448
fire. We were told to get up and dress, so as to be in readiness to rush off to the Town Hall on the alarm being sounded.
The fire was a tremendous blaze and a really grand sight. It is reported that the city was fired in fourteen different places, and if the wind had been in the other direction Tientsin would have stood but a poor chance. When ready, we spent most of our time in the garden (the alarm not having sounded) beside the am munition, which had been carried out there in case of the buildings being fired. Ten men were left to guard us, and the rest went off with their officers to meet the Boxers. It was about three o'clock when we were at last told we might safely retire again, as all was quiet, the Boxers having been driven off. We heard about 60 or 70 had been killed, but the number is uncertain. The firing had been very frequent since about 11 p.m., and that and the barking and howling of dogs round gave one an unset- tled feeling, so that we did not retire, but just lay down as we were.
It was fortunate we did so, as at 4 a.m. we
off
were hurriedly called up and informed that the Boxers were close upon as, advancing towards the back of our dwelling, and we were to go at once to the Town Hall. Ав you can imagine in a very short space of time we were on our
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
through her bows. The Lienshing, lying at Jardine's, besides running the risk of shells from the forts, was attacked by a party of Chi- nese who were looting the cargo, but the return fire from the Lienshing eventually drove them away. A shell falling into one of the Tangku hotels near the railway station killed three Chinese, the only ones that were in the house at the time.
About 10 a.m. when all was quiet some of the officers of our ship went off to explore. Mr. Conley going to the North Fort, Mr. Burgess to the South, and Mr. Miller to Taku, to see how the foreign residences had fared. On their return they had most ghastly tales to relate. The forts were a mass of ruins, rivers of blood, with headless and armless bodies everywhere, which the blue-jackets were gathering together and cremating in heaps.
It is
Several of the houses at Taku were complete wrecks and nearly all had suffered in some way. As soon as it was daylight we saw in the dis- tance a black mass of Chinese hurrying from the Forts and the villages round about. feared they will make for Tientsin and join the Boxers. As we passed down the river on our return we noticed the Russian flag was fly- ing at the Imperial Dock at Taku. also on a destroyer lying in the Dock. We do not know
June 30, 1900.
was a good deal of speaking on the question of uniform, drill, and the like, but these matters were finally put aside as not affecting the case at present. A communication is to be sent to the Acting Commandant of the S. V. C. to the effect that this company has been organised and with a request that he will take the necessary steps in regard to arming and drill instruction. It was mentioned that the Martini-Henry would be the weapon served out. The election of officers has been left for future decision.
NEWS FROM THE YANĠTZE.
From Soochow news comes that in expectation of disturbances the military were very active there. Some 15,000 troops in the neighbourhood were busy getting ready arms and provision against emergencies.
A N.-C. Daily News correspondent writes from Kuling under date the 19th inst.: -
here are living in a state of great alarm, and 'I am sorry to say the bulk of the residents already a great many of them have left for Hankow, Shanghai, and other places. It is not that there is any sign of trouble breaking out to speak of that frightens them, but the fact that if trouble did break out we are quite defenceless, and that it would be exceedingly difficult to escape. It is a sad pity that our authorities
tection at a time like this. The result of the ments on the Yangtze entirely to native pro policy will be that the bulk of the residents up river will find their way to Shanghai to add to your difficulties there, while a few boats and of-guards sent up would make everything safe We do hope they will not wait till the Settle. ments are destroyed before taking this step."
way there. The poor children were taken out how many Chinese were killed, but near Tient cannot see the folly of leaving these great settle.
of bed and hurriedly put into thick coats and shoes, and off we rushed to the Town Hall, where we found others similarly attired. It was a truly pitiful sight, there were so many little ones, some only a month old, and although they were very quiet and good, there were a few little white scared faces. Very few amaha were there, as most of the servants have
Fun
away, in some cases not one being left in the house. We remained at the Hall until about 7.30 a.m. not knowing quite what was happening or had happened during the time we had been there. Of course all sorts of rumours were going round which did not tend to improve matters. At last word came that it was safe to return to our homes. The Boxers had withdrawn but would return that night, and they expected to have a big fight. All the women and children were strongly advised to leave, but then the difficulty arose of how to get away. The lines had been tampered with and the trains were not running. The damage to the lines, however, was evidently not as had as reported, as it was quickly repaired, and at 2 p.m. as many as could get away left for Tangku a pilot engine going on ahead. Later on au- other train arrived, also with a number of ladies and children, and made for the various ships in port.
sin Railway Station we saw several corpses ly: ing round, the result of Friday night, a night none of us are ever likely to forget. Among the navy the casualties were:--
British-Algerine-one officer killed, one ficer badly wounded, three men killed.
German-Iltis-commander badly wounded; some men killed through explosion of a boiler; some men also wounded.
Russian-Bobr-no casualties. Russian-Koreetz-two officers badly wound- ed; eight men killed; twelve men badly wounded. Russian-Gilyak-one officer wounded; eight men killed; ten men badly wounded; seventy men burnt through explosion in powder room.
French-Lion-one officer killed; one man
wounded.
