128
prs.,
.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The Chinese undermined the French Lega- tion, which is now in ruins. The French Minister was not present, having filed for pro- tection to the British Legation the first day of the siege.
The (hinese throughout with characteristic treachery posted a proclamation assuring us of protection, and the same night made a general attack, hoping to surprise us unawares. We have still no news of the Peitang Cathedral.
[August 18, 1909.
.
perial troops. The final rush on the arsenal
that the French Consul would be murdered, and was very fine. We burnt the place and
the mob, among themselves, discussed the best then left it with the loss of a few who
means of doing to death the man whom they were killed, and a small number wounded.
considered had not only wilfully vielated their Then, being with the rear guard, we had to run
law, but had beaten one of their leaders. In. the gauntlet over a bridge. One of my chums The greatest peril we suffered during the formation as to this resolve reached the French was shot dead by my side, and another plugged siege was from fire, the Chinese, in their deter-Consul, and he decided to leave Yunnan-fu, with- through both thighs. On the 13th and 14th we mination to burn the British Legation, burn his staff, on June 14th. Among those whom had the heaviest engagement of the lot, in re-ing the adjoining Hanlin Academy, the most he arranged to take with him were the French taking the same arsenal, and the Tientsin sacred building in China, sacrificing the unique missionaries, but the Governor and the officials (native) city. The combined allied force library, which is reduced to ashes.
at the Yamen protested at this, and it was not lost over 7,000 in killed and wounded,
till some hours afterwards that the Chinese the poor little Japanese losing most severe
gave way and the Consular party were given ly. Shells were flying all around us, and
an escort through the South Gate. Mean- had it not been for the Terrible's four 12
while the British missionaries were deliberating and the two 4 inch. (firing lyddite) off
what stops they should take to secure their the Algerine, backed up, of course, with 6 prs The following are our casualties:-Killed safety, and Mr. Harding, who was hold and 9 prs., and the Russian guns covering our British, Captain Strouts, Phillips, Scadding, ing a service in the mission church, decid- advance and pitching over 1,700 shells of all and two civilians, David Oliphant and Henry ed to stay for the time being, until matters sorts and sizes, we never could have taken it Warren, students; Italians, seven; Russians, assumed a more threatening form. He had not with our force. We had to lie out in mud and three, and Mr. Hitroff, of the Russo-Chinese long to wait, for his "boy," almost at the close of water, up to our knees and often waists Bank; Germans, ten; Austrians, four, includ- the service, rushed into the building, and stated all night. The final attack was at daybreak. ing Commander Thomann of the Zenta; Ameri- that the rioters had finally decided to kill all The troops were exhausted. We could not
cans, seven; Japanese, Captain Ando and five the foreigners. Mr. Harding then ordered a manage, on the evening of the 13th, a cross marines, and Nakamura and Kojima, students; sedan chair and made the best of his way to his rifle-fire, for we were unable to show ourselves French, M. Herbert, officer, and eight men, M, house, where Mrs. Harding was alone. On the above the trenches. It meant the whole of us E. Wagner of the Customs, and M. Graintgens. way he had to pass the South Gate, and was being wiped out. The Russians, however, took engineer; Wounded-One hundred and thirty-there delayed for half-an-hour by one of the the Chinese battery, and the big fort, so now. eight, including Capt. Halliday severely, the coolies stating he had to get a new pair of thank goodness, we can sleep in place. The American Surgeon Lippitt severely, and Capt. sandals. There, in the centre of a fierce and Indian troops are arriving and, of course, they Myers. All doing well.
vicious mob numbering into thousands, he was go on to Peking. They have already been in All Ministers, members of Legations, and fixed, but fortunately no one attempted to re- five engagements.
families in good health. The general health of move the coverings of the chair so as to expose the community is excellent, and we are con-him to view. He could hear the murderous tentedly awaiting relief.
DETAILED NEWS FROM PEKING.
TEXT OF DE, MORRISON'S TELEGRAM, The following is the text of. Dr. Morri- son's telegram to the Times of the 21st ult. from Peking, as it appears in our contempor- ary, the N.-C. Daily News, to whom it was handed for publication :-
There has been a cessation of hostilities since the 18th, but fearing treachery no vigilance has been relaxed. The Chinese soldiers continue strengthening their batteries round the be- sieged area, also their batteries on the top of the Imperial City wall; but in the meantime they have discontinued firing, probably because short of ammunition. The main bodies of the Im- perial soldiers have left Peking to meet the
relief forces.
threats of the mob, and when at last he did arrive home he found that they had band- MISSIONARY REFUGEES IN HONG-ed together and were proceeding towards the
KONG.
AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR ESCAPE. -
Supplies are beginning to come in, and the condition of the besieged is improving. The wounded are doing well, the hospital arrange-authority over them. ments being admirable. One hundred and fifty cases have passed through the hospital, none septic.
The Tsungli Yamên has forwarded to the British Minister a copy of the despatch tele- graphed by the Emperor of China to the Queen of England, attributing all the deeds of violence to banditti, and requesting assistance to extri. ate the Chinese Government from its difficul-
ties.
The Queen's reply is not stated, but the Chi- nese Minister at Washington cables that the United States will gladly assist.
