The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1900-12-13

ana maintaining spheres e lnnuoooo 81
Cnina the circular proposals. Of 1Sso, IN.
viting from them declarations OF the:l
intentions and views a. to desifability
of the adoption Of measures insurinT the
benefits Of equality OF treatment Of ali
foreigners throughout China.
With gratifying unanimity. the re-
sp0nses coincided In this common policy
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 untram.
meled development Of commerce and In
dustry In the Chinese Empire as q source
OF vast benent to the whole Commercial
world.
Powers Acted In Concert.
In this conclusion. which had the
qualification to announce as Q completed
engagement to the interested powers
March 20. 1890. I hopefully discern q po-
tential factor for the abatement of the
distrust OF foreign purposes. which foz
year past had appeared to inspire the
policy OF the imperial government, and
Tor 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
Aanchu sentiment.
Seeking to testify confidence in the will
in8ness 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
ana all pending questions were remitted,
as Tar as We were concerned. to the or
binary resorts Of diplomatic intercourse.
The Chinese Government proved, how
ever, unable to check the rising strength
OF the Boxers and appeared to be prey
to internal dissensions. In the unequal
contest. the anti-foreign influences soon
gained the ascendancy under the leader
ship of Prince Tuan. Organised armies of
Boxers. with which the imperial forces
amliated. held the country between Pekin
and the coast, penetrated into Nanchuria
up to the Russian border and through
their emissaries threatened 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
famun. already -permeated with hostile
sympathies, could make no effective re-
sponse to the appeals Of the Legations.
At this critical juncture, In the early
spring OF the year, proposal was made
Dy the other powers that combined
fleet be assembled in Chinese waters as a
moral demonstration. under cover of
WAASh W CAdCb VI tu0 SllucSe 0OVeIu-
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. small force of marines was
landed at Taku and sent to Pekin for the
protection Of the American Legation.
Other powers took similar actions until
some 400 men were assembled in the capi-
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
q 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 ves-
sells. the American Admiral taking no
part In the attack, on the ground that
We were not at war with China, and that
q hostile demonstration might consolidate
the anti-foredgn elements and strengthen
the Boxers to oppose the relieving coli
umn. Two days later, the Taku forts
were captured after a sanguinary con-
fiict 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 on.
An identical note from the Yamun or
dered each Minister to leave Pekin, under
a promised escort, within "A hours. To
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 10th the German Minister.
Baron Won Ketteler, set out for the va
nun to obt1in a response. and on the
way was murdered. An attempt by the
legation guard to recover his body was
foiled by the Chinese.
Pekin 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 were
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 siege. which at once began.
With the nesotiation OF the partial
armistice Of July IA. q 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 1e-
Rations were alive and hoping for succor.
a joint relief expedition. In numbers sum-
cient to overcome the resistance which
for q month had been organising between
Taku and the capital. Reinforcements
sent by all the cooperating governments
were constantly arriving. The United
States contingent, hastily assembled from
the Philippines or dispatched from this
der the able command Of the lamented
Colonel Liscum and afterwards Of Gem
eral ChafKee.
Rescue Of LegatiOners.
Toward the end Of July the movement
began A severe conflict followed 1t T1en
Tsin. in which Colonel Llscum was killed.
The city was stormed and partly de-
stroyed. Its capture afforded the base
Of operations from which to make the
anal advances, which began In the nrst
days OF Augus. the expedition being
made up Of ~ nese. Russian. British
and American troops 1t the outset An
other battle was fought and won At
Yong Tsun. Thereafter, the disheartened
Chinese troops offered little show OF re-
sistance A fsw days later. the impor-
fant position Of To 81 Wo was taken. a
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