New-York tribune., 1900-08-31
The STORY OF PEKING.



khaki uniforms dripping with perspiration and
black with mud
The bulletin board was covered with signif-
cant notices For instance:
AS there is likely to be a severe dropping fire
to-day, women and children are forbidden to
walk about the grounds.
Here is another:
Owing to the small supply of vegetables and
eggs the market will be open only from 8 to 10
O'CLOCK hereafter. All horse meat is inspected
by a physician
Mr.. Conger had the First Secretary's house.
Seventy American missionaries occupied the
chapel, and the French contingent had the
pavilion the lawn.
The bravery of the women noteworthy.
They became accustomed to fire that it was
difficult to restrain them from walking about
the grounds at all times.
When proposal made to petition the
Tsung-li-Yamen for vegetables. some said they
would rather starve than take help from that
quarter, The Yamen's food supply was a
farce-only sufficient for day. When meat
was asked for the reply that this could not
be furnished, because a state of existed in
Peking.
The Tsung -li-Yamen placarded proclamation
exhorting the people to kill all foreigners be-
cause the latter had made war China in at
tacking the forts at Taku
Inc legations were nercely attacked from
July u to July %. At the latter date nomi-
nal truce was agreed to and extended to August
s. although the Chinese repeatedly violated it.
There was considerable rife fire from August
to August II, and then the Chinese mounted
smooth bores. The manstay of the foreigners
was an old gun used by the British in 1850
which was found in a junk shop by Mitchell
the American gunner. This was mounted on
Russian carriage found by an Italian Am
munition was fitted to it, and it was named THE
International Gun"
NEVER DESPAIRED OF THE OUTCOME.
The foreigners remarked that relief had been
long delayed, but they insisted that they had
never despaired of the outcome. The Chinese
are said 70 admit that they lost three thousand
killed during the siege. The foreigners did not
waste their ammunition, shooting only when
target was in evidence. The Chinese method on
the other hand, was continuous heavy and in
discriminate fire. The enemy would advance to
the barricades at night, creeping up with their
arms filled with bricks, and in tn morning the
foreigners would find a a new wall a few feet
closer. Finally the barricades came so close
that talking could be distinctly heard.
During the last two nights the Chinese officers
urged their men to charge the foreigners and ex
terminate them before the international forces
could arrive The Chinese soldiery replied that
before the relief they fired several thousand
rounds, the foreigners replying with two shots
only. The Chinese artillery and soldiers in
Peking were apparently much inferior to those
encountered in the fighting at Tien-Tsin.
The relief of Peking a notable achieve
ment, chiefly for the forced march of four al
most independent armies over a single difficult
road and in sickening weather.
The opposition offered by the Chinese dwindled
steadily each day, until the relieving columns
were in front Of Peking. The defence of the
city, considering the possibilities of the case, was
exceedingly weak. The japanese are still ham
mering away at the wall of the northeast sec
tion, which has not yet been entered. Probably
the Chinese concentrated their forces there thus
giving the Americans and English a compara-
lively easy path. The Americans advanced
along the left of the canal. under fine cover, the
14th Infantry leading, with the 9th Infantry and
the marines following. From a hill Captain
Reilly shelled a pagoda over the Che-Hua Gate
until the infantry got close in. The 18th Regi-
ment was extended under cover before the wall,
about three hundred yards away, when Com
pany scaled the corner near the gate, under
the fire of sharpshooters. Lieutenant Gohn
planted the regimental flag. The regiment then
crowded with the Russians through the gate un-
opposed; but every side of the streets leading to
the Tartar Wall, along which the soldiers
passed was swept by rife fire from the wall.
The companies dashed across the street in
single file. The British. entering Sha-Ho Gate,
about the middle of the east wall were nearer
the legations and able to enter first
A TERRIBLE STRAIN OF MARCHING
The last five days marching was the worst
1t terrible strain The thermometer kept
near 100, and sometimes above that figure.
The country was deep with sand, and the route
Law orror1S che o5aIae
The Japanese possessed the greater endurance.
and, being provided with the best transport.
they made the pace. The Russians held second
place most of the time The Americans and
English were pushed to the utmost to keep up.
General F'ukushima said the Japanese might
have reached Peking two days before. He prob
ably spoke the truth They seemed never to
rest. Their cavalry and scouting parties were
threshing the country ahead and on their hanks
and their outposts kept in constant contact with
the enemy pressing the latter so closely that
they threw away their pots sleeping mats and
clothing.
Several hundred Americans dropped out from
the heat each day, and came struggling into
camp this evening. Even the native Indian
troops suffered almost much. The army
could be tracked by dead horses
The soldiers drank continually from the mud
dy river, and wells by the wayside. with the re-
suit that an epidemic of dysentery set in. The
Americans marched during the hottest hours of
the day, causing great satisfaction among
officers and men, who had wished to move in
the cool Of the morning and evening like the
Japanese and Russians. But with four armies
following a single road, the enterprising
got the right of way. and the others had to fol-
low when they could.
CApTATN IVES EXPECTS To On To CHINA