DELAYS
On the thirteenth the allies began a heavy bombardment of the native
city, the guns being placed on a mud wall enclosing both the native
city and foreign settlements. The British had sixteen guns of
various sizes, and four Maxims; the Americans three guns and three
machine–guns; the Japanese twelve mountain guns; the French six
mountain guns; and the Austrians two Maxims and a Nordenfeldt. The
Russians and Germans, who were encamped two miles away on the other
side of the river, did not share in the bombardment. The cannonade
was kept up with tremendous vigour, the British guns alone pouring in
fifteen hundred shells in the course of the morning. So terrific was
the fire that the Chinese batteries soon ceased to play.
Meanwhile an allied army of some five thousand men, under the command
of the Japanese Brigadier–General Fukushima, the senior officer
present, advanced under cover of darkness on the western side of
the Peiho to a little arsenal about two miles to the north–west
of the settlements. This force was composed of fifteen hundred
Japanese, with two batteries of artillery, a British contingent
under Brigadier–General Dorward, comprising one hundred and fifty
blue–jackets, one hundred and fifty marines, one hundred and sixty
men of the Welsh Fusiliers, one hundred of the Chinese regiment, one
hundred and fifty of the Hong–Kong regiment, the Hong–Kong artillery,
and the naval guns, also forty–five Austrian marines, nine hundred
Americans under Colonel Meade, and nine hundred French under Colonel
De Pelacot. The remainder of the Welsh Fusiliers and a number of
blue–jackets were despatched at the same time to hold the enemy in
check at the railway–station, while from their camp the Russians and
Germans advanced in force on the east banks of the river to attack
the batteries on the Lutai Canal. The best point of attack was the
south–west angle of the city, as in this way they would have avoided
the concentrated fire from the whole of the crenellated wall; but a
canal intervened, and there was no means of bridging it, the Chinese
having opened the sluices and flooded the country on both sides of it.
The advancing force, moreover, would have been exposed to the fire of
the Chinese fort two thousand yards away, on which were mounted several
modern guns. It had been decided, therefore, to attack at the south
gate, to which a narrow paved pathway ran in a straight line from the
arsenal.
The troops were drawn up, the French on the right, the Americans on the
left, and the Japanese, British, and Austrians in the centre.
The canal was formerly crossed at the arsenal by a small wooden
bridge, but this had been burnt in order to keep the Chinese guns
from going from the city to the race–course, from which they had for
some days maintained a galling fire. The arsenal itself was not held
in strength, being too much exposed to the Chinese fire, but a Maxim
had been stationed in one of the houses by the bridge, to prevent the
Chinese from repairing it. The French were the first to reach the
remains of the bridge in order to take up their place on the right of
the attacking force, and when they found that there was no means of
crossing, they had to halt under cover of a very heavy fire from the
Japanese sappers, until they had made it passable. The French and
Japanese troops then crossed together, and proceeded along the pathway
until they reached a ditch six feet wide, running at right angles to
the pathway, and filled with stagnant water.
This ditch was about nine hundred yards from the wall. Crossing it
the troops took shelter in a number of small houses a short distance
beyond. Forty men were left to hold them, and two hundred more advanced
along the causeway until they got under the shelter of the Chinese
houses, situated a couple of hundred yards outside the city wall. The
Japanese sappers threw up an entrenchment with great rapidity, and
placed bridges across one or two ditches which obstructed the advance.
