81
12
contribute our quota.
Otherwise I was afraid that I should have to bring up with them the question of possible evacuation of the Legation and of Tien-tsin. This seemed to stagger them. Japanese Minister was particularly emphatic that he would make strongest appeal to his Government to meet suggestions made by the commandants.
United States Minister said that he could not back request precisely in its present form, not because he disagreed with a word of it, but because he had already submitted proposals of more far-reaching kind to his Government which he hoped to see go through with some little confidence. These he intimated privately to me were the despatch of more than one-fifth of the proposed total of 25,000 proposed by commandants.
If His Majesty's Government agree to proposals, may I suggest that they take it up with the least possible delay at other capitals? I should feel very much happier
every respect if I knew that this step was being taken.
in
(Repeated to Tokyo, Shanghai. Commander-in-chief, Hong Kong and Tien-tsin.)
APPENDIX (D).
Note on the Operation in North China, 1900–01.
1. Events leading up to Operations.
The troubles in North China during 1900, resulting in the siege of the Peking legations and in the relief expedition despatched by the allied Powers, arose from the development of a secret society called the Fists of Patriotic Union," whence arose the term "Boxers." Originally founded with the most patriotic intentions (cf. the Kuomintang in 1923-27), and loudly professing its loyal and patriotic aims, it avoided collision with the Peking Government, and proceeded in 1899 to acts of hostility against Christians in Shantung. Before the close of that year the movement had spread to Chihli, and by the beginning of May, 1900, the situation at Peking had become very serious.
The Foreign Ministers addressed strong notes of protest to the Chinese Govern- ment, and received assurances that the legations would receive special care, with the result that little or no preparation was made for defence.
2. The First Legation Guards.
On the 28th May, the Boxers burnt Fengtai Railway Station near Peking, and the Ministers telegraphed to Tientsin for armed guards for the legations. These were forthwith despatched and, to the number of 337 of various Nationalities, reached Peking without opposition on the 31st May.
At the beginning of June the railway to Tientsin was cut, and on the 13th June the Boxers made their first attack on the Legation quarter, where the majority of the Europeans in Peking had collected. Thus commenced the siege of the legations. At this time the total strength of the legation Guards was 415-mostly marines— composed as follows:-
British
Russians
Americans
Germans
French
Austrians
Italians
82
87
58
51
48
35
29
25
415
13
The Peking relief force was composed as follows:-
Austrians
British
French
German
Italian
Japanese Russian
U.S.A.
Total
The Tientsin garrison at this time consisted of—
Austrians British
French
Germans
Italians Japanese Russians U.S.A.
Total
4. The Attack on the Taku Forts.
25
915 seamen and marines
158
450
40
54
312
112
2,066 (with 4 field guns
:
and 11 machine
guns).
50
393
50
110
40
50
1,800
43
2,536
Between the 14th and 17th June it became obvious that the Chinese were about to oppose further landings at Taku and Tongku, and that the Pei-ho was mined. The Allies, therefore, decided to occupy Taku and Tongku with an international force. The force which landed for this purpose consisted of :—
British
Germans
Japanese
Russians
Italians
Austrians...
Total
5. Failure of the Peking Relief Force.
321
133
244
159
25
99
904 under a British officer.
The Peking relief force which had left Tientsin on the 10th June. under the command of Admiral Seymour, was severely attacked on the 18th June at Langfang. On the 19th it was decided to withdraw to Tientsin which was reached after severe fighting on the 27th June.
Meanwhile, the Powers had sent out substantial reinforcements and the strength of the forces at Tientsin and Taku on the 29th June was made up as follows:-
Austrian
British
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Japanese
Total
3. The Garrison of Tientsin.
Prior to May, 1900, there does not seem to have been any permanent garrison at Tientsin. The increasing anxiety that the anti-foreign movement was steadily drawing nearer the Concessions resulted, however, in a strong concentration of the naval forces of all the interested Powers off Taku.
Gradually an international force was built up entirely of sailors and marines- at Tientsin, and on the 10th June a relief force for Peking, 2,066 strong, left Tientsin by rail for Peking; leaving behind at Tientsin an international force 2.536 strong.
Russian
U.S.A.
Total
:
139
1,884
404
1,344
138
3,828
5,934
349
14,020 (with 53 field guns
and 36 M.Gs.).
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