The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-12-13

Unct understanding thAt the french
column alluded to be halted until the
arrival OF the allies who. ON reaching
their destination. would BE- commanded
by General Sir Alfred Gaselee, COM
manding the column from Pekin.
The commands OF General Baellond
and General Campbell consisted OF Ger.
man and italian troops and British In
dia troops with battery Of royal
horse artillery, a small number OF the
Austrian contingent and battery OF
two pompom guns.
Accompanying calnpbelrs command
the route lay southwest through Tu
Lui. destroyed by the troops a month
previously, to the walled city Of Wen
An Slen in the vicinity Of which It was
claimed the Chinese imperial troops had
dispersed the Boxers some Ave days be-
fore our arrival, inflicting heavy losses.
At Ma Chou. small walled city, on
the l5th OF October. General Campbell
received letter from General Baellond.
stating that the French had occupied
Pao Ting Fu on the 18th inst. without
opposition. having anticipated the ae-
tlons Of the allies and broken the prom
ises that they would await other COM
mands.
On the 18th. Yien Chou Hsien was
reached. On the 18th the rear guard OF
the column while leaving the city. hSv-
ing been delayed by baggage transport.
was treated to a somewhat hostile DEM
onstraton. Some hundreds Of the
townspeople gathered about them. one
man endeavoring to incite the crowd to
action. This would-be leader was some
what severely handled and the guard
moved on without further annoyance.
After a most dlsagreeable march on
the Goth through a dust storm OF un-
wonted severity ending in a blizzard OF
rain and sleet. rendering the going
heavy and dangerous. Pao Ting Flu was
reached on the 2lst OF October. after a
march Of $50 miles through n country
which but for an exceptionally dry sea-
son would have been absolutely Inn
passable. many miles OF the route be-
ing described on the Chinese and for
eign maps as lakes and marshes. Upon
arrival we found the Britlsh-P -Pekin coll
umn camped on the plain at the north
west corner OF the city outside the wall.
and the French. Germans and Italians
quartered within the city, and on the
End We camped alongside General
Gaselee's command.
Though Pao Ting Flu had been occu-
pied without opposition II was plainly
apparent TO the most casual observer
that the Chinese were in a very dis
iurbed state. Europeans going through
The city were received with insolent and
remarks and on several occa-
sions were the object Of splitting. a ia
sorite form Of insult.
The fan Il or provincial treasury Of
ieial, the Manchu commander Of the
lorces and the chief magistrate of Tien
rsin were found within the city and an |
International court OF inquiry was in !
stituted to determine their guilt in re-
gard to the murderers at Pao Ting Flu |
turing the first week OF July. This
,ourt sat behind closed doors and no |
were allowed TO be pres
mt or even to be in the vicinity Of the |
in which the tribunal sat--a
,ourse Of procedure which is certainly 1
oreign to British ideas.
The result Of this inquiry became
Inown on the 25th inst. when the three
'fficials were condemned to be hanged
or their actions in regard to the Euro
'esns at PaO Ting Flu and Tien Tsin.
he sentences being referred to Field
Marshal Won Waldersee for his approv-
Il. The fan ii was degraded on that
late by being compelled to walk
trough the streets Of the city under es-
'ort to the place Of his confinement.
IN the same day thirteen known par
icipants in the Pao Ting Flu atrocities
we're publicly shot.
While this was going on, patrols were
icouring the country west and south,
md, while engaged in this way on the
Bird inst, patrol Of the Sixteenth
Bengal Lancers was fired upon from a
ortified village, Ku Shan, some 95 miles
northwest Of Pao Ting Flu and three Of
he men were wounded. one severely.
On the 24th Of October a small force
II some 25O men with one pompom, un-
Ter the command Of Lieutenant Colonel
?. H. Aver. Third Bombay cavalry, left
'ao Ting Fu to take and destroy the
'illage. Reaching chu Cheng the same
vening, on the 25th an earlier start was
made and the pompom commenced shell
ing the town about A. NJ. the de-
achment Of the Goth Punjab infantry
lfterward entering and the Third Bonn
Jay cavalry executing a flank move
nent to the right and left. A few
ihots were fired from the town at the
'ompom and some firing took place on
/ small Hill behind the town, and in the
ALLEY beyond large jingal was fired
lpon by the cavalry. The losses to the
'hinese must have been about 100
Iilled. The town was afterward de-
troyed and the arms found therein
'urned. Ku Shan was well known
'oxer rendezvous and the severe pun
shment INFLICTED was a well deserved
me.
Returning on the 26th, we found the
olumn under orders for Tien Tsin by
still more sautherly route. where it
vac efafad iaro. I1o,,a. soy.oo. -. -. |