Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-02-28
AT PEkIN 40 YEARS AGO.
Situation is Very Different at Present
Time

4
and the expedition now has been much
noted of late, since the object in 1860
was to force China to receive foreign
ministers az Pekin, while the object
now is to take them away. The war
OF 1860 really began three years before
foreign ministers at Pekin.
France, under Louis Napoleon,
Joined Great Britain in the enterprise,
and the allied fleets of the two powers
bombarded and captured Canton in
January, 1858. On May 20 they cap
tured the Taku forts at the mouth of
the Pei-ho river, and month later the
allied powers powers dictated at Tien.
tsin treaty with China under which
ministers were to be received at the
courts of the contracting parties,
in the lorcha Arrow incident at Can
ton, when the Chinese viceroy ordered
the seizure of the Arrow, which was
carrying the British flag without legal
right. Although the viceroy was cor
rect the British made the forcible haul.
ing down of their flag in Chinese
waters a casus belli. The real purpose
Oh the British was much deeper, of
course, than revenge for the Arrow
incident. The opportunity was now
presented for forcing the Chinese i'm
perial government to open up and
maintain regular diplomatic communi.
cation with the western nations
through the permanent residence of
Christianity was to be tolerated in
emma, the expenses of the war were
to be borne by China, the Chinese
tariff was to be revised and Europeans
were no longer to have applied to
them the Chinese expression az"
meaning barbarian. But the Chinese
| repudiated this treaty the next wear
| 1853. When Mr.. Bruce, the British
envoy, tried to reach Pekin he was
stopped at Tien-tsin and when Admiral
Hope attempted to force a passage he
was repulsed with 81 killed and about
$50 wounded. This act of perfidy by
the Chinese government reopened the
war and in the summer of 1860 France
and Great Britain sent an army of
5000 men to bring the government
TO terms. The allies captured the re-
constructed Taku forts again from
the land side on August 81, 1860. and
after vain negotiations they advanced
toward Pekin. The Chinese opposed
the march, as they did the march of
the allies 40 years later but on Sep-
TENDER Is and 81, 1860, they were de-
| feated at Chang Kiawan and Palichiau
another act of treachery was COM
m III or q
the Chinese seized the British consul.
Harry Parkes, Capts. Brabazon and
Anderson, Mr.. De Norman and several
others who had tried to open up nego-
tlatlons. Capt Brabazon and Able
de Luc were beheaded, while the other
ENJOYS and their escorts were carried
into Pek1n as prisoners and put to tor
ture. The allied army then advanced,
took Pekin October IL, and succeeded
i'll rescuing the captured ENJOYS. The
emperor, meanwhile, had fed from
Pekln and, to pay off a few scores.
the British burned his summer palace.
Prince kung, who remained at the cap
ltal, made peace with the lilies. the
treaty of Tien-tsin was now ratified
and war indemnity was paid by the
defeated party. The allies then with
drew from China.
In the 40 years that followed the
Chinese did not become reconciled to
the foreigners that had been thrust
upon them. The uprising of the box
ers in the winter and spring of 1899
1900 is now familiar story Directed
against foreign influence generally.
which was plainly threatening their
civilization and most cherished insti-
buttons, the movement finally culmi-
mated in an attack upon those very
diplomatic agents at the capital which
France and England had forced upon
them 40 years before. History has
somewhat curiously repeated itself
in the campaign for the relief of the
western ENJOYS. There has been the
same bombardment and capture of the
Taku forts as in 1860 and the same
march from the seacoast to Pekin with
futile opposition by the Chinese Of
fered to the advance of the allies up
to the very gates CT Pekin. When
the capital was entered the imperial
family was found to have fed to the
interior. as it did 40 years ago. In
its deeper aspects, however, the pres
ent crisis is Incompatible, and beside
it the older chapter becomes trivial
historical Renaissance. The siege of
the legations for sc days in Pekin is
hardly paralleled in history: and
whereas, in 1860. the Chinese merely
antagonized the two powers which en-
gagged in the task of forcing regular
diplomatic communication upon them.
they have now placed themselves at
odds with the whole civilized world.
since no legation in Pekin escaped as
sault. And while the main purpose of
this expedition has been to take the
Ilegationers away there will always
continue to be legationers in Pekin.
In 1860 China lost in territory nothing
quick end easy terms with the
foreign powers after Pekin had been
reached. The allies marched away and
left the country and native govern.
ment firmly intact, with the great
mass of Chinese neonla upauaro H..