Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-19
THE ROAD TO PEkIN.
ne"S makes the Work of Relief
Force More Difficult,

Every days delay in the march to Pekin
makes the work of a relief force more diff
ncult. The rainy season in north China usu-
ally begins between the 9th and 18th of
july Inc rains are torrential ten or twelve
lnches falling in a single day. The country
between Tfen Tsin and Pekin is more or
less under water, and the roads are utterly
useless These roads are simply cart tracks
and have never been touched by a tool ex-
cept where the road may happen TO RIM
along the river embankment. The railroad,
on account of the broken condition of the
bridges, has already proved imnracticabla
even in dry weather. The river route is Of
course, always open, provided Tien Tsin
ana 'he forts in its vicinity are In our
i.ancs. From there to Tung-Chow, the river
Tort OF Pekin, there no fOrtifications
OF any sort, or Were not a short time ago
lung-chow itself. though large walled
CITY, Is not fortified but a small military
force has been stationed there since the
war with Japan. Tung- Flu Hsiang's camp
OF hansu soldiers is about ten miles away
Inc river Is very winding sometimes al
most doubling upon itself and during the
rainy season 1t always overiows its banks
often forming big lakes. The current also
Is very strong, and the fastest boats AXE
a week or more to cover the distance from
lien Tsln to Tung-Chow, though it is only
siXty-five miles as the crow flies Douhtless
foreign force would be able to engage
the services of the Taku Tug and Lighter
-ohpdiis ; large Heet OF tugs and launches.
These should be able to get to Tung- Chow
IN two days, or even less. From Tung-
ChoW to Pekin there is a stone road 1t is
paved with large granite blocks, worn all
over INTO deep cart ruts, and in some places
very broken and diiapidated. Still IT is
never Hooded, and therefore affords means
OF communication between the river and
Pekin in all weathers
Inc relieving force would be able to
requ1sition plenty of rice. flour and yeee-
tables, both in Tung-Chow and Pekfn, but
would md very little else in the food line
except perhaps few fowls and pigs. The
weather at this time of year would be very
trying TO European troops. The heat during
july and August ranges from 50 degrees
10 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade and
from $40 degrees to 100 degrees in the
direct rays of the sun. The roads and
streets in the day time are like an oven,
The force should be provided with powerful
guns, as the walls of Pekin are forty-seyen
tstt Proaa at the top and proportionately
thicker at the bottom They are made of
earth. faced the inside and ont win
very large, thick bricks and strengthened
every 100 or 20o yards with broad bastfans
similarly constructed. They would probab-
ly take good deal of hammering before
they fell. Over the gates and four corners
OF the city are huge towers nearly loo feet
nigh and loCpholed like the sides of an old
three-decker. But these towers would be
lar more dangerous to their defenders than
TO their assailants. The walls have crenel-
lated parapets on the top on both sides
and could be easily defended against a
much superior force attacking with rifles
mainly. Nor would scaling ladders he of
sluch Naiue' as the walls are fully forty
hVe feet high. Unless reduced bv shot and
shell. small force could hold them against
heavy odds. But strong as they are mod
ern artillery would soon level them with
the ground. and their Manchu and Chinese
asIenoers would not await a bayonet