Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-12-07

COUNTY, OREGON, ]
and maintaining spheres Of influence IN
| China the circular proposals of 1899, in
| viting from them declarations of their
intentions and views as to rability
| of the adoption of measures insuring the
benefits of equality of treatment of all
| foreigners throughout China.
| With gratifying unanimity. the re-
! sponses coincided in this common policy,
/ enabling me to see in the successful ter
mination of these negotiations proof of
| the friendly spirit which animates the
| various powers interested in the untram-
meled development of commerce and in
| dustry in the Chinese Empire as source
of vast benefit to the whole commercial
| world.
Powers Acted in Concert.
| In this conclusion, which 1 had the
| qualification to announce as a completed
| engagement to the interested powers
March 20, 1900 1 hopefully discern a po-
I tential factor for the abatement of the
distrust of foreign purposes. which for
| u year past had appeared to inspire the
policy of the imperial government, and
| for the effective exertion by it of power
| and authority to quell the critical and
| foreign movement in the northern prov
inceS most Immediately Influenced by the
| Manchu sentiment.
| Seeking to testify confidence in the will
ingness and ability of the imperial ad-
/ ministratton to redress the wrongs and
prevent the evils we suffered and feared
| the marine guard, which had been sent
| to Pekin in the Autumn of 1899 for the
protection of the Legation, was with
drawn at the earliest practicable moment,
| and all pending questions were remitted,
! as far as we were concerned to the Or
dinary resorts of diplomatic intercourse.
| The Chinese Government proved, how
! ahla IN rising or
| of the Boxers and appeared to be a prey
to internal dissensions. In the unequal
contest. the anti-foreign Influences soon
gained the ascendancy, under the leader
| ship of Prince Tuan. Organized armies of
Boxers. with which the imperial forces
affiliated, held the country between Pekin
and the coast, penetrated into Manchuria
up to the Russian border and through
their emissaries threatened like rise
| throughout Northern China. Attacks upon
| foreigners, destruction of property and
slaughter OF native converts were re-
| ported from all sides. The Tsung Ii
Yamun, already permeated with hostile
| sympathies, could make no effective re-
sponse to the appeals of the Legations.
At this critical juncture, in the early
Spring Of the year, proposal was made
by the other powers that a combined
! fleet be assembled in Chinese waters as a
moral demonstrations. under cover of
| which to exact of the Chinese Govern
| ment respect for foreign treaty rights and
the suppression of the Boxers. The
United States, while not participating in
| the joint demonstration, promptly sent
from the Philippines all ships that could
| be spared for service on the Chinese
| coast. small force of marines was
landed at Taku and sent to Pekin for the
protection of the American Legation.
| Other powers took similar action until
| some 400 men were assembled in the capi-
/ tai as legation guards.
Still the peril increased. The Legations
reported the development of the seditous
| movement in Pekin and the need of in
| creased provision for defense against it
Taking of Taku Forts.
While preparations were in progress for
q larger expedition to strengthen the
legation guards and keep the railway
open. an attempt of the foreign ships to
make a landing at Taku was met by
| fire from the Chinese forts. The forts
were thereupon sh lied by the foreign YES
| sells, the American Admiral 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 to oppose the relieving col
| umn. Two days later, the Taku forts
were captured after a sanguinary con-
| f1ict Severance of communication with
P1kin followed, and combined force of
additional guards. which was advancing
| to Pekin by the Pei Ho, was checked at
/ Lang Fang. The isolation of the Lega-
tions was complete.
By June 8, the Legations were cut off,
An identical note from the Yamun Or
dered each Minister to leave SPekin, undsr
a promised escort, within "a hours. To
gain time they replied asking prolonga-
| ton Of the time which was afterward
granted and requesting an interview with
/ the Tsung Ii Yamun on the following
| day. No reply being received, on the
morning of the 10th the German Minister,
~ nff OIL cnfo Co. h. Vo-
mum to obtain a response, and on the
way was murdered. An attempt by the
j legation guard to recover his body was
foiled by the Chinese.
Pekin Legations Attacked.
Armed forces turned out against the
Legations. Their quarters were surround
| ed and attacked. The mission compounds
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 it's narrow COM
pass. Two thousand native converts wsre
assembled in a nearby place under pro-
1 lection of the foreigners. Lines of defense
were strengthened, trenches dug, barri-
! cades raised and preparations made to
stand siege, which at once began.
| With the negotiation of the partial
armistice of July IA, proceeding which
Was dc ubtless promoted by the represen-
| tations of the Chinese envoy in Wash
ing.on, the way was opened for the con-
veyance to Mr.. Conger of a test message
sent by the Secretary of State through
the kind offices of Minister WI Ting
i Fang. Mr.. Conger's reply, dispatched from
Pekfn on July Is through the same chan
1 mel, afforded to the outside world the
first tidings that the inmates Of the le-
cations were alive and hoping for succor.
This news stimulated the preparations for
a joint relief expedition, in numbers suffi-
cient to overcome the resistance which
for month had been organizing between
Taku and the capital. Reinforcements
sent by all the cooperating governments
were constantly arriving. The United
States contingent, hastily assembled from
the Philippines or dispatched from this
country, amounted to some 5000 men, un-
der the able command of the lamented
Colonel Ldscum and afterwards of Cen
/ eral Chaffee.
Rescue of Legationers
Toward the end of July the movement
began. severe conflict followed at Tfen
! Tsin, in which Colonel Liscum was killed.
The city was stormed and partly de-
! stroyed. Its capture afforded the base
/ of operations from which to make the
! final advance, which began in the first
days of Angus. the expedition being
made up of J.A nese Russian, British
and American troops at the outset. An
] Yong Tsun. Thereafter, the disheartened
! Chinese troops offered little show of re-
sistance A few days later the impor-
tant position of To 81 Wo was taken.
| rapid march brought the united forces to
| the popu1ous City of Tung Chow, which
capitulated without a contest
/ On August IA, the capital was reached