Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-08-22
PEKIN CAPTURED.
Instead of Months the Work Was Accom-
plished In Weeks.

In6t6A0
plished in Weeks.
The allied forces entered Pekin on
last Wednesday. 1t was expected that
there would be long hard fight of it
between Tien Tsin and the Chinese
capital, and the news of the quick
capture came as an agreeable surprise.
General Yamaguchi, of the Japanese
forces, told the story to his government
on Thursday as follows:
"The allies attacked Pekin early
yesterday, opening with artillery on
the eastern side. The wall was Oh.
stinately held by the enemy. The
japanese and Russians were on the
northward of the Tung Chow canal.
The Americans and British were
on the south side. At ,nightfall the
japanese blew up the two eastern
gates of the Tartar city and entered.
In the meantime the American and
British entered the Chinese city by
the Tung Pien gates. Detachments
of each force were sent towards the
legations. The parties met near the
legations and opened communication.
All the ministers and their stalls were
found safe. The Japanese loss was
over 100 killed, including three otfi
GERS. The losses of the allies have
not been ascertained. Four hundred
Chinese were killed"
Subsequent dispatches tell of the
flight of the Empress Dowager and the
Emperor from Pekin before the allies
entered.
Washington dispatches describe the
administration as being very much re-
lieved by the course events have taken.
While this government has assented to
the arrangement whereby Count Wal
dersee was to have been commander
in. chief of the allied forces, it is not
understood that the United States is
committed to take part in hostililies
beyond Pekin. AS this government
sees it, China is responsible to US for
the expense we have been at, the lives
lost by our troops, the discomfort to
which Minister Conger and people
have been subjected, and also fol
damage TO property of missionaries
"A good round bill will be put in on
account of all these items, and China
will be required to pay this bill. That
is the way the matter looks at this
time.
it is not unlikely that the fall o
Pekin is really the beginning of the
troubles in China. 1t is the avowed
purpose of all the powers to be salts
fed with restoration of order
throughout the empire; but it is quite
possible that having gotten their ar
mics into the coveted field, it will be
quite while before they take them
out. This applies to the United States
as we'll as the other nations.
Subsequent dispatches add some
confusion to the situation as described
above. A British dispatch says that
General Yung Lu prevented the em'
press from leaving Pekin, and that
10000 Chinese are now making last
stand in the inner city, which is sur
rounded by the allies and being BON
barded.
Pekin really consists of two main
cities, the northern, or Tartar city, and
the southern or Chinese city. The
legations are in the extreme south
eastern part of the Tartar city and
adjoining the walls of the Imperial
city.
Inside that is what is called the for
bidden, or Sacred, or Purple city
Each in turn has its own walls, those
of the latter measuring two miles in
circumference, and being faced with
yellow tiles. Within the inclosure are
the palaces of the emperor and the
Imperial family, with gardens and {
lake, and the island where the elnpe
ror was imprisoned, and also the mag
nificent temple of the imperial ances'
tors. the offices of the cabinet, etc. Tc
the north of the Forbidden City is !
height known as Prospect Hill, sur
mounted by five temples and also en-
closed. Within the Imperial City arr
also the Bell Tower, with its famous
bell weighing over fifty tons, the
Drum Tower, with quaint instruments
tor the measurement of time, the Lam
asery. enclosed with gardens, contain
ing a huge gilt statue of Buddha ant