Developments at Taku and Tientsin--A strong Chinese force advancing
on Taku--A council of Admirals convened on board the _Rossia_--Mines
and torpedoes laid at the mouth of the Pei-ho--A defensive
attitude to be adopted by the Allies--The Taku forts the key of
the position--Japanese to guard the railway station--A second
council on the _Rossia_--Prince Tuan--Chinese friendliness regarded
with distrust by naval commanders--Remonstrances--The Governor of
Chili commanded to hand over the Taku and Tongku forts--Chinese
refusal--Plans for an attack--Big ships of the Allies--Gunboats
up-stream--Mines laid across the bar--The U.S.S. _Monocacy_.
While the Seymour expedition was being checked up country in their
attempt to reach Pekin, other important developments were taking place,
both at the mouth of the river Pei-ho and in Tientsin.
A force of Chinese Imperial troops, about 2000 strong, was advancing
on the Taku forts, and it was reported that Imperial troops were
concentrating in the neighbourhood of this stronghold of the Chinese,
evidently with the object of offering a stout resistance to the landing
of any more Europeans--a resistance which, if successful, would place
foreigners in Pekin and Tientsin in a very precarious position. In
view of the serious events of the murder of the Japanese Chancellor
of Legation, and of the appointment of Prince Tuan, the leader of
the Boxers, as Commander-in-chief of the Chinese troops in China, and
of three other Manchus, equally strong in their anti-foreign views as
Ministers of the Yamên, a council was convened (on June 15) by the
Senior Naval Officer, Vice-Admiral Hildebrant, on board the first-class
cruiser _Rossia_, to consider the situation.
[Sidenote: THE KEY OF THE PEI-HO]
Evidence was produced at this council, not only that the Chinese were
preparing for a hostile demonstration towards the Allies, but also that
they were already attempting to destroy the railway between Tientsin
and Taku, and had been observed to lay torpedoes and mines at the mouth
of the Pei-ho. It was resolved that in order to preserve communication
with Tientsin, prompt steps must be taken to safeguard the railway and
to protect Europeans in the settlement. It was further resolved that a
strictly defensive attitude must be adopted by the Allies in carrying
out the above resolution, and that they should refrain to the last from
taking the offensive, unless absolutely compelled to do so by an attack
on the part of the Chinese, in which contingency an endeavour would be
made to seize the forts, and render the enemy incapable of inflicting
any damage upon our ships.
The Taku forts were the key of the position, if hostilities should
break out in North China.
It was also decided that 300 Japanese marines should be at once
conveyed to Tong-ku, to guard the railway station.
Matters were getting worse every moment, and another council on board
the _Rossia_ was summoned the following morning (the 16th) at eleven
o’clock. It was fully demonstrated that, as far as words went, the
Chinese Government gave ample assurance that order and law should
be maintained in the country, and the lives of foreigners and their
property protected; but that when it came to facts foreigners were
murdered in various parts of the country and their houses looted and
burned. Even foreign officials in the capital itself were actually
assassinated by soldiers of the Imperial army, while chapels, churches,
mission-houses, and the property of Europeans had been or were in
danger of being destroyed, even in Tientsin.
[Illustration: THE TAKU SOUTH FORTS]
The Chinese Government had nominally raised no objection to the
co-operation of foreign Powers in suppressing the Boxer movement,
but, practically, every help and assistance in the shape of arms,
ammunition, food, and clothes were given to the supposed rebels.
The very fact that the principal supporter of the Boxers, Prince Tuan,
and three other anti-foreign Manchus, had now been placed at the head
of affairs was significant enough, and quite justified the distrust
with which the Naval Commanders regarded the ostensibly friendly
dealings of the Chinese.
[Sidenote: AN ATTACK PLANNED]
No doubt upon this point could be left in the minds of the Allies
when Imperial soldiers were observed laying torpedoes to obstruct
the mouth of the river. Remonstrances were made, with no result. No
alternative was left to the Admirals but to request the Governor of
Chili and General Lo Yung Kwang, who commanded the Taku and Tong-ku
forts, to hand over the stronghold to the Allies. Owing to the warlike
preparations of the Chinese, only a limited time was allowed the
Chinese General to evacuate the forts, and he was warned that, failing
his compliance with their request by 2 +A.M.+ the next day (the 17th),
the Allies would make a combined attack on his position.
Some officers, accompanied by a skilful interpreter, called on the
Chinese General and fully explained to him how matters stood, but the
Chinese held fast and refused to evacuate the forts. In the meantime
thousands of soldiers coming from Shan-hai Kuan were seen entering the
forts.
A council was held on board the Russian gunboat _Bobr_, at which the
plans for an attack on the forts were carefully studied, and that same
afternoon (the 16th), at three o’clock parties from the various ships
were landed, in order to storm the forts from the land if necessary.
There were 350 British bluejackets and marines under Commander Cradock,
of the _Alacrity_; 150 Russian soldiers of the _Siberian_ and _Orient_
Regiments; 130 German sailors, commanded by Captain Pohl; 50 Austrian
sailors; 25 Italian sailors, commanded by Lieutenant Tanca; and 230
Japanese sailors, led by Captain Hattori.
The big ships of the Allies were some miles outside the Taku bar,
while H.M.S. _Algerine_, _Fame_, and _Whiting_ (the _Algerine_ flying
the Admiral’s flag), had previously proceeded up the river and taken up
a position off the North fort.
The two Russian gunboats, _Bobr_ and _Giliak_, were near the dockyard
in the bend of the river, and the German gunboat, _Iltis_, the French
gunboat, _Lion_, and a Japanese gunboat were at Tong-ku.
[Illustration: THE ALLIED FLEETS OUTSIDE THE TAKU BAR]
These six gunboats had gone up-stream and had landed a party of
Russians and Germans on the south bank of the river, while a party of
British and Japanese had been landed on the opposite bank. Four Chinese
torpedo-destroyers (built in Germany) were lying alongside the Taku
government dockyard.
All these gunboats had steamed up the river in the morning and
afternoon of the 16th, a curious incident taking place before they were
despatched to their destination.
A number of junks came from the Taku fort and unconcernedly laid mines
across the bar. The _Whiting_ (a twin screw torpedo-destroyer of 360
tons), in fact, in getting over the bar, touched one of these mines,
which, however, did not explode.
[Sidenote: QUITE SAFE]
There was no disguising the fact that the Chinese were preparing for
a fight, so at 6 in the afternoon the residents and refugees in Taku
and Tong-ku received orders that within one hour they must embark for
safety on the U.S.S. _Monocacy_. She was lying, well sheltered, near
the coal-heaps of the railway wharf, and probably the forts would
be bombarded during the night. The position of this old, rickety,
paddle-wheel, wooden American gunboat was considered quite safe, and
she could not be struck, in a direct line, from any of the Chinese
positions--at least, so everybody believed.