  CHAPTER I FROM WEI-HAI-WEI TO TIENTSIN Our transport—An Irish padrÉ—Wei-hai-wei harbour by night—The island by day—The mainland—On to Taku—Taku at last—The allied fleet—The famous forts—The Peiho River—The Allies at Tong-ku—The British at Hsin-ho—The train to Tientsin—A motley crowd of passengers—The country en route—A historic railway station CHAPTER II TIENTSIN The foreign settlement—The Chinese city—The linguists in the Anglo-Indian army—The Tientsin Club—A polyglot crowd round the bar—The English Concession—The famous Gordon Hall—The brawls in Taku Road—Dissensions among the Allied troops—The attack on the Royal Welch Fusiliers’ patrol—The siege of Tientsin—Scene of the fighting—Accuracy of the Chinese shell fire—Soldier life in the streets of Tientsin—Tommy Atkins—Peace and War—The revenge of Christianity—The “railway siding incident” CHAPTER III THE ALLIED ARMIES IN CHINA The German expeditionary force—Out-of-date tactics—Failure of their transport—Their campaigning dress—The German officer—The French troops—Improved training and organisation of the French army—The Russians—Endurance and bravery of the Russian soldier—Defective training—The Japanese army—Its CHAPTER IV PEKIN To the capital—The railway journey—Von Waldersee’s introduction to our Royal Horse Artillery—The Temple of Heaven—The Temples of the Sun and Moon—The Centre of the Universe—The Chien MÊn Gate—Legation Street—The HÔtel du Nord—Description of Pekin—The famous walls—The Tartar City—The Imperial City—The Forbidden City—Coal Hill—The Ming Pagoda—The streets of Pekin—A visit to the Legations—The siege—Pekin mud—A wet day—A princely palace—Chong Wong Foo—A visit to the Forbidden City—The Imperial eunuchs—Seated on the Emperor’s throne—His Majesty’s harem—A quaint notice—A giant bronze—The Imperial apartments—The Emperor’s bedroom—The Empress-Dowager’s pavilion—Musical-boxes and toys—Her Majesty’s bed—The Imperial Garden—The view from Coal Hill CHAPTER V RAMBLES IN PEKIN The Peitan—Defence of the Cathedral—A prelate of the Church militant—A gallant defence—Aspect of Pekin after the restoration of order—A stroll down Ha-ta-man Street—Street scenes—Peddlers—Jugglers—Peep-shows and a shock—A dancing bear—Shoeing a pony—The sorrows of a Pekin shopkeeper—Silk and fan shops—A pottery store—A market-place—A chaffering crowd—Beggars—The Legation wall—Visit to the Great Lama Temple—The CHAPTER VI THE SUMMER PALACE Our ponies—The ride through the streets—Evil-smelling lanes—The walls—The shattered gate-towers—The Japanese guard—The taking of the City and relief of the Legations—The paved high-road—A fertile country—The villages—A ruined temple—Bengal Lancers and Mounted Infantrymen—A ride through the fields—Distant view of the palace—The ornamental gate—The entrance—The sepoy guard—The outer courtyard—Bronzes on the temple verandah—A network of courts—Royal Artillery mess in the pavilion that had served as the Emperor’s prison—The shaded courtyard—Officers’ quarters looking out on the lake—A marble-walled lake—Lotos—Boats—A walk round the lake—The covered terrace—The Bersagliere guard—Pretty summer-houses—The Empress’s temples—The marble junk—A marble bridge—Lunch in a monarch’s prison—The hill over the lake—A lovely view—The Hall of Ten Thousand Ages—Vandalism—Shattered Buddhas—The Bronze Pagoda—The island—The distant hills—Summer quarters of the British Legation—The ride back—Tropical rain—Flooded streets—A swim CHAPTER VII A TRIP TO SHANHAIKWAN A long journey—The junction at Tong-ku—Mud flats—A fertile country—Walled villages—Mud forts—Defended stations—The canal—Tong-shan—The refreshment room—The coal mines—Hills—Roving brigands—Shanhaikwan—Stranded at the station—Borrowing a bed—Hunting for a meal—A Continental cafÉ—Spatch-cocks—A woman without pride—A mosquito concert with refreshments—Rigging up a net—A surprise for the British and Russian