A crisis approaching--Destruction of villages and mission-houses
by the Boxers--Roman Catholic missionaries killed--A marine guard
retained in Tientsin--Troubles in Kung-tsun--A meeting of the foreign
Ministers in Pekin--Their disinclination to bring up guards--Rain
better than Maxim guns--Sham displays of the Chinese to suppress the
insurgents--Baron von Ketteler suspicious of the Chinese Government’s
promises--Guards to be sent for to protect the Legations.
Towards the middle of May a crisis was fast approaching. Much disorder
prevailed around Pekin and Tientsin. The Boxers destroyed three
villages, killing 61 Roman Catholic converts, some 90 miles from Pekin,
near Paoting-fu.
[Illustration: RUSSIAN MARINES]
This was reported to the Government on May 17 by Sir Claude, who on the
same date requested the Admiral to retain the marine guard which was
under orders to leave Tientsin.
On May 18 Sir Claude further telegraphed that the Boxers had destroyed
the London Mission Chapel at Kung-tsun and killed the Chinese preacher.
Kung-tsun is 40 miles south-west of Pekin. On the same day Sir
Claude called at the Yamên to complain of the apathy of the Chinese
Government. He was curtly informed that the previous day an Imperial
decree had been issued whereby specified metropolitan and provincial
authorities were directed to suppress the Boxers.
Although the Yamên believed this decree would be sufficient to pacify
the crowds, rumours were current that French and British missionaries
were in great danger at Yunnan-fu.
The Yamên maliciously went out of their way to lead Sir Claude to
believe that the disturbance was mostly caused by the importation of
arms by the French Consul.
Matters were coming to such a point that the eleven Representatives of
foreign nations held a meeting in Pekin on May 20 at the instance of
the French Minister. The _doyen_ was empowered to write a note to the
Yamên, in the name of all foreign Representatives, demanding that, as
a sequel to the decrees already issued suppressing the Boxer movement,
all individuals who should publish or disseminate placards, or should
aid or harbour Boxers, should be arrested, while those guilty of arson,
murder, or outrages, and their accomplices, should be executed. It
was furthermore demanded that a decree to the above effect should be
published in Pekin and the north provinces. It was resolved that if the
disturbances continued, and if a favourable answer was not received
within five days, further measures should be taken.
“The meeting,” telegraphed Sir Claude, “_did not_ decide what measures
should be taken, but the Representatives were generally _averse_ to
bringing guards to Pekin, and what found most favour was as follows:
[Sidenote: SUFFICIENTLY ALARMED]
“With the exception of Holland, which has no ships in Chinese waters,
it was proposed that all the maritime Powers represented should make
a naval demonstration, either at Shan-hai-kwan or at the new port,
Ching-wang-tao, while in case of necessity guards were to be held
_ready on board ship_.
“My colleagues will, I think, send these proposals as they stand to
their Governments. As the Chinese Government themselves seem to be
sufficiently alarmed, _I do not think that the above means will be
necessary_, but should the occasion arise I trust that her Majesty’s
Government will see fit to support it.”
This extraordinary advice on the part of the British Minister was
telegraphed as late as May 21, and seemed somewhat in contrast to the
alarming news which Sir Claude had been previously sending. There was
at that date hardly a foreigner in China who was not aware of the
terrible storm which was threatening, yet our Minister seemed to think
that the Chinese being “sufficiently _alarmed_” was an ample guarantee
for the safety of foreigners and their property!
The Russian Minister appears to have had an interview with Sir Claude,
in which he stated that only two countries have very serious interests
in China--viz., England and Russia. He admitted that matters were
grave, and at once agreed to the joint note of the Powers.
The British Government, on May 22, agreed to support their Minister in
case of emergency. It was none too early.
Sham displays were made by the Chinese of sending troops to suppress
the Boxers, and the soldiers and officers were captured by the
insurgents--probably a prearranged affair. When other parties were sent
out with severe instructions, they were in such small numbers as to be
easily defeated by the Boxers.
The French Minister, it must be said to his credit, was almost the
only one of the foreign Representatives in Pekin who had reliable
information and attached the right importance to it, while others
discarded and treated with contempt the warnings of men who, though
not holding official positions, nevertheless knew China and the
Chinese intimately. M. Pichon, in fact, predicted a serious outbreak,
which would endanger the lives, not only of missionaries, but of all
foreigners, even in Pekin. The Italian Minister, too, who derived his
information from similar sound sources, confirmed the French Minister’s
prediction.
The French Minister urged, at a meeting of the diplomatic corps, that
unless the Chinese took immediate action, guards should be sent for at
once, before it became too late. Unnecessary civility and patience were
nevertheless shown towards the Celestials, who naturally misconstrued
this conduct, which they attributed to weakness, and a further demand
was formulated to the Yamên, asking for a precise statement of the
measures taken by the Chinese Government to suppress the movement, and
again requesting an Imperial edict.
Baron von Ketteler, the German Minister, a man of great force of will,
declared that he had no faith whatever either in the promises or in the
efficacious protection of the Chinese Government, which was crumbling
to pieces. This was on May 27, and Sir Claude on the same day called
at the Yamên, where Prince Ching and the Minister had no difficulty in
persuading him that energetic measures were being taken by the Chinese
Government to resist the progress of the Boxer movement. The movement,
Sir Claude telegraphed, had thoroughly alarmed the Chinese Government.
[Sidenote: REQUESTING AN IMPERIAL EDICT]
In fact, incredible as it may seem, it appears that our Representative
in Pekin always believed and concurred in the views of the last person
who spoke to him, especially when he was being misinformed. Indeed, it
is to be doubted whether on that date (May 27) there was any foreigner
of any intelligence in China, other than officials, who was not fully
aware that the Boxer movement was protected and supported by the
Government.
Twenty-four hours more had to elapse before the guards would be sent
for. It was thought well to wait for further developments. Sir E.
Seymour, the Commander-in-Chief of the China Squadron, seeing the
unsettled state of affairs in the north, deemed it advisable to send
H.M.S. _Orlando_ and _Algerine_ to Taku, in case guards should be
required in Pekin.