Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-12-13

| wiling from tnem declarations OF tnesT
Intentions and views as to desirabillty
Of the adoption of measures insuring the
benefits Of equality of treatment Of all
| foreigners throughout China.
| With gratifying unanimitv. the re.
sponses coincided in this common policy.
enabling me to see in the successful ter
mination of these negotiations proof OF
the friendly spirit which anmates the
various powers Interested In the untram-
meled development of commerce and in
dustry in the Chinese Empire source
Of vast benefit to the whole commercial
world.
Powers Acted in Concert.
In this conclusion. which l had the
qualification to announce as a completed
ngagement to the Interested powers
March 20. 1900, | hopefully discern a po-
tential factor for the abatement of the
distrust Of foreign purposes, which for
IL 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 adj
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 RENTED
as far 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 a prey
10 internal disSensions In the unequal
contest, the anti-foreign influences soon
gained the ascendancy. under the leader
ship OF Prince Tuan. Organized armies Of
Boxers. with which the imperial forces
afflliated. held the country between Pekin
ana the coast. penetrated into Manchuria
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 ali sides. The Tsung II
Yamun. already permeated with hostile
sympathies. could make no effective re-
spouse to the appeals of the Legations.
At this critical juncture, In the early
spring OF the year. a proposal was made
by the other powers that Q combined
fleet 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 demonstration, 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 AOO 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
mr. v1S o.
Taking Of Tnku Forts.
While preparations were In progress for
a larger expedition to strengthen the
legation guards and keep the railway
open. an attempt Of the foreign ships to
make landing at Taku was met by
fire from the Chinese forts. The forts
were thereupon sh He'd 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
hostile demonstration might consolidate
the anti-foreign elements and strengthen
the Boxers to oppose the relieving COL
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 Legal
lions was ccmpiete.
An identical note from the Yamun or
dered each Minister to leave Pekin under
promised escort, within "a hours. 10
gain time. they replied asking prolonga-
ton OF the time which was afterward
granted. aud 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 response. and on the
way was murdered. An attempt by the
legation guard to recover his body was
foied by the Chinese.
Pel<im 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 a nearby place under pro-
lection Of the foreigners Lines OF defense
were strengthened, trenches dug, barrl-
cades raised and preparations made to
stand siege, which at once began.
With the negotiation of the partial
armistice Of July IA. proceeding which
was dc ubtless promoted by the represen-
tations Of the Chinese envoy In WASH
tug:on, the way was opened for the con-
veyance to Mr.. Conger of 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
nell 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 a month had been organizing 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
country, amounted to some 5000 men, un-
der the able command of the lamented
Colonel Liscum and afterwards OF Gem
eral Chaffee.
Rescue Of LeGatlOners.
Toward the end Of July the movement
began. A severe conflict followed at Tien
1'sin, 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 Ut Angus. the expedition being
made up of Ji.A 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-
sistance A few days ater. the impor-
tant position of To 81 No was taken. A