Mr. Conger to Mr.
Hazy.
Legation of the United States,
Pekin, China, June 18, 1900.
(Received September 25, 1900.)
No. 393.]
Sir: We are still prisoners anxiously waiting
relief. We have had no news from Captain McCalla since my last dispatch
was written.
We have sent out several messengers, who have returned frightened and
without news.
The one reliable messenger we have found (and ours is the only legation
that has so far found any) was due last night, but has not yet put in an
appearance. I fear something serious has happened to him.
It is now eight days since the relief party under Admiral Seymour and
Captain McCalla left Tientsin. We know they have been within 30 miles of
Pekin, and we can not understand why, if they find it impossible to
readily repair the railway, they do not, with the larger part of their
command, march directly here.
On the 16th fires were started in the very heart of the Southern City,
which burned all day and all night, destroying a very great area of the
principal business portion, where were located the large banks,
theaters, silk, jewelry, porcelain, lantern, and curio shops,
restaurants, etc. Over three thousand houses were destroyed, and many
people perished in the flames.
The wind blew directly toward this city, but fortunately the great wall
between the two cities saved us. While the fire was raging about 3 p.m.
another was lighted in this city on Legation street, just outside of our
pickets, but by the heroic efforts of all it was extinguished, with only
the loss of three buildings burned and several torn down. Had the wind
been blowing as in the morning, the whole street to the west of the
canal would have been swept, and the Dutch, Russian, and American
legations burned.
On yesterday morning at 2 o’clock our outposts on three different streets
were stealthily fired upon by Chinese soldiers. In front of the American
guards a new Mauser rifle and cartridge box, together with a piece of a
Chinese soldier’s uniform was picked up, the owner evidently having been
wounded and crawled away. During yesterday a conflict occurred between a
small German guard and some Chinese soldiers, in which five of the
latter were killed.
These exhibitions of skill and courage on the part of the foreign troops
are good object lessons, but they also irritate the Chinese soldiers and
arouse such opposition among the Chinese people as to make the
situation, with our present small guard, still more critical.
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The officers in command of the several detachments have arranged a
general plan for the temporary defense of all the legations, but ours is
the most exposed and defenseless of all, as it lies right under the city
wall, which is 30 to 40 feet high, and from the top of which we would be
at the mercy of even a small number of guns.
If the battle becomes very hot the women and children will be taken
across the street to the Russian and ultimately to the English legation
and the place held to the last.
Last night Messrs. Hsu Yung-i, Lien Yuan, and Li Shan, the first two
being ministers of the Tsungli Yamen and the last president of the board
of revenue and a member of the Imperial household, sent a messenger to
the legation to say that they desired a conference with me and requested
to be conducted safely through our guards. This was done at 9 p.m., and
an interview lasting over an hour was held. I inclose a memorandum of
same made by Mr. Cheshire.
Several decrees have been published during the past few days. But decrees
seem to have lost all potency over the people and are apparently not
worth the paper on which they are written. However, I inclose
translations of some of the most important.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Memorandum of an interview had at the United
States legation, on the 17th of June, 1900, between Hsu Yung-i,
and Lien Yuan, ministers of the Tsungli Yamen, Li Shan,
president of the board of revenue, and Mr. Conger, United States
minister.
The Chinese ministers reached the United States legation at 9 o’clock
p.m. Mr. Hsu, who spoke first, stated that they had come under
express orders from the Empress Dowager and Emperor to state that in
view of the deplorable condition of affairs in Pekin—the result of
the depredations committed by the Boxers—every means would be
devised to give full and adequate protection to the legations and
all foreigners and their property in Pekin. He inquired as to when
the additional guards sent to protect the legations, etc., would
reach here, and whether Mr. Conger knew of their whereabouts at
present. Mr. Conger replied by saying that he could not answer the
question, not knowing anything of their movements as telegraph
communication was cut off. Mr. Hsu then stated that the presence of
foreign guards in Pekin had excited the populace and he hoped no
more would be sent. Mr. Conger said that in view of the uselessness
of the Chinese troops, and the utter failure of the Chinese
Government to prevent the outrages of the Boxers, as many guards as
were necessary would be sent to secure the safety of foreigners in
Pekin and to put down the Boxers. It was useless to talk of Chinese
soldiers, as they were not to be relied on and were, in many
instances, as bad as the Boxers themselves. Mr. Conger cited the
firing of some buildings west of here, on Legation street, by a
Chinese soldier who was caught in the act and shot dead. Another
instance of the untrustworthiness of Chinese soldiers was their
firing on the foreign guards on Saturday night. Instead of doing
their duty as protectors of the peace, they attacked our soldiers
without any cause or reason whatever. One of the Chinese soldiers
who attacked our men ran away, leaving his gun, cartridge box, and a
piece of his uniform on the ground, which were picked up and are in
the custody of the legation. Further, the plan of the Boxers now was
to burn houses hoping that the flames would spread to the legation
compounds and destroy the buildings within them, knowing that they
could not meet the foreign guards with any success. Reference was
made to the extensive fires that had occurred in Pekin at all
missionary establishments except two; and the large fires in the
Chinese city, where millions of dollars worth of property and
thousands of houses were destroyed, and not the least thing done by
the Chinese Government to prevent such unlawful deeds. The ministers
said that the Boxers first commenced their illegal acts against the
Christians only, but now the condition of things were different;
their plan was to destroy Government buildings, and it was feared
that the Six Boards might be fired. Mr. Conger said that the Chinese
Government was entirely responsible for the unwarranted acts of the
Boxers;
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that they had been
drilling in the grounds of some of the princes. Mr. Hsu said that
the drilling of the Boxers was first looked upon as a sort of
amusement, but it was not looked upon now in that light. The
minister said that the dispatch of the Wu Wei forces (Imperial Army
Corps) by the Empress Dowager they thought would have a good effect.
