Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-10-16


world city Uncle sam has, perhaps. the
most Important position Tho soldiers
OF the several legations have their own
places, which they are to take charge
OF In case Of siege There is a secret
scheme of defense. ana this is discussed
from week TO week by the commanders
who meet and give their Views as to
what should be done should trouble
arise Ina the event Of e. rebellion the
senior commander would b. chosen as
chief and one OF our officers would
report TO him as aid.
As &c is now. tho United states ma
rincs have the most strategic position,
and practically hold the key tO the de-
Tense. n is their duty 20 guard the
great wall at the west end of the Legal
ton. city. They have the section rum
ming from the middle OF the south wall
20 the CHEN Men gate. while the Ger
mans guard the remaining section Of
that wall running 90 the Hat-a-meu
gate. Each has It's own guardhouse.
and our marines march up and down
this wall day and night As darkness
approaches. they close the iron gates
which shut on the wall back Of the
legation frOm its extension around the
city. 4 sergeant and three men are
always on guard; two OF these remain
I'm tho guardhouse. and relieve each
olner from watch To WdIon.
Our marines are not allowed 70 talk
While on duty, but standing here beside
them, we can easily see how they COM
maud the whole city. They have artil-
lery on the wall. and a great store
house OF powder and other ammunition
inside IT, Tables have been made
which give the range Of every impOr-
tant point In the legation quarter ana Of
tho Chinese and Tartar cities from the
q
tables, our marines have the whole
city at their mercy. They can shell
any building OF the palace and an Of
tho great government departments
They could easily send balls into the
Temple OF Heaven. and with red hot
shot they could IN a very SNORT time,
reduce the whole city 10 ashes.
At present. the force OF Uncle Sam
IS less than that Of some other nations.
We have only $50 marines while the
British japanese, Germans and
French have many more. The total
foreign force IN north China Is over
6,0O0. but a large part ~ II IS stationed
at Tlentsin and elsewhere. The north
China foreign troops are 2l3 Austrians,
$50 Americans, 20 Bclgians, and over
800 British. On addition 10 100 indian
Sikhs The French have almost 1900.
and the Japanese as many There are
$50 Germans, 200 Italians, 1l3 Russians
and % Dutch.
WILL THE GUARDS BE REMOVED?
within tho past few months the Rus
SLAMS have Withdrawn some OF their
guards from Pckin, and the japanese
have decreased their force by onc-half.
some of the diplomats think that THIS is
only play 20 the Chinese galleries
They want To- make the natives believe
that they are anxious % remove their
guard from Pekln. contamination
which tho Chinese deVouUy Wish. Tho
Withdrawals mean nothing. however, as
both Russians and Japanesg have large
forces iu thor respective spheres In
Manchuria. and could put thousands Of
troops into Pekiu by means of the rail-
road on couple days notice.
Indeed the general opinion here is
that the guards viii eventually be- re
moved. but that tho time is not Set
ripe MANY OF the ministers say they
VIII send their wives and daughters
away from pckin as soon as the guards
are ordered 20 leave. Ju@t now China
g. like "a WlIlroud. and tine whole world
g. applaudng tho ease with which the
baby emperor was put on the throne
Nevertheless the country was on the
edge of % rebellion al the time the ew-
press dowagor died. and had "a mutiny
n
on the Yaugtse NOT boon promptly pat
down by "a very wise governor there
might have been ciNil War, which
would have wiped uut all the foreigners
Iu the interior Al that time our mis-
siouarics ON the fauutse kiaug called
f0r guuh0ats. but Uncle sam bad
mono loo sight. and we had t0 ASS the
British 90 protect them. Since then
runboats have been sent 90 the haugtse
from tho Philippines. and They VIII nov
be kent there. ! understand tndt our
legation rat pskn docs not consider tho
pcku guards % necessity. but Uncle
sam Win do wisely 90 make surety SUMO
hv maintaining our marines lu China
FOR some years tn come.
LIFE rs THE BARRACKS
Before = write or mo cIyl branch of
Iurlc SAINTS DhuDso homo J would like
tu tcu you how our .Hldiers I've in Pc
Kim ThoY have tho.r quarters 100 the
low one story BUILDINGS winch form inc
wallis of the western end of the legation
compound. thc officers being Quartered
BOB tuo-stUIN structures Boo the north
eastern corner Tho barracks have sop
arftn buildings for mcssruomsi store
rooms ktChcns ana gymnasium.
she's have reading r0on and on the
whole. the hoys have "a fairly good time.
They have two drills every day ana Two
'hiRcs' Of l0 miles or so every week
t0 Keep thcm boo training They have
daily paradcs, except saturday. ANA
sundays. ana there Boz "a school for tho
uou-commiasioned officers. The men
take part in field SPORTS with the other
lrgttion guards, and each May they
have yearly meet in the British ioga-
tlon compound. at which the soldiers of
all tho legations take part. ln the last
event of this kind our men captured
nrst place ana Rere given the cham
pionship banner which Was sent to the
head of thc marine corps az Washing
ton Tho sports were running jumping,
putting ihr shot ana the tug ol war
Tho troops also play baseball ana they
nov ana then co ont to Tung choN 90
- ! ~. I...l. .-I.L.I l. ..unlu .r.-I