Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-08-11
AS PEKIN LEGATIONS WERE.
Description by Foreign Resident
Before Their Bonn rdmcns.

The foreign legations in Pekin, with
one exception. are near together, though
none of them quite join. Most of them
are situated in the Chang min hsiang
(the Lane of Subject Peoplesl, which
runs parallel with the south wall Of the
Northern, or Tartar city, with which
connects the southeastern and southern
gates. The British legation stands 100
or 2OO yards north of this street, on the
side Of a canal which crosses the street
at right angles. The Austrian legation,
which was only built in 1898, is situated
nearly opposite the Imperial Maritime
Customs. the official residence of Sir
Robert Hart, and some 300 or 400
yards north of the Chang min-hsiang, or
Legation street The Belgian legation is
in Hata Gate street, quite half a mile
from any of the other legations, and is
Protestant and Romish missions are
widely separated, and are scattered ali
over the city. No combination for defen-
sive purposes is possible among these
scattered bodies. Most of them are sur
rounded by Chinese residences and are
quite indefensible. Most of the lega-
tons were formerly the private resi-
dences of Chinese officials or mobiles. In
ternally, they have been good deal
changed in order TO adapt them to the re-
quirements of European life, but exter-
nally most of them still retain their Chi
nese appearance and style. Each is sur
rounded by high and substantial wall
and is entered by big covered doorway
the heavy doors generally are kept shut
even in the daytime. The space Enclosed
by these walls is, in the case of some OF
-esfr frgTffUTs, very the Eng
lish, French and Russian are the largest
But these Enclosures are simply resi-
dences with a court or garden, and are
not intended or adapted for defensive
military purposes, not being fortified in
any way. The walls would no doubt af-
ford good protection against rifle fire and
ward off the attacks of an ordinary mob.
bat they would be all but useless against
artillery. AT least three of the lega-
tions-the American, Dutch and Ger
mantle close under the city wall, and
are so completely commanded by it, that
few men armed with modern rifles
would soon make them untenable. And
all the legations except the Belgian arc
so near to the city wall that Il few guns
placed upon tit is fOrty-seven feet
wide-would rake them from eud to end.
The foreign residents in Pekin consist
of the members of the several legations,
the Chinese custom service. the various
missionary societies, the Imperial uni
versity, the English and Russian banks,
and few French and German store
keepers, making about $50 IN all. of
whom ut least one-third are women and
children. TO these must be added the
415 marines who went up to Pckin III
May to protect the legations. Most OF
the male residents, with the exception OF
the missionaries, have a rife and a pts,
toll or two and probably know how tC
use them. But their stock of ammunition
is not likely to be large. !; is to be
hoped that the MARINES took an ample
supply with them. A good supply OF
food also is Il vital necessity, and it is
greatly to be feared that none of the le
cations possessed a large stock. Ordin
arily each has a small quantity of for
eign stores, and depends for ali else OF
the native market. Probably one would
| anticipate in time such a long siege, and
| if they did, il would be difficult to pro
cure from Chinese sources anything fol
storage except rice and -four. There are
| however, three wellstocked foreign
stores tone French and two Germanl il
Legation street, and we may hope thai
the contents of these were transferred
to the legations before the investment
i Pail Mall Gazette.