The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-04
Chinese Government Inefficient.

| Tho Chinese government proved, however. IN.
| able to check the rising strength of the Boxers
| and appeared to he prey to internal disscn.
sions. In the unequal contest the ani.iorcign in.
| ilucnces soon gained the asccndancy under thu
| leadership Of Prince T,an. Organized armies of
boxers. with which the imperial forces affiliated,
| neiu the country between Pckin and the coast,
penetrated into Mnnchuria up to the Russian
borders and through their cnssarics threatened
a IKE rising throughout northern China.
Attacks upon foreigners. destruction of their
property, and slaughter Of native converts were
| reported from all sides. The tsunli.yamcn, al.
ready permeated with hostile sympathcs could
make no effective response to the appeals Of the
icgatiohs. At this critical juncure in the carly
spring of this year. proposal was made by the
other powers that combined fleet should he as.
seinbled In Chinese waters ns u moral dcnonstra.
tioh, under cover Of which to exact of the chi.
hcsc government respect for foreign treaty rights
ana the suppression of the Boxers.
The United States. while not participating in
lnc Joint demonstration. promptly sent from the
philippines all ships that could he spared for
service on the Chinese coast. \ small force Of
marines were landed at Talu and sent to Pckn
Tor the protection of the American legation.
other powers took similar action. until some
four hundred men were assembled in the capital
as legation guards.
Still the peril increased. The legations re-
ported the development of the scditious move
iileht IN Pckin and the need of increased provi-
sion Tor defense against it, While preparations
were IN progress for Il larger expedition, to
strengthen the legation guards and keep the rail.
wa! open, an attempt OF the foreign ships to
make landing ut Takua was met by a fire from
the Chinese forts. The forts were thcrcupon
slelled by the foreign vessels. the American adj
'nral taking no part in the attack. on the ground
That we were not at war with China and that a
hostile demonstration might consolidate the anti.
foreign elements and strengthen the Boxers 20
oppose the relieving column
Two days later the Taku forts were captured
after sanguinary conflict. Severance of com.
m'lnicatior with Pckn followed, and COM
bned force of additional guard, which was
advancing to Pckin by the Pci.IIo was checked
at Langfang. The isolation of the legations was
complete.
Siege of Legations.
The siege and the relief Of the legations has
passed into undying history. IN all the stir
ring chapter which records the hcroism of the
devoted band, clinging to hope in the face of
despair. and the undauntcd spirit that led their
relievers through battle and suffering to the
goal. it is a memory of which my countrymcr
may be Justly proud tha: the honor of our flag
was maintained alike in the siege and the rescue.
and that stout American hearts have again set
higl in fcrvent emulation with true men of 9th.
or race and language, the indomitlble courage
that ever strives for the of right and
justice.
BY June 10 the legations were cut off. An
w;n;,,,r l., I.. n',', Wv "'" o'''," '''"
,,;,h;, t,r,n, t , ~ - I'''.' e',,'.
ro,,I;nI ,s,.;,,.. o' .o.. 10 S'" 'i'"e ,n'y
,i' '''S P''''''S"''"h VI NV 'Iht' Nhi'i
view with ,he ,snnnIi. " ,'''iS pm a sn,m ,n '"tsn.
day. No reply being received, ON the morning
OF the 10th the German minister, Baron Won
ketteler. set out for the yamen 10 obtain n re.
sponsc, and on the way was murdered
An attempt by the legation guard to recover his
body was foled by the Chinese. Armed force.
turned out against the legations Their quarters
were surrounded and attacked The mission com.
pounds 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 compass Two thousand
native converts were assembled in a nearby pal
acc under protection of the foreigners Lines of
defense were strengthened, trenches dug barri.
cades raised, and preparations made to stand a
siege. which at once began.
From June 20 until July j.. writes Minister
Conger, there was scarcely an hour during
which there not firing upon some part OF
our lines and into OF the legations, varying
from single shot to general and continuous;
attack along the whole line" Artillery was
placed around the legations and ON the over.
looking palace walls. and thousands OF 3.inch
shot and shell were fired, destroying some build.
ings and damaging ALL So quickly did the
bc.icprd i ron , Io "i'e h~ 'r ammunition OF inc
were gathered in an hour in one coupouud onJ
rc-cast.
Incendiarv Attempts.
,,,o,on,, ,,,,., ,,,.
y.,,i,,, .' ~ oun III, ''Ia''ohS ny
,va,a s,ns',', S 'o'' o'' n'r' o"' 'Ie names
,,;,, na,,,;a =, ga, '',"""S' '"' NUS
,ia, AL , ",'' N'''' i~uS'''o''s ~ were
n ,ho na,i'" aar'',, ,'a., "u'"e' WIN 'I' ~"
"''e'''" ~ 'n' hssioh-
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u,s I, i' W. ''"ar' @ HS''ion
mn" "'"" S :, .r''""' 'or',esS' me BRUSH
,.a' .' '' ""'' ',''' ''"'''' was CHOSEN gen
VI Wv ",''"So' WIN t"e Sec
- sM 'S'''o"' N'' E u
IT, =" ,.s '''' W H''"'
w "'I' '""'''''''' '''e oeHieSou spar
W. ,''','s. '"e 'n''SS"' hr' OF tn" Chinese
'''''' nHn''"S o''l 10 'ePei' attack or make
,'', ""'''c ''' S'''''3" "n-
'i.h .n, n',;a, '' a.; :" NY ,. Air'tah, nfl''
y. -, "'o "u'o'', ''',,',' "" ny '"p'ah Myers,
Il, ~ ,r, , ," '"'' r''' u'PS' "n'cn resoite"
u w. ~. "i."'' ~ '''"''o'''o p''i''"'e on 'he
', "'' '"'I' S,N''. "''"'''' ''e american position
, y, "' w.. W Wv '"''' an" P'"'uu ah ih'ai'a-
Wv ".''"N' '"'''Hi'h''ihs lhc water |
'''. M'''" '"' ''h'' column entered
nv, 80 ~. '"1e Wv "e"h'r'' 'os, s'N'y-Ne
,', w., 'J' hu M"o'''" '"" seventy ny ui'eaSr-lhe
"'' an ''''"'
Communications Opened.
I'm Jul, nh III, ,,sio,o, h, .,i ., :.
uunicotion win tho Tsm,m'i; ''','' "'' .o"s
yhow :, m..s,u,, CANA in,,;,i,' "'''
which was J.cI,r,J ,,ro,,,,I ,' '~''
.psucd and sor, of orni.tcn ,,.,. I".'''' .'
which sionn,d tho honhnr,,n,o't ''sn 49, "p'n,