ever strives for the cause of right and
Justice.
Murder of German Minister
By June 10 the legations were cut off
An ldentlcal note from the yamen ordered
each minister 10 leave Picking, under a
promised escort, within "A hours. To gain
time they replied, asking prolongation of
the time, which was afterwards granted,
and requesting an interview with the
tsung-i-yamen on the following day. No
reply being received on the morning of
the goth thesGerman minister, Baron Won
ketteler, set out for the yamen to obtain
a response, and on the way was murdered
An attempt by the legation guard to
recover his body was foiled by the Chi
nese. Armed forces turned out against the
legations. Their quarters were surrounded
and attacked. The mission compounds
were abandoned, their inmates taking ref
uge in the British legation, where all the
more effective defense. Four hundred per
sons were crowded in it's narrow COMPASS
Two thousand native converts We're as
sembled in a nearby palace under protec-
ton of the foreigners Lines of defense
were strengthened, trenches dug, barri-
cades raised i and preparations made to
Nigor of the Siege.
From June 20 until July H." writes
Munster Conger, there was scarcely an
hour curing which there was not firing
some of the legations, varying from a
single shot to general and continuous
attack along the whole line" Artillery
was placed around the locations and On
the overlooking palace walls, and thou
sands of three-inch shells were fired, de-
sfToying some some buIIdings and damaging
when the ammunition of the besieged ran
low, five quarts of Chinese bullets Were
gathered in an hour in one compound
Attempts were made to burn the leca-
TONS Gcn by by set setting neishboring houses on
hP PUT off !ne HameT were suecessfply
gian, Italian and Dutch legations were
then and subsequently burned. With the
Grafton Mr.. Conger awards unstinfed
praise, the British legation was made a
veritable fortress. The British minister
Sir Claude Macdonald, was chosen gem
eral commander of the defense, with the
secretary of the American legation, Mr.
e. g. Squiers, as chief of staff
Defense of the Legationers.
To save life and ammunition the be-
sieged sparingly returned the incessant fire
of the Chinese Soldiery, fighting only to
repei attack or make en- occasional sue
as that of So Americans, British and Rus
sian marines led by Capt Myers, of the
United States marine corps, which result
on the wall that sravely menaced the
American position. 1t was held to the la St
and proved an invaluable acquisition, be-
cause commanding the water gate through
which the relief column entered
During the siege the defenders lost 65
killed, 135 wounded and seven by disease
the last all children.
On July IA the besieged had their first
communication with the tsung-li-yamen.
from whom a message came inviting to a
conference, which was declined Core
spondence, however, ensued ard sort of
armistice was agreed upon, which stopped
/ the bombardment and lessened the rife fire
for a time. Even then no protection what
ever was afforded, nor any aid given, save
to send to the legations a small supply OF
fruit and three sacks OF flour.
DupIicity of Chinese Government
Indeed. the only communication had with