The attack was then developed as had been arranged. The Welsh Fusiliers
and the Americans on the extreme left proceeded towards the western
angle of the city wall, the advance company taking cover in a creek
some three hundred yards from the wall, and the remainder settling
themselves a little to the rear behind mud walls and any inequalities
in the ground. Their position was an unpleasant one, for in addition
to being exposed to the fire from the wall, they had to keep an eye
upon a large body of Chinese horse which had drawn up just out of range
in readiness to charge if opportunity offered itself. Unfortunately,
two hundred of the American infantry, under Colonel Liscum, instead of
continuing forward, turned almost at a right angle and marched directly
across the front of the attack until they reached a position near the
French settlements. They were in formation of sections of four, and
were exposed to a terrific rifle fire from the whole line of the city
wall and also from the Chinese houses lying between the wall and the
settlements. They changed their line of advance, but did not better
their position, and were obliged to take shelter behind the Chinese
graves, with which the plain was studded. These graves are only small
mounds of earth, and though they found protection behind them from
direct fire from the walls, they were still exposed to a flanking fire
from the houses. Colonel Liscum, while gallantly steadying his men, was
killed, and four officers and seventy–two men were wounded.
An attempt was made to send them fresh ammunition. Captain Ollivant of
the Chinese regiment was killed in a gallant attempt to draw off the
line of fire with some ammunition mules, and the Americans were forced
to lie where they were until nightfall, when they fell back to the
arsenal with their wounded and dead, which amounted to just one–half of
their whole number. In the course of the day Lieutenant Phillimore of
the _Barfleur_ had managed to get out to them with a few blue–jackets,
and had assisted them materially, both in holding their position and
in carrying back to the arsenal those who had fallen. Major Pereira of
the 1st Chinese Regiment, who was next to them, went out to them twice
to bring in their wounded. He was hit himself in so doing. His regiment
had nineteen casualties, including two officers.
When the bombardment had somewhat weakened the Chinese fire, General
Fukushima ordered the general advance. Unfortunately he received word
that his men had effected a lodgment on the city wall, and had actually
got inside the town, and he therefore requested General Dorward to stop
the fire of the British guns, which was, of course, instantly done. Had
they been kept in action half an hour longer the loss to the Japanese
would have been considerably less, for the gunners had the exact range,
and were causing great destruction. However, the whole line of attack
pushed forward and took shelter in the houses outside the walls, and
as soon as it was discovered that the Japanese were not in the city,
all the guns again opened fire. This was maintained steadily all
the afternoon, the fire of the large naval guns being particularly
accurate. While the Americans were being retired from their advanced
position in the evening these guns were ordered to sweep the Chinese
barricades and line of defended houses, from which Colonel Liscumʼs
force had been so much harried all day. The Americans were lying about
three hundred yards from this fringe, and if they attempted to move
they were in great danger of being hit, but the fire of the British
guns was so accurate that the retiral was carried out without one
casualty.
Early in the afternoon a company of marines was ordered to reinforce
the Japanese and French, and the Austrian marines went with them. The
fire was so heavy and accurate that a number of blue–jackets under
Captain Beattie hurried forward to their support. A heavy cross–fire
was poured upon them, and several of the men fell, among them being
an able seaman named MʼCarthy. Basil Guy, one of the _Barfleurʼs_
midshipmen, ran back and bound up his wounds. He then tried to lift
the disabled man and carry him in, but, finding the weight too heavy
for him, he ran forward again, got the stretcher, and returned with
another seaman to assist him. As the rest of the party were all now
under shelter, the whole fire of the enemy was concentrated upon him,
and the ground was literally ploughed up with shot. MʼCarthy was placed
on the stretcher, but as he was being carried in, he was again hit, and
this time killed. For this gallant action Guy was awarded the Victoria
Cross, being the only midshipman who had ever gained that honour.
[Illustration: BASIL GUY RAN BACK AND BOUND UP HIS WOUNDS.]
The troops then advanced across the causeway, suffering heavily from
the incessant rifle fire, and from the shell and shrapnel fire of two
guns which the Chinese had posted near a water–mill at the right of
the road. The causeway was not more than thirty feet in width, so that
the troops were unable to extend, and being therefore in close order,
afforded an excellent mark to the enemy. Unfortunately by this time the
Japanese and British guns had expended all their ammunition, but one
of the Hong–Kong guns had still a few rounds left, and directing its
fire upon the Chinese guns which were doing so much mischief, brought
their fire on itself, and so succeeded in enabling the column to pass
along the causeway with far less damage than it would otherwise have
suffered. The Chinese fire was on the whole surprisingly good, and
showed that their artillerymen had been well instructed. While our own
guns were for the most part using black powder, the Chinese were using
smokeless, and consequently it was very difficult for our artillerymen
to locate their exact position.
