38
CHINA
[history
as Prince Ching and a few other influential mandarins, June, the British contingent of 915 men had alone lost 124 well protested against the empress’s decision, but it was killed and wounded out of a total casualty list of 62 killed strongly by the vast majority of those present. The moderate and 218 wounded. The Chinese had in the meantime made a acclaimed was probably not in a position to do more than act as determined attack upon the foreign settlements at Tientsin, and party drag upon the more violent faction. Three members of the communication between the city and the sea being also threatened, aTsung-Li-Yamen publicly executed for attempting to modify the allied admirals had demanded on the 16th the surrender of the the terms of an were imperial edict ordering the massacre of all Taku forts at the mouth of the Pei-ho. The Chinese replied to foreigners throughout the provinces, and most of the Manchu the ultimatum by opening fire with great vigour during the nobles and high officials, the eunuchs of the palace, who following night, whereupon a flotilla of British, French, German, have played an importantand part in Chinese politics throughout Japanese, and Russian gunboats bombarded the forts, which were the dowager-empress’s tenure power, were heart and soul captured by landing parties early on the 17th. The situation a,t with the Boxers. But it was ofnoted by the defenders of the Tientsin, nevertheless, continued precarious, and it was not till legations that Prince Ching’s troops seldom took part, or only in the arrival of considerable reinforcements that the troops of the a half-hearted way, in the fighting, which was chiefly conducted allied Powers were able to assume the offensive, taking the native by Tung-fu-hsiang’s soldiery and the Boxer levies. The modern city by storm on 14th July, at a cost, however, of over 700 killed artillery which the Chinese possessed was only spasmodically and wounded. Even in this emergency international jealousy had brought into play. Nor did any of the attacking parties ever grievously delayed the necessary concentration of forces. Three the fearlessness and determination which the Chinese had British brigades were ordered up from India, a few French colonial show unexpectedly displayed on several occasions during regiments were sent on from Saigon, the Americans detached a body somewhat fighting at and around Tientsin. Nevertheless, the position of troops from the Philippines, the Russians despatched a brigade the the defenders at the end of the first four weeks of the siege from Port Arthur, though their military resources were severely of grown well-nigh desperate. Mining and incendiarism proved taxed by the simultaneous outbreak of hostilities in Manchuria, had greater dangers than shot and shell. The Japanese had been and preparations were made in Germany, France, and Italy, to far back to their third and last line of defence in the Fu, and send out fresh, contingents, the German force alone numbering forced of the French legation had been destroyed or wrested over 20,000 men. But the situation required immediate action. two-thirds its heroic defenders. The British legation was being hard No power was so favourably situated to take such action as Japan, from from the Mongol market as well as from the Imperial and the British Government, who had strongly urged her to act pressed Park, and the fighting on the city walls was severe and speedily and energetically, undertook at her request to sound the Carriage The casualty list, amongst the officers especially, other Powers with regard to her intervention. No definite unceasing. heavy, and the need of constant watchfulness along the obiection was raised, but the replies of Germany and Russia barely was line of defences was a great strain upon the physical disguised their ill-humour. Great Britain herself went so lar as whole of the attenuated garrison. Suddenly, just when to offer Japan the assistance of the British treasury, m case finan- endurance were looking blackest, on the 17th of July the Chinese cial difficulties stood in the way, but on the same day on which things firing, and a sort of informal armistice secured a period this proposal was telegraphed to Tokio (6th July), the Japanese ceased respite for the beleaguered Europeans. The capture of the Government had decided to embark forthwith the two divisions of city of Tientsin by the allied forces had shaken the which it had already mobilized. By the beginning of August native self-confidence of the Chinese authorities, who had hitherto one of the Indian brigades had also reached Tientsin, together not countenanced, but themselves directed the hostilities. with smaller reinforcements sent by the other Powers, and thanks By aonly curious coincidence it was just at the time when the chiefly to the energetic counsels of the British commander, General besiegers were relaxing their efforts that the intense anxiety of Sir Alfred Gaselee, a relief column, numbering 20,000 men, at last the civilized world with regard to the fate of the besieged set out for Peking on 4th August, a British naval brigade having reached its culminating Circumstantial accounts of the started up river the previous afternoon. It met with only hall- fall of the legations andpoint. the massacre of their inmates were hearted resistance, and after a series of small engagements and circulated in Shanghai