Beleaguered in Pekin 7

Beleaguered in Pekin 7

May 29. At last it has come to our very door. Not only Liuliho and

Changhsintien, on the Lu Han railroad, have been destroyed, but the

junction at Fengtai, only six miles from here, has been attacked,

looted, and burned, and all the foreign employes have fled to Tientsin.

The foreign ministers now want guards badly, but, as it is not yet

known whether the railroad is torn up at Fengtai, there is no

certainty of getting them quickly. The fate of a large party of French

and Belgian women and children, known to reside at Changhsintien, is

not known. Legation street is crowded with villainous-looking ruffians

congregating to loot if opportunity offers. Until troops arrive the

situation is precarious.

 

May 30. The tsung-li-yamen has requested the foreign ministers not to

bring troops, assuring them they are not necessary; but the situation

here has at last impressed them, and they have disregarded the yamen

and ordered up guards at once. The populace are quite excited, and only

need a slight cause to break out.

 

May 30, P.M. Viceroy of Chihli has forbidden guards taking train at

Tientsin. Fifteen warships are reported at Taku.

 

May 31. Viceroy of Chihli has been ordered by the yamen to allow guards

to take train for Peking, but requested ministers to bring only small

guards, as last year. Troops have arrived.

 

June 1. Populace seems cowed and sullen. Riots in the city may now

be prevented, but the problem of dealing with the movement is one

requiring active diplomatic effort.

 

June 2. Station buildings south of Paotingfu on the Lu Han railway

have been burned, and railroad destroyed. Party of thirty Belgians,

including women and children, attempted to escape to Tientsin, and

were attacked by Boxers. Several known to be killed; fate of remainder

unknown. Said to be surrounded when their native interpreter left to

obtain help. Native Christians of the American Board’s mission at

Choochow, and the American Presbyterian mission at Kuan-hsien, are

pouring steadily into Peking, to escape murder at the hands of the

Boxers. All their houses have been looted and burned.

 

June 2, 8 P.M. Serious dissension among Chinese ministers, Prince Ching

favoring moderation and suppression of the Boxers. He is said to be

secretly supported in this by Jung Lu and the tsung-li-yamen. Prince

Tuan, supported by Hsu Tung, Kang Yi, and other intensely anti-foreign

ministers, is favoring the Boxer movement. A crisis is imminent.

 

June 3. Church of England missionaries Robinson and Norman killed at

Yungching by Boxers, and their chapels looted and burned. Boxers now

have entire control of country from Tientsin to Paotingfu, and thence

northeastward to Peking; native troops make no effort to suppress them.

All religious and missionary work in North China is ended unless treaty

powers compel observance of treaty provisions, and demand indemnities

for each and every infringement.

 

June 4. Native converts from the west of Peking report that many

thousand Boxers are assembling at Choochow preparing to attack the

foreigners and converts in Peking. The missionaries are convinced

of the truth of this, and have informed their legations, who will

not believe it. Dr. Taylor, of the American Presbyterian mission at

Paotingfu, telegraphed to the American minister: “We are safe at

present, but prospects threatening.”

 

[Illustration: CHINESE LITTER

 

A typical method of Chinese conveyance. The litter is supported by

poles to the backs of two animals, one in front, the other behind; in

it the traveler can make himself comfortable. Beyond are the massive

tombs of the Ming Dynasty, the famous arches of which are shown

elsewhere.]

 

June 4 (afternoon). Morning train arrived from Tientsin four hours

late, owing to burning of bridge and destruction of station building

at Huangtsun by Boxers. Noon train now overdue, and, as the telegraph

wires have been cut, is unheard from. Unless foreign troops are

immediately placed to guard the railway we shall be cut off from help

by way of the sea.

 

June 5. The American missionaries in Paotingfu have been attacked, and

have wired for help. The tsung-li-yamen, when appealed to by United

States minister, said it would telegraph the local officials to do so.

But unless a relief party rescues them speedily their fate is certain

death.

 

June 5, P.M. American Methodist mission at Tsunhua, with twelve

children and four women, are beset and have wired for help. Trains from

Tientsin have ceased to arrive; we are sending a courier overland with

mails.