The troops were glad enough when night came on. The day had been hot,
and though heavy showers had fallen in the early part of the morning,
their water–bottles were soon exhausted, and they were compelled to
drink the green stagnant water in the ditches, with the result that a
great number of them afterwards suffered from dysentery. The losses
had been very heavy, and the question of retirement was mooted, only,
however, to be at once rejected. To retire would be to add enormously
to the prestige of the Chinese and to lower the spirit of the troops.
It was therefore resolved that the ground won must be held at all
hazards, and the attack recommenced in the morning. All through the
night the enemy kept up a desultory fire, which was a trying ordeal for
the troops, fatigued as they were by the long dayʼs fight, during which
they had been exposed for hours to a blazing sun, with but a very small
supply of food. The Japanese suffered most severely, as the ground they
were holding on both sides of the causeway was two feet deep in water,
and they had therefore to remain standing all night.
Just before sunrise the Japanese sappers stole forward to attempt to
blow in the outer city gate. They were met with a tremendous volley of
musketry, and one ball cut the electric wire which was to have been
used for firing the charge. Lieutenant Inawe, however, pluckily rushed
forward with a lighted fuse, and escaped, almost miraculously, unhurt.
Meanwhile one of the Japanese soldiers had pluckily climbed the inner
wall and unbarred the inner gate, and the Japanese poured into the
city, the Chinese flying before them in all directions. The Japanese
were followed by the Welsh Fusiliers, the rest of the troops marching
round on the broad city walls to keep as many of the enemy from
escaping as possible. There was a good deal of fighting in the streets
and firing from the houses, but the greater part of the Chinese troops
had retired during the night, having lost heart when they found that
their assailants maintained their position and would recommence their
attack in the morning. The Chinese loss was estimated at about five
thousand; that of the allies was under eight hundred, of which five
hundred occurred in the ranks of the Japanese.
The streets were littered with Chinese uniforms and the red sashes and
badges of the Boxers, of which they had divested themselves as they
ran. Numbers of bodies of people killed by the shells lay about, but
only two women were found among them, which seemed to show that the
greater portion of the inhabitants had fled before the attack began,
leaving the city to be defended by the Boxers and the Imperial troops.
The effect of the lyddite shells from the heavy guns had been terrible;
indeed the Chinese looked upon lyddite as a sort of death–dealing magic.
The tactics of the attacking troops had not been good, owing probably
to the divided command. Had they been marched during the darkness
they could have gained their position in the houses under the walls
with comparatively slight loss, and could have blown in the gate and
assaulted the city at once, instead of which they were halted a long
way in front of the wall and then marched in broad daylight across an
open plain devoid of cover, and halted for a couple of hours under fire
while the bridge over the canal was being repaired. Moreover, almost
all the troops were engaged in the operation, only a handful being left
to guard the settlements, while a large body of Chinese cavalry kept
hovering about some little distance away, and had they been under a
competent leader, might have effected an entrance into the settlements
and swept them from end to end. Still, the capture of Tientsin was
worth the risk; it opened the road to Pekin, and relieved both Peiho
and Shanghai from a danger that was every day increasing. It also
conduced to the safety of every foreigner in the interior of China.
While the fighting had been going on, the Russians and Germans on the
other side of the river circled round and stormed the batteries on the
Lupi Canal, taking them with comparatively little opposition. During
their advance one of the Chinese shells fell into a building inside the
Russian line, in which, unknown to its occupants, dynamite was stored.
