The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1900-12-07
HOOD RIVER, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 1900
and maIntaInIng spheres Of lrauencs IN

and maintaining spheres Of influence n
China the circular proposals OF 1899 in
viting from them declarations of the.l
Intentions and views as to desirablllty
Of the adoption of measures insuring tht
benefits of equality of treatment of a.
foreigners throughout China.
| With gratifying unanimlty, the re.
sponses coincided in this common policy
enabling me to see in the successful ter.
mination of these negotiations proof oil
the friendly spirit which animates the
various powers interested in the untram.
meled development of commerce and in.
dustry in the Chinese Empire as a source
Of vast benefit to the whole commercial
world.
Powers Acted in Concert.
In this conclusion, which had the
qualification to announce as a completed
| engagement to the interested powers
March 20. 1900 ] hopefully discern a po-
tential factor for the abatement of the
distrust of foreign purposes, which for
year past had appeared to inspire the
policy of the imperial government, and
for the effective exertion by 1t of power
and authority to quell the critical and
foreign movement in the northern prov
inces most Immediately influenced by the
Manchu sentiment
Seeking to testify confidence In the will
ingness and ability of the imperial ad-
ministration to redress the wrongs and
prevent the evils we suffered and feared,
the marine guard, which had been sent
to Pekin in the Autumn of 1899 for the
protection of the, Legation was with
drawn at the earliest practicable moment,
and all pending questions were remitted,
w uar 20 he
dinary resorts Of diplomatic intercourse.
The Chinese Government proved, how
ever, unable to check the rising strength
of the Boxers and appeared to be a prey
to internal dissensions. In the unequal
contest, the anti-foreign influences soon
gained the aseendancy, 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 emissaries threatened a like rise
throughout Northern China. Attacks upon
foreigners. destruction of property and
slaughter of native converts were re-
ported from all sides. The Tsung II
Yamun, already permeated with hostile
sympathies, could make no effective re-
sponse to the appeals Of the Legations.
Ab bhio All Tic carly
Spring of the year, a proposal was made
by the other powers that a combined
feet be assembled in Chinese waters as
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 sdemonstra ton, 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 to Pekin for the
protection of the American Legation.
Other powers took similar action until
some 400 men were assembled in the capt.
tai as legation guards.
Still 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 for
larger expedition to strengthen the
legation guards and keep the railway
open. an attempt of the foreign ships to
make a landing at Taku was met by
fire from the Chinese forts. The forts
were thereupon sh lied by the foreign yes
sells, the American Admiral taking no
we were not at war with China, and that
a hostile demonstration might consolidate
the anti-foreign elements and strengthen
the Boxers to oppose the relieving coli
umn. Two days later. the Taku forts
were captured after sanguinary con-
fict Severance of communication with
Pekin followed and a combined force OF
additional guards. which was advancing
to Pekin by the Pei Ho, was checked at
Lang Fang. The isolation Of the Lega-
tions was complete.
BY June 9, the Legations were cut off.
An identical note from the Yamun or
dered each Minister to leave Pekin, under
a promised escort, within "a hours. 10
gain time. they replied asking prolonga-
tion of the time, which was afterward
granted and requesting an interview with
the Tsung II Yamun on the following
day. No reply being received. on the
morning of the Goth the German Minister,
Baron Won Ketteler, set out for the va
nun to obtain a response, and on the
way was murdered. An attempt by the
legation guard to recover his body was
foiled by the Chinese.
Pekim Legations Attacked.
Armed forces turned out against the
Legations. Their quarters were surround
ed and attacked. The mission compounds
were abandoned. their inmates taking
refuge in the British legation, where all
the other Legations and guards gathered
for more effective defense. Four hundred
persons were crowded In Its narrow COM
pass. Two thousand native converts We're
assembled In nearby place under pro
lection of the foreigners. Lines Of defense
were strengthened, trenches dug, barri-
cades raised and preparations made to
stand a siege, which at once began.
with the negotiation Of the partial
armistice of July II, proceeding which
was dc ubtless promoted by the represen-
tations of the Chinese envoy in WASH
ingson. the way was opened for the con-
veyance to Mr.. Conger of a test message
sent by the Secretary of State through
the kind offices of Minister WI Ting
Fang Mr.. Conger's reply, dispatched from
Pekin on July Is through the same chan
mel. afforded to the outside world the
first tidings that the inmates OF the le-
cations were alive and hoping for succor.
This news stimulated the preparations for
joint relief expedition, In numbers suffi-
cient to overcome the resistance which
for month had been organizing between
Taku and the capital. Reinforcements
sent by all the cooperating governments
were constantly arriving. The United
the Philippines or dispatched from this
country, amounted to some 5000 men. url-
der the able command of the lamented
Colonel Liscum and afterwards of Cen
eral Chaffee.
Rescue Of LegatfoneFs.
Toward the end of July the movement
began. A severe conflict followed at Tfen
Tsin. in which Colonel Liscum was killed.
The city was stormed and partly de-
stroyed. Its capture afforded the base
of operations from which to make the
final advance which began In the first
days of Angus. the expedition being
made up of JaS nese. Russian. British
and American troops at the outset. An
other battle was fought and won at
Yong Tsun. Thereafter. the disheartened
Chinese troops offered little show OF re-
s.stance A few days later. the impor-
tant position of To 81 Wo was taken A
rand march brought the united forces to
the popuious City of Tung Chow. which
canifuIated without a contest.
On August II, the capital was reached.
After a brief conflict beneath the walls,
the relief column entered and the Lega-
tions were saved. The United States