This despatch to the Queen was sent to the Yamen by the Grand Council on July the 3rd, yet the day before an Imperial edict was issued calling upon the Boxers to continue to render loyal and patriotic services and exterminate the Christians. The edict commanded the Viceroys and Governors to expel all missionaries from China and arrest all Christians and compel them to renounce their faith. There have been other decrees applanding the Boxers, and speaking approvingly of their burning out and slaying converts. Their leaders are stated in a decree to be Princes and Ministers.
On July the 18th another decree was issued showing a complete volteface, due to the victories of the foreign troops in Tientsin, when for the first time, one month after the occur- rence, allusion was made to the death of Baron Ketteler, the deed being attributed to local brigands, though it was undoubtedly a preme- ditated assassination done by an Imperial officer, as Mr. Cordes who survives can testify.
Our besieging force at Peking consists of Imperial soldiers of Yung Lu and Tung Fu hsiang, whose gallantry is applauded in Im- perial decrees though that gallantry has con- sisted in bombarding for one month defenceless women and children, cooped up in Legation compounds, using shell, shrapnel, round shot, and expanding bullets.
were
house. Fortunately two sedan chairs obtained, and in them both Mr. and Mrs. Hard- ing sat, while the "boy" followed on behind to There arrived in Hongkong on the 13th inst. guide the coolies in their steps towards the from Yunnan-fu Mr. and Mrs. Harding, Yamen. Reaching the mob they passed through, Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson, Dr. and Mrs. Savin.
one of the crowd tearing down a portion of Mr. Mrs. Dymond and four children, and the Misses Harding's chair covering, but happily only Campbell and Liffingwell of the China Inland exposing the feet. Mrs. Harding's chair cover- Mission. They came through via Tonkin and ing was taken completely off, and she became had several remarkable escapes from deaths at the subject of the gibes and jeers of the fiercest the hands of the villagers, and others they met nature. Eventually they reached the Yamen, on their perilous journey. Mr. Harding kindly where they found their fellow missionaries, who placed at our disposal a few facts connected had passed through similar experiences. From with their flight, which will serve to show there they could view the looting of their homes, the decided anti-foreign feeling existing among and subsequently their burning to the ground. not only the lower element of Chinese in the The mission chapel and the Roman Catholic province, but also among those who sit in College were also looted, and reduced to ashes. It was some days after this that the flight from The party were the largest number of a band the city took place, and notwithstanding all of missionaries (the others having escaped in the entreaties which were brought to bear, the direction of the Burma frontier) labouring an escort to the border was only provided when in the Yunnan Province, and for some years the missionaries agreed to accept, with the had continued their work for the most part un consent of their Consul, an indemnity for molested by any of the populace, although for the wrong done them. Then followed a six the past year or so there had been indications of weeks' journey on horse-back, through villages a hostile spirit among the lower orders, which where people jeered and used murderous threats, apparently only required a little prompting and over plains where occasionally men would from their superiors to fan the embers of bitter be met ready to attack if opportunity offered. ness into a flame. The missionaries, however. A greater part of the journey had to be done continued their visiting and the many other alone, for the prefects absolutely refused to duties devolving upon them, until the happen- render any assistance, or provide an escort as a ing of the events which led up to their escape protection against the villanous soldiery. Their from the prefectural city on June 14th. Prior attitude was, as Mr. Harding said, “Go away; to this there had been loud whisperings of
we don't want you," and other expressions were murder and pillage in the public thoroughfares, used of a far more hostile character. The riot- and for nearly a month small howling mobs ing at Yunnan-fu, the traveller continued, was used to collect in groups discussing the best only suppressed by the authorities when every means to carry out their nefarious designs. vestige of property had been looted and the It is stated that this was engendered by the buildings rendered heaps of ruins. Some were action of the French Consul in refusing to beheaded, it was true, but not until the damage allow certain packages which he had brought had been done. For instance, one man was into the city from Mengtse to be examined by found with a portion of Mrs. Harding's cloth- the Chinese authorities, who openly asserted ing, and he was instantly beheaded and his head that he had with him a large quantity of guns hung up on a pole outside the ruined house. and ammunition. To this charge he appeared Prince Tuan, another of the travellers stated, to have been silent, and that only tended to aggra-only a few weeks ago, sent a telegram to the vate the authorities, while his stern refusal to Governor asking him to massacre all foreigners, allow an inspection to be made strengthened their belief that they were contraband goods, in the shape of rifles, revolvers, and cartridges. He refused, however, to yield, and it was reported throughout the city that he had struck one of the searching party who had been sent special- ly to examine the packages by the Governor himself. Eventually he succeeded in getting his packages through without the usual inspec- tion, and a few hours afterwards placards of an inflammable nature were posted on the walls round and on the South Gate, where a mob of several thousands had already congre gated. It was openly asserted that evening
but the latter delayed taking any immediate ac- tion. The Provincial Treasurer was constantly in telegraphic communication with Li Hung- chang, his uncle, praying for advice, and it was (the resoned party believed) through Li's instruc tions that they were enabled to leave the city safely.
COMMUNICATION WITH PEKING.
The Telegraph Companies on the 11th issued the following Express:
The Imperial Chinese Telegraph Adminis- tration notifies us as follows: 16
Since despatches
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