Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 04.djvu/755

* CHINESE EMPIRE. 657 CHINESE EMPIRE. upon the throne. Long accustomed to control the affairs of the pahioe, slie kei)t the weak young Emperor in subjection. In September, 1898, he issued a proclamation practically trans- ferring the sovereign authority to her, and con- fessing himself sick in body and mind. From that time he was lost sight of, and rumors of his death became frequent. A number of the' re- formers were executed, but Kang Yu-W'ei esca])ed and went into exile. Anti-foreign demonstra- tions in many quarters began almost immediate- ly, an<l marines were sent to Peking from the foreign naval vessels on the China station, to guard the legations. Assaults on the mission- aries and destruction of their property became of frequent occurrence, and it was evident that the exactions and dictatorial ways of the for- eigners had irritated the Chinese. If the liberal reformers could liave had their way, the diiliculty might have been peaceably met by creating an orderly, civilized government, that would com- mand the respect of the world; but with the tri- umph of the reactionaries in the Government, the spirit that «as abroad found vent in violent and barbaric outbreaks that only served further to <liscredit China with civilized nations. The seizure of full ))ower by the Empress Dowager was marked by the substitution of JIanchus for Chinese in the higher offices, which meant the infusion of a more brutal and violent spirit in the Government. In January, 1900, the puppet Emperor was heard from once again, in a proc- lamation made by the orders of the Empress Dowager, naming Pu Chun, son of Psai Yi, Prince Tuan, as the successor to the throne. Reports were heard soon after of the activity in Shantung of the organization popularly known as the Boxers (a very free translation of the Chinese name meaning 'The Fist of Righteous Harmony'). This organization and another which seems to have become identified with it were apparently the beginnings of a patriotic volunteer militia which was intended for the <lefense of the country against foreign aggres- sion. It had at the outset the favor of many really well-meaning men, but it soon came into the control of fanatics, whose motto was, 'Exter- minate the foreigners.' As reports of its acts be- gan to come in, the foreign ministers made fre- quent representations to the Tsang-li-Yamcii, or Board of Foreign Relations, but without obtain- ing any satisfaction. ^Matters went from bad to worse, imtil the very legations in Peking were threatened by the reign of terror which enveloped the capital. A relief force of 2000 marines and sailors from the allied foreign fleets set out for Peking. -June 10. under the connnand of ice- Admiral Seymour, the British commander, but this force was unable to reach Peking. On .Tune 11, the chanccllnr of the .lapancse legation was nuirdered in Peking by Chinese soldiers. Al- ready there was little doubt that the Boxer out- break was encouraged from the palace. On .Time 17. the allied fleets bombarded and captured the Taku forts. Three days later Baron von Ket- teler. the German .Vmbassador, was murdered in the streets of Peking, on the way to the Tsung- li-Yamen. The diplomatic corps, together with their households and guards, before the end of .Tune, were all gathered in the British legation, ■which was fortified as well as possible. Cut off from all conununication with the outside world, they endured the horrors of a siege for nearly two months. Meanwhile an allied army of relief had been assembled at Taku. It captured Tien- tsin on July 14, and advanced to the relief of the besieged legations. The march began on August 4, the force numbering about 18.000 men — .Jajianese, Russian, British. American, and l'"rench. Peking was reached and the legations were relieved on the 14th, the Imperial City being taken on the following day. The Court escaped into the interi<n'. On the 28th troops of all the nationalities represented (now including some bodies of Germans also) marched through the sacred precincts of the Forbidden City, as a symbol of the humiliation of China. The ad- vance on Peking and the occupation of Chinese territory was attended with much looting, bru- tality, and license, not at all creditable to the Christian nations. Li Hung Chang and Prince Clung were commissioned to treat with the Pow- ers, and after months of wearisome negotiation, prolonged by the differences among the Powers and by the peculiar methods of Oriental diplo- macy, a protocol embodying the terms of peace to be imposed upon China was submitted to the Im- ])erial Government. This document set forth the expiatory measures imposed upon China on ac- count of the Boxer outrages: forbade the impor- tation of arms and ammunition or the materials for their manufacture; provided for the payment and distribution of an indemnity of 450.000,000 haikwan taels, or .$.333,000,000:" the conversion of ad valorem into specific duties, and the im- provement of the Pei-ho and Vhang-pu rivers, at the joint cost of the foreign Powers and China; prohibited Chinese membership in anti- foreign societies under pain of death, and abol- ished Government examinations for five years in cities where foreigners had been massacred : or- dered the dismissal of governors who should licreafter permit anti-foreign agitation ; and transformed the semi-official Tsung-li-Y'amen into a ministry of foreign affairs, the Wai Wu Pu, taking precedence of the other ministries. A legation district in Peking which might be forti- fied and guarded was defined, and certain points were indicated that might be occupied by the foreign Powers to keep communication open be- tween the capital and the sea. lu accordance with this protocol, all foreign troops except the legation guards were to be withdrawn in Sep- tember, 1001, and the status quo was to be re- established. In an Imperial edict issued in February, 1001, China accepted these terms. While the Boxer movement was in progress and the siege of the legations in Peking was going on, the Chinese forces made a vigorous and at first irresistible ad- vance against the Russians in Manchuria, which became the scene of bloody warfare. In .Tuly. 1900. the Chinese cannonaded Blagovyeshtchensk, on the Amur River. Russia assembled large forces which finally drove back the enemy, and at the beginning of October Mukden was in Russian hands. During the progress of the peace nego- tiations, the Powers dispatched punitive expedi- tions in various directions, these operations con- tinuing into the spring of 1901. In June. 1901. Count Waldersee. who had been at the head of the allied forces in China, laid down his com- mand. In .Tanuarv, 1902. the Chinese Court re- turned to Peking.' On April 9, 1902, the 'Man- ehurian Convention' between Russia and China was sealed by the Chinese Emperor. Under its