The explosion was terrific; the windows of most of the houses in the
settlements were shattered by it, although it occurred some way off on
the other side of the river. The Russian general, who, with his staff,
was close by at the moment, had his hand damaged by a falling building,
his trumpeter was killed, and a number of men were knocked down by the
force of the concussion. The total German and Russian loss was about
one hundred and fifty killed and wounded. The Russians were aided by
a four–inch gun from the _Algerine_ and a twelve–pounder from the
_Terrible_, which rendered most valuable aid, as the Russians had with
them only seven twelve–pounders of an old pattern.
The British guns were not very satisfactory until the arrival of the
_Terribleʼs_ twelve–pounder. The Hong–Kong guns were obsolete, and
the British troops had none others, with the exception of some very
old–fashioned naval six–pounders. Indeed the scandalous fact was
brought to light that none of the British ships on the China station
were equipped with modern quick–firing guns.
The Welsh Fusiliers, after joining the Japanese, pushed through the
city up to the north gate, and advanced beyond it to the Grand Canal,
where they captured two hundred junks and a small steamer. The Japanese
captured also a number of guns, all of which proved very useful in the
march to Pekin.
After the city was captured the Chinese had still a strong defensive
position. They had fallen back to the railway and to the fort near
the Viceroyʼs yamen; but they had no heart left in them, and in
the afternoon the Japanese entered the fort without a fight and
took possession of that and the yamen. Forty–five guns were found
in the former, among them the big Krupp that had done such harm to
the settlements in the early days of the bombardment, and several
fifteen–pounder guns of recent pattern.
The first thing to be done was to extinguish the fires that were raging
in several parts of the city. This was a difficult matter, and was not
accomplished until a considerable part of the city had been consumed,
the amount of property destroyed being enormous. The rest of the city
was systematically looted. The Russians had not entered the town, but
remained on the other side of the river. They had at once demanded
that a military governor should be appointed, but as they and the
Japanese were much superior in force to the other nationalities it
was evident that they intended that a Russian should be nominated.
The matter was discussed with considerable acerbity at a council
of commanding officers, but the proposal was finally rejected, and
three commissioners, Colonel Wogack, Lieutenant–Colonel Bower, and
Lieutenant–Colonel Aoki were appointed to govern the city of Tientsin,
which was divided into four sections—British, American, French, and
Japanese. A number of Chinese were enlisted to act as police under
Captain Mockler of the Indian army, and though they were drilled by a
Madras sepoy, who could not understand a word of their language, they
became a very serviceable body.
Yu Lu, the Viceroy, managed to effect his escape from the yamen, but a
few days later he and the whole of his family committed suicide. His
fate was certainly a hard one. Up to the outbreak of hostilities he
had done his best to suppress the Boxers and protect the foreigners.
On June 9 he had tendered his resignation, but all his efforts in that
direction were thwarted by the governor, and he was ordered to remain
where he was. The hostility of his enemies at Pekin was carried beyond
the grave, for an order was made for his posthumous degradation, a very
terrible thing for a Chinese family, simply because he had failed to
hold Tientsin against its assailants.
Many small forts round the town were captured without resistance. These
mounted many guns, and the fact that the garrisons abandoned them
without resistance showed the complete demoralization of the Chinese.
If only the assailing force had been in a position to follow up their
work, there is little doubt that they could have arrived at Pekin
almost without striking a blow.
After extinguishing the fire the troops set to work to render the town
habitable. Great numbers of dead were removed from the houses that had
been destroyed by shell fire, and from the streets, and in a very short
time the town was brought into a satisfactory sanitary condition.
There was now a long pause. While the British and Americans were eager
to advance towards Pekin at the earliest opportunity, the Russians fell
back. There were but two of their people in Pekin, and it was evident
that they were far more desirous of getting political advantages out of
the situation than of reaching the Legations. They maintained that it
would need an army of sixty thousand to force a way up. The differences
between them and the other nationalities became more and more acute,
and matters dragged on painfully. It was true that there was still
an immense deal to be done before a force of even twenty thousand
men could be ready to advance, but in spite of disagreement between
the commanders, work was carried on vigorously. Junks and carts were
collected, guns, and great stores of provisions and ammunition were
brought from the coast, and troops poured in; but still no day was
named for the advance.
