THE
LAND OF THE BOXERS
OR
CHINA UNDER THE ALLIES
BY
CAPTAIN GORDON CASSERLY
INDIAN ARMY
WITH 15 ILLUSTRATIONS AND A PLAN
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON
NEW YORK AND BOMBAY
1903
All rights reserved
TO
THE OFFICERS
OF THE
AMERICAN AND BRITISH
NAVAL AND MILITARY FORCES
IN CHINA
PREFACE
WRITTEN many thousand miles from the evertroubled land of China, with no opportunity for reference, this book doubtless contains many errors, for which the readers indulgence is asked. The criticisms of the various armies are not the result of my own unaided impressions, but a rsum of the opinions of the many officers of the different contingents with whom I conversed on the subject.
My thanks are due to Sir Richard Harrison, k.c.b. , InspectorGeneral of Fortifications, who served with the Allied Army which captured Pekin in 1860, for his courtesy in permitting me to use some of the excellent photographs taken by the Photo Section, Royal Engineers.
THE AUTHOR
London, 1903
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
FROM WEIHAIWEI TO TIENTSIN
Our transportAn Irish padr Weihaiwei harbour by nightThe island by dayThe mainlandOn to TakuTaku at lastThe allied fleetThe famous fortsThe Peiho RiverThe Allies at TongkuThe British at HsinhoThe train to TientsinA motley crowd of passengersThe country en route A historic railway station
CHAPTER II
TIENTSIN
The foreign settlementThe Chinese cityThe linguists in the AngloIndian armyThe Tientsin ClubA polyglot crowd round the barThe English ConcessionThe famous Gordon HallThe brawls in Taku RoadDissensions among the Allied troopsThe attack on the Royal Welch Fusiliers patrolThe siege of TientsinScene of the fightingAccuracy of the Chinese shell fireSoldier life in the streets of TientsinTommy AtkinsPeace and WarThe revenge of ChristianityThe railway siding incident
CHAPTER III
THE ALLIED ARMIES IN CHINA
The German expeditionary forceOutofdate tacticsFailure of their transportTheir campaigning dressThe German officerThe French troopsImproved training and organisation of the French armyThe RussiansEndurance and bravery of the Russian soldierDefective trainingThe Japanese armyIts transport system in ChinaSplendid infantryThe courage of the JapaneseExcellence of their Intelligence DepartmentIts workingThe East sown with their agentsThe discipline of the Japanese soldiersTheir bravery in actionModeration in victoryFriendship for our sepoysThe American troopsContinental criticismThe American army of the futureGallantry of the Americans at the capture of TientsinGeneral Dorwards praiseFriendship between the American and British troopsDiscomfiture of an English subalternThe ItaliansHollands imposing contingentThe Indian armyA revelation to the worldIndian troops acting aloneFighting qualities of the various racesThe British officers of the Indian armyOrganisation of an Indian regimentIndian cavalryLoyalty of the sepoy
CHAPTER IV
PEKIN
To the capitalThe railway journeyVon Waldersees introduction to our Royal Horse ArtilleryThe Temple of HeavenThe Temples of the Sun and MoonThe Centre of the UniverseThe Chien Mn GateLegation StreetThe Htel du NordDescription of PekinThe famous wallsThe Tartar CityThe Imperial CityThe Forbidden CityCoal HillThe Ming PagodaThe streets of PekinA visit to the LegationsThe siegePekin mudA wet dayA princely palaceChong Wong FooA visit to the Forbidden CityThe Imperial eunuchsSeated on the Emperors throneHis Majestys haremA quaint noticeA giant bronzeThe Imperial apartmentsThe Emperors bedroomThe EmpressDowagers pavilionMusicalboxes and toysHer Majestys bedThe Imperial GardenThe view from Coal Hill
CHAPTER V
RAMBLES IN PEKIN
The PeitanDefence of the CathedralA prelate of the Church militantA gallant defenceAspect of Pekin after the restoration of orderA stroll down Hataman StreetStreet scenesPeddlersJugglersPeepshows and a shockA dancing bearShoeing a ponyThe sorrows of a Pekin shopkeeperSilk and fan shopsA pottery storeA marketplaceA chaffering crowdBeggarsThe Legation wallVisit to the Great Lama TempleThe outer gateThe first courtLama priestsRapacious beggarsThe central templeColossal statue of BuddhaThe lesser templesImproper godsPhotographing the priestsThe Temple of ConfuciusA bare interiorA visit to a Pekin cloisonn factoryMethod of manufactureDeft artistsFiringThe enamelThe humiliation of ChinaThe standards of the victors
CHAPTER VI
THE SUMMER PALACE
Our poniesThe ride through the streetsEvilsmelling lanesThe wallsThe shattered gatetowersThe Japanese guardThe taking of the City and relief of the LegationsThe paved highroadA fertile countryThe villagesA ruined templeBengal Lancers and Mounted InfantrymenA ride through the fieldsDistant view of the palaceThe ornamental gateThe entranceThe sepoy guardThe outer courtyardBronzes on the temple verandahA network of courtsRoyal Artillery mess in the pavilion that had served as the Emperors prisonThe shaded courtyardOfficers quarters looking out on the lakeA marblewalled lakeLotosBoatsA walk round the lakeThe covered terraceThe Bersagliere guardPretty summerhousesThe Empresss templesThe marble junkA marble bridgeLunch in a monarchs prisonThe hill over the lakeA lovely viewThe Hall of Ten Thousand AgesVandalismShattered BuddhasThe Bronze PagodaThe islandThe distant hillsSummer quarters of the British LegationThe ride backTropical rainFlooded streetsA swim
CHAPTER VII
A TRIP TO SHANHAIKWAN
A long journeyThe junction at TongkuMud flatsA fertile countryWalled villagesMud fortsDefended stationsThe canalTongshanThe refreshment roomThe coal minesHillsRoving brigandsShanhaikwanStranded at the stationBorrowing a bedHunting for a mealA Continental caf SpatchcocksA woman without prideA mosquito concert with refreshmentsRigging up a netA surprise for the British and Russian station officersA midnight introductionAn admiring RussianKind hospitalityGood SamaritansThe Gurkha messFording a streamA Russian cartThe Great Wall of ChinaSnipeThe fortsThe old campThe walls of the cityOn the cliffs by the seaThe arrival of the Japanese fleetA shock for a Russian dinnerpartyThe sea frozen in winterA cricket matchShooting snipe on the cricket pitchDining with my Russian friendsVodkiMixed drinksThe wily Russian and the Newchwang railwayTea la RusseHeavy rainThe line floodedCossacks on a raftCut off from everywhereAn orderly of the 3rd Bombay CavalryA sowars opinion of the Russian invasion of IndiaCollapsed housesFriendly scene between Japanese soldiers and our sepoysThe floods subsideThe returnSmuggling armsLieutenant Stirling, D.S.O.
CHAPTER VIII
OUR STRONGHOLD IN THE FAR EAST
HONG KONG AND THE KOWLOON HINTERLAND
Importance of Hong Kong as a naval and military baseAn objectlesson of EmpireIts marvellous riseThe constant menace of famineCause of Hong Kongs prosperityIts geographical positionAn archipelagoApproaching Hong Kong by seaFirst view of VictoriaA crowded harbourThe mainlandThe Kowloon PeninsulaThe city of VictoriaQueens RoadThe Shops, hotels, banksThe City HallThe palatial clubThe Brigade Parade GroundThe base Commissariat Officer, Major Williams, I.S.C. The Naval DockyardSir Francis Powell, K.C.M.G .Barracks and ArsenalThe Happy ValleyA