and telegraphed to Europe, and coupled very tryin0, marches it arrived within striking distance ol Peking with the despairing tone of the few messages which had been on the evening of the 13th. The Russians tried to steal a march smu<Med out of Peking in June—more especially Sir Robert upon the allies during the night, but were checked at the walls Hart’s message of 24th June — and with the admissions and suffered heavy losses. The Japanese attacked another point made by Chinese provincial officials, these reports found general of the walls the next morning, but met with fierce opposition, credence. Mr Brodrick, under-secretary of state for Foreign Affairs, whilst the Americans were delayed by getting entangled m the officially stated in the House of Commons on 17th July, that Russian line of advance. The British contingent was more for- though the British Government had no direct confirmation of tunate, and skilfully guided to an unguarded water-gate General these3 painful rumours, they had, unfortunately, little reason to Gaselee and a party of Sikhs were the first to force their way regard them as otherwise than substantially correct. It was not with trifling loss through to the British legation. About 2 p.m. till the following week that an authentic message received through on the afternoon of 14th August, the long siege was raised. legation at Washington from the American minister For nearly six weeks after the first interruption of communi- the Chinese these fears to be premature. Similar telegrams followed cations, no news reached the outside world from Peking except a proved Sir Claude Macdonald and other foreign representatives, and few belated imessages, smuggled through the Chinese from various communications from the Chinese Government, though the The siege lines b nat ve runners, urging the imperative necessity ofthe relief. During the greater part of that pacific assurances they contained were largely mendacious, showed legations. of prompt that they were at any rate growing alarmed at the consequences iod the foreign quarter was subjected to heavy rifle their outrageous action. Desultory fighting, nevertheless, conand artillery fire, and the continuous fighting at close quarters of and grave fears were entertained that the approach of the with the hordes of Chinese regulars, as well as Boxers, decimated tinued, column would prove the signal for a desperate attempt to the scanty ranks of the defenders. The supply of both ammuni- relief the legations before effectual assistance could reach them. tion and food was slender. But the heroism displayed by civilians rush attempt was made, but failed. The relief, however, came not and professional combatants alike was inexhaustible. Some ot The a day too soon. Of the small band of defenders which, including the legations were totally or partially destroyed. In their civilian had never mustered 500, 65 had been killed anxiety to burn out the British legation, the Chinese did not and 131 volunteers, wounded. Ammunition and provisions were almost at an hesitate to set fire to the adjoining buildings of the Hanlm, end. Even more desperate was the situation at the Pei-tang, the the ancient seat of Chinese classical learning, and the store- Roman Catholic cathedral and mission house, where house of priceless literary treasures and state archives. The with the help of northern a small body of French and Italian marines, Fu or palace, of Prince Su, separated only by a canal from the Mgr. Favier had organized independent centre of resistance for British legation, formed the centre of the international position, his community of over 3000ansouls. Their rations were absolutely and was held with indomitable valour by a small Japanese force exhausted, when on 15th August a relief party was despatched to under Colonel Sheba, assisted by a few Italian marines and their assistance from the legations. . volunteers of other nationalities and a number of Christian ruin wrought in Peking during the two months’ fighting Chinese The French legation on the extreme right, and the wasThe appalling. Apart from the wholesale destruction of foreign section of the city wall held chiefly by Germans and Americans, property in the Tartar city—mission houses, churches, fhe were also points of vital importance which had to bear the brunt hospitals, native stores where foreign goods had been conditioa of the Chinese attack. Little is known as to what passed in the sold, native houses suspected of any connexion or pegjn^ councils of the Chinese court during the siege. But there is sympathy with foreigners—and of Chinese as well reason to believe that throughout that period grave divergences as European buildings in the vicinity of the legations, the of opinion existed amongst the highest officials. The attack wealthiest part of the Chinese city had been laid in ashes. upon the legations appears to have received the sanction of the The flames from a foreign drug store fired by the Boxers dowager-empress, acting upon the advice of Prince Tuan and the had spread to the adjoining buildings, and finally consumed extreme Manchu party, at a grand council held during the night the whole of the business quarter with all its invaluable stores of 18th-19th June, upon receipt of the news of the capture of the of silks, curiosities, furs, &c. The retribution which overtook Taku forts by the international forces. The emperor himself, as