The anger and discontent among the merchants and traders who had
friends in Pekin increased daily. Men talked angrily and despairingly
at the corners of the streets, and cursed the hesitation and bickering
on the part of the military. Rex went about with his hands deep in his
pockets and his head bent down, raging and pouring out abuse against
the generals. His father in vain tried to calm him.
“My dear boy,” he said, “you may be convinced that the five thousand or
six thousand men that we have here are sufficient for the advance, but
even I, anxious as I am to see an expedition set out, cannot agree with
you. I quite believe that if on the day after we had taken Tientsin we
had been ready to start, five thousand men might have done it. The
news taken by the flying Chinese would have sufficed to demoralize the
enemy all over the country. But we were not ready, and the delay that
has occurred having been sufficient to allow the Chinese to get over
their scare, an expedition of only five thousand men would inevitably
terminate in a fiasco, as did that under Seymour.
“I think myself that at least ten thousand men will be necessary
to relieve Pekin. That force will require a large transport train.
Besides, though we have taken a great number of Chinese guns, few of
these are field–guns, and, as you know, we are at present terribly
deficient in artillery. Even for the guns we have there is no
ammunition, for nearly every round we had was fired away the other day.
We have no provisions for the troops, and must wait till a sufficient
supply is collected and brought up here, together with the guns and
an ample supply of ammunition. All this cannot be done in a day. I
grant that we do not seem to be pushing on matters as quickly as we
should wish, but already five trains a day run down to Taku, and an
immense deal of work has been quietly carried on. Besides, the military
commanders are convinced that Pekin has already fallen, and that there
is no occasion whatever for haste. Troopships are expected in every day
with reinforcements from India. Japan, Germany, and France, and when
in another week we may have twenty thousand troops here, the military
authorities may be well excused for not deciding upon making an attempt
with a quarter of that force.”
“Well, Father, I hope that when we do go you will get me attached to
the force as interpreter.”
“Certainly, Rex. I have no fear that when the force does go on there
will be any hitch this time. Which section would you like to be
attached to?”
“Well, I think, Father, if I have the choice, I should like to go with
the Japs. They are awfully good little fellows, and as plucky as lions,
and I fancy that as they are so strong they are certain to be well in
front. I should really like to go with them.”
“Very well, I have been supplying them with a great many goods, and
have spoken to their general several times. He talks English very
well. When I tell him that you have been twice into Pekin since it was
besieged, and brought down the last message that got through from the
British Minister, I should think he would be glad to take you.”
Two days later Rex learned that he had obtained an appointment as
interpreter with the Japanese troops, and that the general requested
that he should begin his duties at once. It was a great relief to him
to be employed again, as it took his thoughts off his friends at Pekin.
There was not, however, much to do. The Japanese arrangements were all
so perfect, the men so quick and handy, that there was no occasion for
his services except in making small purchases, and in arranging with
Chinese coolies to man the junks, and with country–people for carts.
There was some difficulty in obtaining provisions, for the Russians
had carried fire and sword among all the villages to a considerable
distance on their side of the river, burning the houses and generally
killing the inhabitants. The consequence was that no supplies could be
got on that side of the river. The villagers, however, began to come in
from the north side, very timidly at first, but more boldly when they
found that they were unmolested by the soldiers, for American, British,
and Japanese all treated them well, and, after the sack of the city was
over, resumed their ordinary discipline.
Stores were now accumulating fast. Every train from Taku brought up
troops, guns, ammunition, and provisions. The greatest difficulty was
the disembarkment of these from the ships thirteen miles away. Some of
the merchant ships of light draught were able to come in and unload at
the wharves. The blue–jackets and marines in the men–of–war aided in
loading up the trucks, and the work went on with great rapidity.
