Directory_and_Chronicle_1912 — Page 873

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TIENTSIN

The German marines on their way up met with strenuous resistance, and had a very serious engagement near the Eastern arsenal. The Chinese were still greatly superior in artillery, and at once renewed their policy of long bowls from the north and north- east; later on, swiftly pushing their right round to the west, they placed new batteries near the Race Course and renewed their bombardment with greater vigour than ever. The one need of the Allies was heavy metal with which to cope with the Chinese Krupps; one 12-pounder had come up from the Terrible and did splendid service, but a whole battery of these fine weapons was necessary. It is the unexplained mystery of the siege why these guns and the 4" Q.F. were not sent up when Capt. Percy Scott had them all ready to land. Many valuable lives were sacrificed by this bungling at Taku. In the meantime the Allies were not idle. Early on Monday, June 25th, a column 2,000 strong, of all arms, set out to relieve Admiral Seymour, who was fighting his way back from Lang-fong, and who, by the destruction of the Railway, had been compelled to march down encumbered with many sick and wounded. The Chinese in trying to ambush his force at Hsi-ku had really been his salvation, as he had rushed that Arsenal and had found therein both stores and ammunition in vast quantities. He successfully resisted the desperate efforts to recover the place, and awaited reinforce- ments from Tientsin-the latter arrived on Monday night, June 25th-and next morning after firing the arsenal in many places, and thus diverting the attention of the Chinese, who made great efforts to save the place from the fire, he arrived in Tientsin safely with all his wounded next day, after having been lost to the world for over a fortnight. On Wednesday, June the 27th, the Eastern Arsenal was taken by the Allies, the Russians supported by the British and German Marines and by the First (British) Chinese Regiment bearing the brunt of the action. The smaller Western Arsenal had been destroyed by foreign shell fire on the previous day. Japanese troops now arrived in great numbers, and the Allies gradually assumed the offensive, though they were still markedly inferior in weight of guns. On the 3rd of July, the attack by shell and rifle was the most severe of the whole siege, and as communications with Taku by river were now open, the women and children were sent down stream, to find a refuge in Shanghai and Japan, while the much-needed quick-firers and more of the Terrible's 12-pounders were got up from Taku. On July the 9th, the Allied forces resolved to clear the enemy from the Race Course, from which for days he had been exposing them to a scathing cross fire. This was most brilliantly done by the Japanese, and was the first pitched battle in which both sides were in the open-demonstrating the utter worthlessness of the Chinese of all arms when they had no cover. They were easily beaten at all points, and made a hasty retreat into the native city after losing a complete battery of guns.

On July 13th, a frontal attack was made across the open on the South Wall of the city. The Chinese were strongly posted behind the loopholed rampart, and submitted the Allies to a terrible ordeal of fire as they approached the gate. Ten per cent. of the entire force was disabled in this sanguinary fight; but early next morning the Japanese, who had again borne the brunt of the engagement, blew up the gate, and the city was at the mercy of the foreigners. It was given up to loot for one day, after which military government was established. Documents attesting the collusion of the Officials with the Boxers were found in the Yamen. From the taking of the city in 1900 to August 15th, 1902, nearly three years, Tientsin was in the possession of the allied troops, who formed a military Government which was known as the Tientsin Pro- visional Government. Each Power was represented in the Council by an officer of at least Colonel rank and under them were five Departments, viz., Secretariat, Judicial, Police, Chinese Secretariat and Public Works. All the walls, forts, arsenals, and cantonments were dismantled and razed to the ground. While the city was under the rule of the Foreign Powers many urban improvements were carried out, and these were extended under the Viceroyship of Yuan-shi-kai to whom the Government of the city was handed over on August 15th, 1902.