To the Editor of the "Norru-Cuixa Dany News."
Sia,—I have read several graphic accounts of the siege of Tientsin, but one prominent fent during rhe sume has hardly een referred to at all.
It was at the first stage of the siege; the residents of tientsin, men, women, and children, were pining in the Gordow Hall and its cellars.
The daily question was, when will the relief come; the shelling, pi unbearable and unless soon all hope must be abandoned.
During hard times men of steel come forward, and such was also here the case, Mr. Jim Watts, a young volunteer of twenty-two years of age, the son nf the well-known Capt. James Watts, Taku, volunteered to ride to Taku with dispatches, His offer was accepted by the military authorities; very few expected to see him again. The whole country was swarmi with Boxers nnd it appeared quite an_impossibility to get through, Mr, Jim Watts possesses the qualities of a hero, strony will-power and determination and a fearless disposition, He started under cover of darkness on " Cossack pony accompanied by three Cossacks.
He knew three Russian words only right, left, and charge. Mr, Watts was not only risking his life but facing the most horrible tortures, had he been captured. These facts make his action unique. The journey took 12 hours. He went through several villages where the men were sitting on benches armed with rifles with fixed bayonets, his flask was shot away, but on he and his brave followers wont.
he greatest danger was encountered tance from Taku when he passed in front of which there lay a broad creek. The dogs barked, the village Boxers came out. The question was would the horses take the water. Over they swam and Taku was eventually reached.
The dispatches were delivered and Mr. Watts started with the relieving forces for Tientsin, He has been made a Sub-Lieutenant of the Volunteer Corps and presented with sword, but he deserves to get the Victoria Cross and_he further deserves that all the Foreign Powers take cognisance of his heroic action which brought the relief and saved the community from possible destruction.
Tam, ete., Verrras, Tientsin, July.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.