The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-17
UNCLE SAM IN PEKlN
BY FRANK a. CARPENTER.

y,
most important position The soldiers OF
the several Legations have their own
places. which they are to take charge OF
in case of siege. There Is a secret scneme
of defense. and this is discussed from
week to week by the commanders, VINO
meet and give their views as TO what
should be done should trouble arise IN
the event of a rebellion the senior COM
mander would be chosen as chief, ana one
of our officers would report to him as AID
As it is now, the United States marines
have the most strategic position, and
practically hold the key to the defense
1t Is their duty to guard the great wall
at the west end of the legation city. They
have the section running from the mid
die of the south wall to the Chen Men
gate, while the Germans guard the re-
naming section of that wall running to
the Hata-men gate. Each has its own
guardhouse, and our marines march up
and down this wall day and night. AS
darkness approaches, they close the iron
gates which shut off the wall back of
the legation from It's extension around the
city. A sergeant and three men are al
ways on guard two of these remain in
the guardhouse, and relieve each other
from watch to watch
Our marines are not allowed to talk
while on duty, but standing here beside
them, we can easily see how they COM
mand the whole city. They have artil-
lery on the wall, and great storehouse
OF powder and other ammunition inside
it, Tables have been made which give the
range of every important point In the le-
cation quarter and of the Chinese and
Tartar cities from the gate of Chen Men;
and with these tables our marines have
the whole city at their mercy. They
can shell any building Of the palace and
all of the great government departments.
They could easily send balls into the Tenn
pie of Heaven, and with red hot shot
they could, in very short time, reduce
the whole city to ashes.
At present, the force of Uncle Sam Is
less than that of some other nations.
We have only $50 marines, while the Brit
ish, Japanese, Germans and French have
many more. The total foreign force in
north China is over 6O0O but large part
of 1t is stationed at Tienstin and else
where. The north China foreign troops
are 213 Austrians, 150 Americans, 20 Bel
gians, and over 500 British, In addition
to 1900 Indian Silxhs. The French have
almost 1900. and the Japanese as many
There are 100 Germans, 22O Italians, 113
Russians and 20 Dutch.
VIII the Guards Be Removed.
Within the past few months the Rus
slams have withdrawn some of their
guards from Pekin, and the Japanese
have decreased their force by one-half
Some of the diplomats think that this is
only play to the Chinese galleries. They
want to make the natives believe that
they are anxious to remove their guard
from Pekin, a contamination which the
Chinese devoutly wish. The Withdrawals
mean nothing, however, as both Russians
and Japanese have large forces In their
respective sphere in Manchuria, and
could put thousands of troops into PelSin
by means of the railroad on couple
days notice.
Indeed, the general opinion here Is that
the guards will eventually be removed,
but that the time is not yet ripe. Many
of the ministers say they will send their
wives and daughters away from Pekin
as soon as the guards are ordered to
leave. Just now China Is like millpond.
and the whole world Is epplauding the
ease with which the baby Emperor was
put on the throne. Nevertheless, the
country was on the edge of rebellion at
the time the Empress Dowager died. and
had a mutiny which then occurred among
the soldiers on the Yangtse not been
promptly put down by a very wise gov
ernor there might have been civil war.
which would have wiped out all the for
eigners in the interior. At that time our
missionaries on the Yangtse Kiang called
for gunboats, but Uncle Sam had mono
in sight and we had to ask the British to
protect them Since then gunboats have
been sent to the Yangtse from the Philip
pines, and they will now be kept there.
/ understand that our legation at Pekin
does not consider the Pekin guards n
necessity, but Uncle Sam will do wisely
to make surety sure by maintaining our
marines in China for some years TO come.
Life In the Barracks.
Before write of the civil branch of
Uncle Sans Chinese home l would like
to tell you how our soldiers live in Pc
kim They have their quarters in the
low, one-story buildings which form the
walls of the western end of the legation
compond, the officers being quartered in
two-story structures in the northeastern
corner The barracks have separate
buildings for messrooms, storerooms,
kitchens and gymnasium. They have
reading rooms, and, on the whole the
boys have a fairly good time They have
two drills every day and two hikes
of ten miles or so every week to keep
them In training. They have daily pa
rades except Saturdays and Sundays, and
there Is a school for the non-commis-
stoned officers. The men take part In
field sports with the other. legation guards
and each May they have a yearly meet
in the British legation compound, at
which the soldiers of all the legations
take part. In the last event or this KIND
our men captured first place and were
given the championship banner, which
was sent to the head of the Marine Corps
at washington. The sports were run
ming, Jumping, putting the shot and the
+,g-o,uar The troops also play base