Many of the Japanese officers spoke English, and Rex was soon at
home among them, and found them very cheery, pleasant companions.
Their general was a very agreeable man, with charming manners, and
immensely popular among his troops. The greater portion of these were
stationed in Tientsin, where they maintained perfect order in the
district assigned to them, and Rex found that the natives returned
more fearlessly to their districts than to those occupied by other
nationalities.
On July the 20th a letter came down from Mr. Conger, the United States
Minister at Pekin, saying that they had been besieged for a month under
continuous shot and shell from the Chinese troops, and that quick
relief only could prevent general massacre. This woke up the military
commanders. General Gaselee, who commanded the British contingent, and
General Chaffee, who commanded the Americans, insisted that an attempt
at relief should be made at all hazards. To wait until sixty thousand
men were assembled would be simply to sacrifice the Legations, and they
informed the other commanders that they were determined to start even
if they had to go alone.
There was still much to be done before arrangements were completed, but
the work went on with increased life and spirit now that it was certain
that the Legations were still holding out. It was not, however, until
August 4 that all was ready. Even then jealousies had arisen; both the
Russians and the Japanese wished to lead the advance, and none wished
to accept a position behind the others. General Gaselee then said
that the British would take the rear–guard, as he only wished to get
to Pekin, and did not care in the least which of the columns got there
first so long as they reached it in time to relieve the Legations.
After this act of abnegation it was very satisfactory that the British
force was the first to enter the Legations.
The force was made up as follows:—Eight thousand Japanese under
Lieutenant–General Baron Yamaguchi, with Major–General Fukushima as
Chief of the staff; four thousand five hundred Russians under General
Linievitch; three thousand British under Lieutenant–General Sir A.
Gaselee, Major–General Barrow being his Chief of the staff; two
thousand five hundred Americans under General Chaffee; eight hundred
French under General Frey. The total force amounted to eighteen
thousand eight hundred. No Germans took part in the expedition, and it
was generally supposed that they preferred taking care of their own
possessions at Shantung to rescuing the Legations. The total Japanese
force, if they had all arrived, would have been twenty–two thousand.
The Russians had three thousand men at their camp between Tientsin and
Chefou, and a few British troops were left in Tientsin. It had been
originally intended that Sir A. Gaselee should have a force of over
seven thousand, but half the troops he brought with him had stopped at
Shanghai by telegraphic instructions from home. This, though no doubt
the presence of so large a force at Shanghai was useful in preventing
trouble in the south of China, caused us to assume a very subordinate
position in the expedition to Pekin, the Japanese, with their large
force, doing the principal work of the campaign.
As the time advanced, Rex, whose despair at the long delay had driven
him almost distracted, began to fear that the expedition would arrive
too late. He was, of course, ignorant that the capture of Tientsin
had had a powerful effect on the position at Pekin. The Chinese had
believed that the place was impregnable, and so long as it was there to
menace the rear of an invading army they felt perfectly safe. It was
a tremendous blow to them therefore to learn that this city, with all
its forts, guns, and supplies of ammunition, had been captured after a
single dayʼs fighting, and the consequence was that their indecision
increased.
The war party were confused, and the peace party, headed by Prince
Ching, gained vastly greater influence in the councils of the Empress.
The consequence was that for twenty days after the arrival of the
news something like a truce prevailed. The besieged were even able to
purchase small supplies of provisions and fruit, and their condition
became much more tolerable. It was probable that the Empress would
have thrown herself altogether into the hands of the peace party had
it not been that the delay on the part of the allies had enabled
the panic–stricken Chinese soldiers to recover their _morale_ and
discipline. They had been very strongly reinforced, and it was
confidently hoped that they would be able to defeat the allies when
they advanced. Thus the miserable delays caused by the jealousy of the
allied commanders were not as prejudicial to the Legations as they
otherwise would have been.
When hostilities were renewed, had the Chinese attacked as actively
as they had done before the fall of Tientsin, it is morally certain
that the defenders of the Legations would have found it impossible to
continue their resistance, and that they would have been massacred.