 

June 6. United States consul at Tientsin has wired the minister here

that the Tientsin native city is in great excitement, and the situation

is very serious; he advised that no women or children attempt to enter

Tientsin from Peking, as they could not get through. Fate of Paotingfu

missionaries unknown, as we can get no telegrams through.

 

June 6, P.M. United States consul wires from Tientsin that the

situation there is growing steadily worse; an attack is imminent.

Here in Peking we are all collecting in the legations, but have

insufficient arms and ammunition. Nevertheless we will make a

determined stand.

 

June 7. I have overwhelming evidence that government officials are

the real causes of the Boxer movement, acting under the direction of

the Empress. Therefore the tsung-li-yamen and cabinet are supporting

this movement, which is intended to exterminate all foreigners and

Christian converts. The senile cabinet has persuaded the Empress this

is possible, and they are quite willing to face the inevitable foreign

war that their policy entails. The imbecility of this idea does not in

any way interfere with the facts. The foreign powers should all prepare

for war at once, or entrust the work to those powers nearest and best

fitted to successfully undertake it. The sooner this is done the less

will be the loss of life and property. The tsung-li-yamen yesterday

promised Sir Claude MacDonald, through the secretary of Prince Ching,

that if the foreign ministers would not press for a personal audience

with the Empress, as they intended doing, Prince Ching would guarantee

the restoration of the interrupted railway in two days, and a general

amelioration of the condition of affairs. Another useless edict was put

out to-day mildly enjoining officials to distinguish between good and

bad Boxers, and punish only the bad.

 

June 7, P.M. Twenty converts have been murdered at Huangtsun, thirteen

miles south. Missionaries at Tungchow have decided to abandon their

valuable compound, and have telegraphed the United States minister

to send them a guard of marines to escort the women and children to

Peking. This compound contains a valuable college, and will inevitably

be burned.

 

[Illustration:

 

Hsü Yung I Wang Chao Shu Conger Yü Keng

Beheaded Wen Chiao U. S. Minister to

Aug. 9, 1900. Shao. Boxer Chief. Minister. Paris.

 

A group in front of the American Legation]

 

June 8. Tungchow missionaries have arrived safely in Peking. Two other

stations on the Tientsin railway, Lofa and Langfang, have been burned,

as well as the college compound at Tungchow. Tsung-li-yamen has refused

to allow a reinforcement of the legation guards now in Peking. Although

thirty warships of all nationalities are at Taku, Peking is completely

isolated. Why America, after Secretary Hay’s much vaunted open-door

policy, should allow her representative to be denied sufficient guard

for the safety of himself and his countrymen is something one cannot

comprehend, unless the representative has not kept his government well

informed.

 

June 8, P.M. Most alarming situation. Missionaries from all compounds

in this city compelled to abandon their homes and seek refuge in the

Methodist mission, which is nearer the legations, being a half mile

east of the United States legation. They have a few shotguns and very

little ammunition, and are surrounded by their terrified converts,

who have fled with them. Prince Ching’s promise of restored railway

has proved false. The foreign ministers now realize they have been

fooled again, and have lost two days’ valuable time. We call upon our

government to make haste and rescue our wives and families quickly or

it will be too late.

 

June 9. Emperor and Empress return to-day to the city from the summer

palace. Another futile edict has been put out to further delude the

foreign ministers. It is known that Prince Ching has expostulated with

the cabinet, but to no purpose.

 

June 9, P.M. United States Minister Conger has sent in all twenty

marines to assist the Methodist mission compound in their defense.

Still no word from Paotingfu missionaries.

 

June 10. Five hundred marines and sailors left Tientsin to relieve us.

They can get as far as Anting, twenty miles south of here, by train,

and will then have to march the remainder of the distance. If prompt

they should arrive to-morrow. Methodist mission is fortifying the place

with strong brick walls and barbed wire.

 

* * * * *

 

After this telegram I was notified that the wires south were cut, and

sent only one message more, on July 12, by way of Kiachta, relating the

murder of the Japanese secretary and urging prompt government action

looking to our rescue.

 

The history of the growth of the Boxer movement seems to me to have

been clearly shown by these telegrams, so that any one of ordinary

understanding could have been, by June 1, if in possession of this

series of dispatches, fully acquainted with the situation.

 

The United States minister, the British minister, and the French

minister were each acquainted with all the above major facts and much more minor detail.