New-York tribune., 1903-03-21
DANGER IN PEKING.
The american Legation There
Practically Defenceless.
r,v~zLzcEArH I'd EHE TRIsUEs.l

x,,..~.,sto, Mareh e-The Importance OF in
creasing the military strength OF 'hs An1, ne4
sstIen at Peking is emphasized In Sone"na, 80 so"
estional report just received frem Tue I..r
re,reaentatiyes there They repeat recommenoaeso1~
AJth.-+n made for the better protection OF the
United States legation at the Chinese CAPITA ~ns
renort in the strongest terms the ansoiute ION u
defence against local uprising such as tne noAel
1o,,onstrs+ion While nothing Is contained In
these reports indicating g. recurrence OF SuEA e
t,,rhsrce II is evident that the foreign lesa'iois
IN PekinR exclusive Of the American coInpo'
ere nreparfng themselves for the WORST dlu az
6osn9 zrorK of a NEST waYlike character resaIo's0s
oe any dispIeasure such operations may occasloA
A. ruh,,aua Government. The American officers in
PekInr insist that something should De oohe At
once that they may not be absolutely unpre eP0i0N
for, an attack. The United States leEauon - en-
tIrely without protection. the only armament 0
from the small arms of the guard. being Two olo
carnons which are useless except as ornamenta'
relics The wall Of the legation weuio not WIN"
stand the assault OF a mob armed with "oooeh
cudFeis and the location Of the compound dions-
side tha Chinese wall affords an excellent opPor-
tun,ty for an aGsauItIHg party. and the military
officers maintain that the location Of the ies&ton
t the end Of the legation street requires FpActai
defencs in order that 1t and other compounds may
be adequately protected
Despite these recommendations permission 10
enter into an arrangement suggested by the heads
Of other legations In Peking has thus Ear proved
unebtAinable. 4 plan Of defence was drawn up
and met the approval OF army oh1Sefs ISII'@E wan
the situation In Psking and other legations have
zone on with the work. with the result that suen
structures and armament as have been established
do not contemplate the protection of the occupants
snd property Of the American legation ATnefteans
would be compelled, say ehe army officers to sssk
shelter With the foreigners in the event OF an up
rising. -
The Germans In Ppxing are strenSiy fortified With
ne less than .tHnlve Maxim and other hele guns.
They have built tower on the Chinese wall ITSELF
which they propose to occupy IN time Of trouble.
and have also constructed a steel fence to resist
the invasion OF rioters. Other legations have, In
slightly less degree, established defences.
It is recommended by the military authorities
that field guns be placed so as 20 command the
approach of an assaultag party; that We reinforce
the wall which incloses the legation property, and
buiId on the Chinese wall a blockhouse, which,
when occupied by troops, viii keep the wall itself
clear OF an enemy, and to which access can be
gained by means OF an undergEound passage TO
Sested that barFcades be erected with gates which
may be closed, shutting OF the Legation street
econoircaf and absolutely necessary under the ex-
listing menAeing conditions ,., T., n
king dePiore the de9enceless condition OF the ieSa
tton there and point out that TOR Whateter opiu o
matte advantage we gain by h TINS ndin9 te sgeton
at the mercy OF an irresponsible and unSontroaso5e
mob. It L known In washington that me ohia
Government which has repeatedly made known its
dispIeaaure at such evidences Of suspicion and 1t
Peking receive courtesies and fayors withheld
from less outwardly friendly nations Neverthe-
ADVANTAGE does not begin to offset the danger
entailed by negiecting to provide the proteceon
be absolutely necessary. These recent reports Will
according to War Department officials. doubtless
thev saw there has always been disinclination
to make any strategic demonstration