“The Russians are at the bottom of all this hateful delay,” said Rex.
“I am convinced that the Japs, though the strongest in numbers, would
give in willingly were it not that the Russians are always making fresh
demands. We and the Americans only want to get there, and the French
are in such small numbers that it does not matter a rap what they think
of it. It is the Russians who are to blame.”
“There is no doubt about that, Rex,” his father said. “I believe
they are playing a double game. They want to pose as the friends of
China and thus obtain concessions and an overwhelming influence at
Pekin. This, it would seem, they try to do by all sorts of delays, by
advancing petty claims, and by generally putting their spoke into the
wheel. They have already got Manchuria under their thumb, and they will
certainly stick to it unless China is backed up by the other powers
and they unite in insisting that China shall not suffer further loss
of territory at the hands of the Russians or anyone else. There is no
question that that is our best policy. It is to our interest that China
shall remain whole and united and capable of holding her own against
Russia. Neither Britain nor Japan can have any desire for territory,
and after the war is over, an alliance offensive and defensive between
these two nations would be worth all the loss of life and property we
have incurred.”
“That would be grand, Father. There is no doubt that the Japs are
beggars to fight. The way they smashed China showed that, and the other
day they certainly did at least as well as the other nationalities.
With their fleet and ours combined we could hold our own with the
greatest ease against Russia and France, even if Germany were to join
them. We are showing them now in South Africa what an army we can put
in the field, and with our Indian army and that of the Japs we could,
if pressed, drive the Russians out of Asia.”
“That would be a big order,” his father laughed, “but we could
certainly effectually prevent them from meddling with China and make
them keep within their own boundaries. Besides, we should have China
to count with also. China has wakened up since the war with Japan,
and has gone in for the best modern guns and rifles. If she had let
two more years pass before beginning this row we should have found
her a very formidable opponent. Her troops would then have become as
well–disciplined as ours.”
“Well, then, I am very glad, Father, that they did not wait for another
two years. We found it pretty hard work as it was to take Tientsin, and
if the greater part of their army had not moved out during the night I
doubt very much whether we should have captured it. It was lucky indeed
that we stuck to it during the night; it was only that that turned the
scale. You know the old story, Father, of a Chinaman who excused defeat
by saying: ʻTwo men cannot be in one place; if one must come the other
must go.ʼ“
His father laughed.
“Well, I have no doubt it is something like that, Rex. When the Chinese
saw that we were quite determined to get into Tientsin, our obstinacy
and fixedness of purpose told upon them, and they began to say: ʻThese
people have made up their minds to come, therefore we had better go.ʼ
Certainly they showed a great deal of pluck during the first dayʼs
fighting; even the tremendous cannonade to which they were exposed did
not seem to shake their courage at all, for they fought as stoutly at
the end of the day as they did at the beginning. We can hardly say
that we gained any advantage whatever. We certainly have every reason
to congratulate ourselves on the fact that they lost courage when they
came to think it over after nightfall. Well, I have not the least fear
that the force that is starting to–morrow will fail. If the Chinese
did not stand when fighting behind strong walls, supported by a circle
of strong forts mounting a prodigious number of cannon, it is hardly
likely that they will make anything like a determined resistance in
the open. I anticipate that the difficulties will rather be in getting
to Pekin than in defeating the enemy. We know that the banks of the
Peiho have been cut and a large stretch of country inundated, and
consequently the river is so sunk that it is very doubtful whether
even the lighter craft among the junks will be able to get up. If they
cannot, the expedition will be in nearly the same position as that of
Admiral Seymour. They canʼt march without provisions, ammunition, and
guns, and certainly the amount of land transport they have collected is
nothing like sufficient for that. They must chiefly depend upon their
junks, and if the river fails them they are brought to a stand–still.”
“I am afraid that is so, Father,” Rex said; “but at any rate we must
hope for the best.”