The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-04

I engagement 20 the Interested Powers on
March g. 1870. I hopefully dseerncd a
potential factor for the abatement Of the
distrust 90 the foreign purposes which
! for wear past had appeared 60 inspire
I the policy on the imperial government uud
/ FOR tho effective oNertlon hy % OF power
/ and authority 10 Queli the critical anti
/ foreign movement IN the northern prov
/ inccs most Immediately Influenced by the
| Alauchu sentiment.
Seeking to testify confidence in the will
/ inencss and ability OF the imperial admin
/ istration 10 redress The wrongs aud pre-.
vent the evils We suffered nud feared. the
! marine guard. which bad been sent % Pc
/ kin in the autumn OF 1899 Tor the pro-
/ lection % the legotion. was Withdrawn &C
] ihc earliest practicable moment and all
! pending questions were rcmlttcd. Us nr
as We were concerned. 90 che ordinary
l O. sorts Of diplomatic intercourse.
Government Unable Co Cheek BoxerS
| The Chinese government proved. how
/ ever unable To check the rising strcueth
% the Boxers and appeared TO be prov
I 20 Internal disscnsious. in the uurqut.
contest the anu-forcign influences soon
Z gained the ascendency under the leader
I nip 81 Prince Tuau Organized armla4
4 of Boxers, WIN whom tine imperial forces
Z affiliated, held the country between Pekiu
aud the coast. penetrated into MAnchurlA
/ up TO the Russian border and through
/ their cmissnries threatened 4 like rising
/ throughout Northern China.
/ Attacks upon foreigners. destruction of
/ their property oud slaughter OF native
/ converts were reported from ala sides.
! Tine Tsung-h-YlmCn already pcrmeatel
/ with hostile sympatlics. could make no
| effective response 90 the appeals oi tlc
| legations. AZ this critical iuncture. boz the
/ early spring OF this year. proposal was
made by the other Powers that com
/ aiued fleet should Doe assembled In Chi
uese waters us moral demonstration.
| under cover OF which 20 exact of the Chi-
| uese government respect for foreign treaty
/ rights and the suppression OF the Boxers
! The United States while not plrticipai-
/ ng in the JOINT demonstration promptly
sent from the Philippines al ships that
/ could De- spared for service ON the CHI
nesc coast. a small force OF marines Was
/ landed at Taku aud sent 20 Pekin for Tho
/ protection o. thc American legation o.a-
/ er Powers took similar action until some
! 90 men were assembled in the capita, as
| legation guards.
! Stll the peril increased. The legations
/ reported the development Of the se.iitious
/ movement in Pekin. and the need OF In
/ 80 cused provision for defense against it.
q larger expedition 90 strengthen the lee1-
/ ion guards and keep the railway open.
/ Hu attempt OF the foreign shlps
! 10 effect landing az Taku
vas met hy u fire from the Chinese
/ forts The forts were thercupon SHIELDED
/ hy the foreign vessels. the American adj
! miril taking no part To- the attack on
I Tire ground that We are not az war with
] china. and that q hostile demonstration
+ ments and strengthen the Boxers TO op-
/ pose the relieving column. Two days
+ later the Taku forts were captured after
/ "a sanguinary conflict Severance Of com
I munlcaiion with pekln followed and q
/ combined force Of additional guards which
| was advancing 100 Pekiu hy the Pei 10.
/ was checked az Lang Fang The iscll-
J tiou OF the legations was complete.
/ The siege and the relief 81 the legations
I has passed into undyng history. Ia al
/ the stirring chapter which records The
/ herolsm OF the devoted band clingius 60
hope in the face OF despair. and the un-
daunted spirit mat led their believers
| through battle ana suffering 10 the goal
/ ID Is a memory OF which my countrymcu
/ may be- Justly proud that the honor OF Our
1 flag was maintained alike lea the siege ami
/ the rescue, and that stout Americl ~
! hearts have agIln set high. in fcrvent em-
uiation with true men Of either race ana
/ language. the indomliable courage that
/ ever strives Cor the cause of right ana JUS
] ticc.
ministers Ordered 20 Leave PeSin.
Bv June 10 tho legations were cut on
An Identical note from the yamen ordered
/ each minister 10 leave Pekin under a
promised escort within twcnty-four hours.
To gain time they replied. asSirv pro
/ loreatlon OF the dime. which was after
| ward Granted. aud requesting an intefVie"
! with the Tsunr-li-Y amcn on the following
/ dav. No reply being received on the
morning Of the 20th. the German minis
ter. Baron Won kcitelcr, set out for the
| vamen to obtain "a response, and on the
/ way was murdered
An attempt by the legation guards 70
/ recover hts body was follcd hy Cninesa.
/ Armed forces turned out against the le-
! cations Their quarters were surrounded
and attacked Tho mission committee
! compounds were abandoned their inmates
/ taking refuge IN the British legation
. where an tho other legations and guards
/ Gathered for more effective defense. -Four
I hundred persons were crowded ~ is mar
rovr compass. Two thousand native com
I verts were assembled In a nearby palace
| under protection OF the foreigners. Limos
| 81 defense were strengthened. trenches
| auc barbados raised and preparations
| made 10 stand a siege which al once be-
| gan.
From June % until July L." writes Min
| izter Congor. "therc was scarcely an hour
/ during which there was not firing upon
some part OF our lines and into some oi
| Tho LEGATIONS. varying from single sho'
10 a general and continuous attack aione
tho whole line"
Artillery was placed around the lesa'
fions and on the overlooking palace walls
and thousands of 3-lnch shot and shell
were nred. destroying some buildings anf
damaging an. So thickly did the BALI
rain that when the ammur tion ot the be-
siceel ran low. i've quarts OF Chinese bull
let's we're gathered IN an hour IN one com
pound and rccast.
Attempts wacrc made 20 burn the leg1
tions by setting ucighhoring houses o.
me- hut tho flames were successfully cx
tinruished although tho Austrian. Bel
atan. italian and Dutch legations were
fhen and subsequently burned. WIN th'
ana Of Inc nntlve converts. directed by th'
rnisqionarioe. 20 whose helpful co-oper1
tion. Nj. Conger awards unstiuted praise
tho British legation was made a voriiahl'
fortress. Tie British minister. Sir Clause
| Macdonald was chosen general com
/ mandcr Of the defense. with tho secretary
81 tho United States legation, Mr.. f. g
squlers as chief Of stan.
/ 40 save i've ard ammu~ffio~ fh~
sIcrcd sparlugiy returned the fire of th'
Chinese soldicry. firing only 20 rcpcl a.
1 tack or make an occasional sue ~
/ .ortia for strategic advantage, such a