42

THE  CHINESE  EMPIRE

The  Boxer  Outbreak  (1900)
The  anti-foreign  spirit  in  China,  roused  by  the  acts  of
aggression  on  the  part  of  foreign  powers,  found  expression
in  the  Boxer  movement  of  1900.  The  Boxers  were  a  semireligious ­
  fanatical  secret  society,  the  members  of  which
were  banded  together  to  drive  out  all  foreigners  from  China,
and  to  rid  the  Empire  of  foreign  domination.  Those  who
joined  it  believed  they  were  under  the  special  protection  of
the  gods,  and  that  by  the  use  of  magical  charms  they  could
make  themselves  invulnerable  in  battle.  They  began  their
operations  in  Shantung,  where  they  proceeded  to  burn  down
churches  and  missionary  residences,  and  to  murder  Christian
converts.  From  Shantung  the  movement  extended  into
Chihli,  and  soon  all  the  northern  part  of  China  was  in
confusion.  The  Chinese  officials,  many  of  whom  openly
sympathised  with  the  aims  of  the  Boxers,  did  little  to
oppose  their  progress,  and  the  Empress  Dowager  took  no
strong  measures  against  them.  As  alarm  was  felt  for  the
safety  of  the  Legations  at  Peking,  guards  were  sent  up
from  the  men-of-war  anchored  off  Taku  for  their  protection.
Peking  was  surrounded  by  the  Boxers  and  cut  off  from  all
communication  with  the  outside  world.  Admiral  Seymour
of  the  British  fleet  and  Captain  McCalla  of  the  American
fleet,  with  a  force  of  2,000  men,  consisting  of  British,
Americans,  Germans,  and  others,  undertook  to  march
from  Tientsin  to  Peking  to  relieve  the  Legations.  This
expedition  was  steadily  opposed,  and  upon  reaching
Langfang  met  with  a  determined  resistance,  news  having
reached  the  Chinese  of  the  taking  of  the  Taku  Forts  by  the
fleets  of  the  European  powers.  The  relief  force  was  compelled ­
  to  retreat,  and  on  the  way  back  experienced  much
hardship,  and  came  near  to  being  annihilated.
Owing  to  the  disturbed  conditions  in  China  a  large
number  of  vessels  of  the  various  foreign  powers  had  assembled ­
  off  Taku.  It  was  from  these  that  the  relief
expedition  to  Peking  had  been  sent.  After  it  had  started,
on  June  16,  the  commanders  of  the  fleets,  with  the  ex-