To the Editor of the "NOnTH-CuINA DaiLy News."
Sir,—Your reference to Tientsin in Notes and Comments to-day recalls the messages from Washington published while I was in London, in April. They told of speakers at 'a dinner in the Gridiron Club recounting events at Tientsin during the Boxer rising. cans lost their only field piece, but saved their Colt quick-firer.
The relief force, reassembled, thereafter advanced in approximately-two columns, British forces and American Marines in one; Russians and Germans in the other. Getting] within a few miles of their objective, they planned the attack with the British-American column (nearest the river and concessions) advancingainder cover of Russi artillery. An eye-witness, Mr, Wil-Ham McLeish, Secretary of the British Municipal Council, and correspondent for the North China Daily News, describes the arriv dust storm on at the time, and. we Unhappily there was a full-sized
could seo only 300 or 400" yards, but fat last we recognized the khaki of the Hosal Welsh and the helots of along th across and, "over came the Welsh-ten, the "Endymions," the Americans, and the Italians."
That was the actual relief of Tientsin; the Boxers and Imperial forces had still to be dislodged from the North-west side of the concessions in the native city. The Gridiron Club speaker said further:
"Bor weeks" some 900 soldiers and fgninst. tens of thous teal Chinese morning the enemy fung ceased, the Attackers melted away, anda" few hours later the American. Marines and" Fusiliers marched into the Settleaent (Concession), The beleaguered forces in Tientsin, according to authentic records, were) 2,700, composed of 1,700 Russian troops, 660 marines" of several, nationalities, the Tientsin Volunteer Corps of about 140 men, 150 foreign women, and about 160 children, In the later fighting at Tientsin, notably the Battle of Tientsin, July' 18, the principal American forces were the 9th U. S, Regiment of infantry, who had arrived after the relief. They were under Colonel, Liscum, who was killed in action. The British 0.C., General Dorward, true) officially noted their gallantry under a withering fire when they had marched into an open position, 'Upon the relief, on June 23, so far from the attackers melting' away, the bombardment was increased manyfold, and more shells fell the Concessions than in Ladysmith during its entire siege. As for} individual civilians and their defence work, no names were ever recorded by any historian. But the same eye-witness says: would be invidious te Mallent' men "and" women who did Brand, work during this supreme hhande in frendsnips™ 0 Sin Sm8Pe My father was with British naval forces' in that trouble and I have, for that reason, always been inter ested in its details. The established tacts of the relief of Tientsin are these: The relief columns, which reached that concession on June 23, 1900, numbered 8,000, and consisted of Americans, British, Germans, Italians, Japanese, and Russians, The Americans, - U.S. Marines, were led by Major Waller, famous Ipter for his "water-cure"™ of inshrfectionary Filipinos. The British force was a naval brigade, mainly from H.M.S. Endymion," under Captain, afterwards Admiral toplter Craddock, and among, the. junior officers were Phillimorer Roger Keyes, and Beatty. The Hailitary unit was the Royal Welch Fusiliers, Prior to the march on Tientsin, the American Admiral, Kempf, refused to join the Allies in the capture of Taku forts, He said his country'was not at war with China. His President, McKinley, upheld him, bu€ orities did not." Tt was. only after a stray shot from the forts struck the U.S.S, "Monocacy," that the Captain of that vessel, Wise, ook it upon himself to open, hostilities. Admiral Kempf accepted 'a de facto condition.
After taking Taka forts on June 11, the'elief force pushed forward by rail: to Chun Liang Chen, about half-way, whence they hed, owing to destruction of the line, The Russiang and Americans formed an advance, guard, which in its haste was led'inte an ambush and forced a eight miles. The Ameri-
From the beginning of the siege of Tientsin, officially placed at June 17, to the final battle which put an end to all attacks, July 13, the Concessions were under fire fur 27 days.
Tam, ete.
0. D. Rassussen (Author: Tientsin; An Illustrated 1925.)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.