Mr. Conger asked why the Chinese troops did not fire upon the Boxers
instead of trffling with them; nothing but killing them could ever
bring about order. The ministers admitted that the native troops
were practically useless. Mr. Conger stated that American soldiers
were now on their way from Manila, and as many as it was thought
necessary to protect life and property of Americans would be sent
here.
The ministers asked Mr. Conger what were the views of the other
foreign ministers as to the present situation. Mr. Conger answered
that he could only speak for himself, and if they wanted to know the
views of the other foreign ministers they must call on them and
ascertain them directly. Mr. Conger asked why the Chinese Government
did not suppress the Boxers? The ministers replied that they were in
such large numbers that the native troops could not hold their own
against them. Mr. Conger then said that if he had 1,000 American
soldiers he could kill every Boxer in Pekin. The ministers inquired
as to the number of troops that were coming to Pekin, to which Mr.
Conger replied that he did not know. The first detachment here
numbered about 400; the second—on their way—about 900; but as the
telegraph line is cut, and as the foreign admirals knew the
situation here, and having plenty of troops at command, thousands
may be on their way. Mr. Conger further said that if any member of
his family, or member of the United States legation, was injured,
the American troops would destroy Pekin, and it would be very
serious indeed for the Chinese Government if any of the foreign
troops, on their way to Pekin, were attacked by Chinese soldiers. He
said that they were coming here to perform a duty which the Chinese
soldiers had failed to do, namely, the protection of foreign lives
and property.
Just before the interview terminated, the American pickets were heard
firing, which frightened the ministers. Mr. Conger told them that
there were so many bad characters about, bent on mischief, that the
guards had to be constantly on the watch.
The ministers left at 10.30 o’clock, with a guard to escort them
through the lines of defense. They promised to report the interview
to the Emperor and Empress Dowager.
[Inclosure 2.]
Translation of a decree published in the
Manuscript Peking Gazette, June 13, 1900.
On the 11th of June, outside of the Yung Ting gate, Akira Sugiyama,
chancellor of the Japanese legation, was murdered by banditti. On
hearing of the death of this officer we were exceedingly
grieved.
It is right that persons of neighboring States residing in Pekin
should receive due protection, but as banditti are now arising in
swarms, it is still more necessary, with especial care, to see that
stringent measures are taken to provide against calamities.
We have repeatedly issued our decrees, ordering all the various
officers to act in good earnest, to keep a strict patrol, and arrest
(bad characters), and render the closest protection (to foreigners).
How is it, in spite of our repeated orders and injunctions, and
within the domain of our court, the Japanese chancellor is murdered?
The civil and military authorities have been careless in not taking
precautionary measures to guard against such acts, and further, they
did not immediately arrest the persons concerned in the murder. They
certainly have not properly performed their duty.
Let all the yamens concerned speedily take action in this matter, and
they are hereby compelled, by this decree, to search for and
stringently arrest the murderers, without fail, so that they shall
suffer the extreme penalty of the law for the crime committed.
Should they fail to arrest the guilty within the prescribed period,
they will certainly be very severely punished.
[Inclosure 3.]
Translation of an imperial decree published in
the Manuscript Pekin Gazette, June 14, 1900.
Chung Li and others have memorialized us detailing circumstances of
the burning of the Christian chapels in the districts under the
senior and junior police provost of Pekin, and request that
punishment may be inflicted upon them.
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Let Chung Li, Ying Nien, and Tsai Lan be handed over to the board for
the determination of a strict form of penalty. Let the deputy
provosts and other officers of the two divisions of the gendarmerie
be deprived of their rank, but allowed to remain in office. Let
their buttons be taken away, and they are hereby commanded to
rigorously arrest the important ringleaders of the outlaws. They
must be arrested without fail, and strenuously punished.
