112 



CHINA. 



Ketteler was reported, but was not officially ac- 

 knowledged till July 1. When Tung-Fuhsiang re- 

 newed the attack on the legations, Yung-Lu got 

 word to the allied forces through Sheng, the 

 Director General of Railroads, urging their speedy 

 advance, as he and Prince Ching were no longer 

 able to control events in Pekin and the soldiery 

 were rioting in the streets. 



After the second attack of Tung-Fuhsiang's 

 troops the Chinese authorities sent some food to 

 the legations, which the ministers declined to ac- 

 cept. Further attacks were opposed by the 10,000 

 men of the Manchu garrison controlled by Prince 

 Ching, who killed many Boxers and Kansu soldiers 

 in endeavoring to drive them from their positions 

 in front of the legations. At the same time edicts 

 were published praising Boxers for their patriotic 

 services in uprooting Christianity, and command- 

 ing viceroys and governors to expel missionaries 

 and compel Chinese Christians to recant. The 

 siege of the legations became closer than ever, and 

 the Boxers pushed their line so near that they 

 succeeded in undermining and blowing up a corner 

 of the French legation. In their determination to 

 destroy the British legation they burned the adjoin- 

 ing Hanlin Academy with its invaluable library. 

 They edged their barricades close up to those of 

 the legation and placed two guns in position to 

 make a breach in the defenses. The defenders had 

 an old Chinese cannon, for which they improvised 

 ammunition, but they considered their position ex- 

 tremely critical when the American guards sallied 

 out in the night of July 3 and killed many Boxers, 

 and a larger force made a sortie on July 6, killing 

 200 soldiers of Tung-Fuhsiang's force. Heavy guns 

 were then put in position to bombard the lega- 

 tions, and the Governor of Shantung himself re- 

 ported that they were destroyed and all the Euro- 

 peans killed. All the legations still standing were 

 burned except the British, American, German, 

 Japanese, and parts of the French and the Russian. 

 All the members of the diplomatic corps took 

 refuge behind the defenses of the British legation. 

 At this time the Empress Dowager issued warlike 

 edicts declaring that there could be no reconcilia- 

 tion with Christianity, which the whole nation, in- 

 cluding military men, literati, nobles, and princes, 

 had united to stamp out since the foreigners had 

 begun a war against China; that the bitter feel- 

 ing against foreigners had reached such a pitch 

 that any attempt to put down the people would 

 be dangerous; and that while the Empress was 

 anxious to protect the legations, the Chinese peo- 

 ple were willing to put it to a test whether they 

 or the foreigners were stronger; hence all gov- 

 ernors should immediately enroll troops for the de- 

 fense of their districts and act according to local 

 circumstances on their own judgment, but for any 

 loss of territory they would be held to strict ac- 

 count. The Yangtse and southern viceroys did 

 after this enlist troops and mount guns, but used 

 the discretion confided to them to protest their 

 innocence of hostile feelings toward Europeans 

 and their intention to use their forces only for 

 the suppression of anti-foreign or rebellious dis- 

 orders. At the same time the Chinese provincial 

 officials conveyed warnings to the Empress to pro- 

 tect the legations and to avoid a general war 

 against foreigners, and through Chinese ministers 

 abroad and foreign consuls they cautioned the 

 powers that continued aggression, and above all 

 an attack on Pekin, might result in disaster to the 

 legations. The governors of 11 provinces in a joint 

 memorial recommended protection to foreign mer- 

 chants and missionaries, whether there was war or 

 not, in order to preserve China's prestige as a civ- 

 ilized state, and the rescue of the ministers so as 



to render negotiations still possible, in which the 

 governments of the ministers saved might use their 

 influence in China's favor; also an apology to 

 Germany for the murder of Baron von Ketteler, 

 and a proposal for the mediation of other powers, 

 with assurances of China's good intentions to be 

 given specifically to France and the United States; 

 furthermore, full compensation for all losses of for- 

 eign lives and property, and orders to the military 

 and civil authorities to punish bandits and ma- 

 rauding troops. Li-Hung-Chang, whom the Em- 

 press in her perplexity summoned from Canton to 

 take the viceroyalty of Pechili and arrange mat- 

 ters with the powers, at the same time that he 

 approached the United States and other powers 

 with proposals of peace, informed the Empress that 

 Great Britain and France made the heads of the 

 Chinese Government personally responsible for the 

 lives of their ministers and citizens in Pekin, and 

 that it was necessary that the Boxer movement 

 should be stopped altogether and the war party 

 put down. 



The first tidings received direct from the foreign 

 ministers in Pekin was Mr. Conger's telegram of 

 July 18, saying that they were under shot and 

 shell and only quick relief would save them from 

 massacre. The capture of Tientsin by the allies 

 produced an immediate alleviation of the situation. 

 The war party was no longer confident, and the 

 troops that returned to Pekin with Gen. Nieh as- 

 sisted the forces of Prince Ching and Yung-Lu to 

 guard the legations. The memorial of the southern 

 viceroys had its effect on the Empress Dowager, 

 and still more the admonition of Li-Hung-Chang. 

 From July 16 there was an armistice. The be- 

 sieged, who were reduced to eating horseflesh, 

 were able to obtain new supplies from outside, and 

 foodstuffs, fruit, and vegetables were sent in by 

 order of the Government. When an official of the 

 Tsung-li-Yamen visited the legations on July 18 

 he renewed the proposal that the ministers should 

 remove to Tientsin under an escort of imperial 

 troops, until the population of Pekin became quiet 

 and order was restored. An edict of July 18 en- 

 joined protection of foreigners and promised com- 

 pensation. The Banner troops attempted to clear 

 away the Boxers and Kansu braves who still held 

 the legations invested, and several encounters took 

 place in the streets. 



When the allies at Tientsin assumed the offen- 

 sive again and made ready for the advance upon 

 Pekin, the situation of the beleaguered Europeans 

 became critical once more. Li-Ping-Heng, who 

 took command of the defense of Pekin, began by 

 beheading Hsu-Ching-Cheng, ex-minister to Rus- 

 sia, and another member of the Tsung-li-Yamen, 

 because they advised making an effort to concili- 

 ate the powers. All food supplies were cut off 

 from the legations, and the Chinese Government 

 became more urgent and threatening in the de- 

 mand that they should depart for Tientsin. Rifle, 

 firing was recommenced, and they strengthened 

 their fortifications. Their ammunition was almost 

 gone, and their provisions were so low that they 

 reduced the rations. When Li-Ping-Heng and 

 Tung-Fuhsiang left with their forces to resist the 

 advance of the allies, Yung-Lu was able to give 

 llifiii more efficient protection. As soon as the 

 ministers were permitted to send cipher dispatches 

 to their governments, they all declared that foreign 

 troops only could escort them safely. Besides be- 

 ing unwilling to trust a Chinese escort, they were 

 unwilling to leave the Chinese converts to be mas- 

 sacred. Although the Russian and the Dutch 

 governments authorized their ministers to accept 

 the Chinese escort, all the ministers felt safer 

 where they were, and no one was willing to break 