HUPEH
A Hankow correspondent of the N.-C. Daily News, writing on the 18th inst., describes a riot four days previously at the market town of Tsaoshih, in the province of Hupeh, on June the 14th, when the premises belonging to the London Mission were looted and destroyed.
44
For many years," says the writer, "Tsaoshih bore a very bad name among missionaries, as every foreigner who ventured to show his face on its streets was chased and pelted out of the place by a mob of rowdies. But of late years a great change had come over the people and the old rowdy element seemed to have all but disappeared. Last year a foreign house was built by the London Mission and native
HOW THE POWERS SENT TROOPS TO PEKING. An American correspondent, writing from Tientsin on the 13th inst. to the Union of Shanghai, says that some interesting facts have of Consuls and officers which led to the sading leaked out regarding the midnight meting of troops to Peking on Sunday. the 10t: inst.porary It seems that during the conference the Rus- sian and French representatives frequently drow apart for private conference, which was any-
3
premises wore bought and adapted for tem-
use as a hospital, school, chapel, etc. The Rev. Henry Robertson and Dr. Ed- ward Wills have lived there ever since in peace and quietness, the people have been friendly,
Even here our troubles were not at an end. thing but polite or frank, and the Russian and hospital and school work has been carried
46
We seemed to have fallen out of the frying pan into the fire," for soon after getting on board we heard there was a probability of the Taku Forts being taken that night. It appears that the naval captains had called on the Gen- eral of the forts, taking Mr. Johnstone, a good Chinese scholar, as interpreter, and informed him that unless they surrendered by 12 o'clock that night, they intended to bombard the forts at 2 a.m., it having transpired that thousands of soldiers were entering them and also laying mines across the channel during the day. In consequence of this the residents of Taku re- ceived orders at 6 p.m. to leave within an hour's time and take refuge on board U.S.S. Monocacy, lying at the railway wharf. About 1 a.m. the Chinese opened fire, the first shot passing harmlessly through the Algerine's rigging. From this time till about 6.30 a.m. was an un- ceasing bombardment, the roar of the cannon being almost deafening. The first fort taken - was the North, by, we presume, the Japanese, as that was the first flag we saw hoisted, followed shortly after by the British on the Outer North
Fort.
After taking these Forts the men-of-war
steamed towards the mouth of the river and soon after the German and Russian flags went up on the South Forts. Shortly after daylight we saw four torpedo boats being towed in stern first by the Whiting and Fame, flying the British flags. During the time of bombardment we and the ships at Tangku were right in the line of fire and had anything but a pleasant time, the shells whistling above and around us in all directions, and the marvel is that the Monocacy was the only one struck, she receiving a shot right
|
Colonel kept drawing attention to the fact (?) that no invasion of Peking ought to be made with less than 10,000 men (Russia being the
only country that could land so many at short notice), and it became evident that he was hop
Well, you have the ing the others would say,
men, get them and go on." Of course others would consent to no such thing, and so Russia and France finally refused to join the others in sending men-albeit they had troops at the station promptly in the morning. At last Captain McCalla said, Well, gentlemen, you have talked this matter over pretty thoroughly, what I am going to do; my Minister is in and have come to no decision, but I'll tell you danger, and I am going to Peking." There was then nothing left for the others but to follow, which the British were only too glad to
do.
fi
'SHANGHAI AFFAIRS.
H. M. S. Daphne arrived at 8 a.m. on the 22nd and took up a position at the Senior Naval Officer's buoy. Her present instructions are to remain till further orders. She has brouglit 400 Lee-Metford carbines and 60,000 rounds of ammunition for the local Volunteer force. It is understood these weapons are also to be distributed to the police.
A meeting was held at the U.S. Consulate on the night of the 22nd inst. to consider the American question of the formation of an Volunteer Company. Nearly thirty gentlemen attended, and various points were discussed. Finally it was decided to form such a company for temporary service that is to say, during such time as the present trouble lasts. There'
on vigorously. Until the morning of the 14th · not a sign was given of approaching trouble. On that day an immense crowd gathered to witness the festival of the God of Medicine,
works."
drawn thither, it is now known, by a very wide- ly distributed notice that special attractions would be provided, including "foreign fire- The attack commenced by continuous requests to be allowed to look over the house, out of the question. but this was, of course, Later on, stones were freely thrown into
f
the compound, but nothing more hostile was attempted until about one o'clock, the garden gate was burst open and a terrible rush was made into the house. Mr. Robertson was away. on a journey, and Dr. Wills, seeing that the mob was bent on mischief, made his escape by the front door, finding a refuge in the loft of a house belonging to a friendly neighbour. But so determined was the mob to find his where- abouts that he was obliged to take refuge in a large wicker basket, where he sat for three or four hours while his enemies sought for him high and low, often quite close to his hiding plade.
At dusk, he and his assistanta made their way to the river and took a boat to Hankow, where they arrived in safety yesterday, the 17th. It is remarkable that notwithstanding the immense concourse of people gathered to witness the fun, and the ferocity of the ringleaders, no life was lost and no one was seriously injured. The origin of the riot is s mystery, but the Viceroy is dealing most energe- tically with the matter, and he is evidently quite determined to use his utmost authority to pre- serve peace and order in the territory under his jurisdiction."
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