station officers—A midnight introduction—An admiring Russian—Kind hospitality—Good Samaritans—The Gurkha mess—Fording a stream—A Russian cart—The Great Wall of CHAPTER VIII OUR STRONGHOLD IN THE FAR EAST HONG KONG AND THE KOWLOON HINTERLAND Importance of Hong Kong as a naval and military base—An object-lesson of Empire—Its marvellous rise—The constant menace of famine—Cause of Hong Kong’s prosperity—Its geographical position—An archipelago—Approaching Hong Kong by sea—First view of Victoria—A crowded harbour—The mainland—The Kowloon Peninsula—The city of Victoria—Queen’s Road—The Shops, hotels, banks—The City Hall—The palatial club—The Brigade Parade Ground—The base Commissariat Officer, Major Williams, I.S.C.—The Naval Dockyard—Sir Francis Powell, K.C.M.G.—Barracks and Arsenal—The Happy Valley—A memento mori—The polo ground—Lyeemoon Pass—The southern side of the Island—The Peak—The cable tramway—View from the Peak—The residential quarter—The floating population of Hong Kong—The sampans—Their dangers in the past—The rising suburb of Kowloon—The Hong Kong regiment—The docks—The Chinese city of Kowloon—Street scenes in Hong Kong—Social amusements of the colony—Society in Hong Kong and Kowloon—The Kowloon Peninsula—Danger to Hong Kong averted by its possession—Character of the peninsula—The frontier—The Chinese territory beyond it—The taking over of the Hinterland in 1898—A small campaign—The chances of a land invasion of Hong Kong—The garrison of Hong Kong—Advisability of mounted infantry CHAPTER IX ON COLUMN IN SOUTHERN CHINA A camp on the British frontier—Fears of outbreaks in Canton—The Black Flags—Alarm in Hong Kong—General Gaselee’s troops diverted to Hong Kong and Shanghai—His authority among the Allies weakened in consequence—Wild rumours in Canton—The reform party in the south—The Triads—Rebellion in the Kwang-tung province—Admiral Ho—Troops despatched from Hong Kong to guard the frontier—The Frontier Field Force—Its composition—The departure of the column—A picturesque voyage—An Imperial Chinese Customs gunboat—The Samchun River—War junks—Our first camp—Admiral Ho’s army—Consternation among the Chinese troops—They march away—No official maps of the Hinterland—A Customs station—Britishers in danger—Chinese-made modern guns—A false alarm—A phantom battle—Chinese fireworks—A smart trick at the storming of the Peiyang Arsenal—A visit to Samchun—A game of bluff—Taking tea with a mandarin—Round the town—Cockroaches as a luxury—A Yankee Chinaman—A grateful escort—Terrified Chinese soldiers—An official visit to a mandarin—Southern Chinese soldiers—The Imperial troops in the north—A real alarm—A night raid—A disappointment CHAPTER X IN THE PORTUGUESE COLONY OF MACAO Early history of Macao—Its decay—A source of danger to Hong Kong—Fleet of the Hong Kong, Canton, and Macao Steamboat Company—The Heungshan and its passengers—Guarding against piracy—Macao from the sea—An awkward Chinaman—The Boa Vista Hotel—View over the city—The Praia Grande—Around the peninsula—In the Public Gardens—Administration of Macao—A night alarm—A mutinous regiment—Portuguese and Macaese society—A visit to the Governor—An adventure with the police—An arrest—Insolent treatment of British subjects—Redress—An arrest in Japan—Chinese gambling-houses—Fan-tan—The sights of Macao CHAPTER XI A GLIMPSE OF CANTON Hostility of Canton to foreigners—The scare in 1900—History of Canton’s relations with the outer world—Its capture and occupation by the English and French—The foreign settlement—The river journey from Hong Kong to Canton—River scenes at Canton—A floating city—Description of Canton—The streets—A visit to the shops—Feather workers—Ivory carvers—Embroidery shops—Temple of the Five Hundred Genii—Marco Polo among the gods—The prison—The cangue—Insolent prisoners—Chinese punishments—Death of a Thousand Cuts—The Temple of Horrors—The Examination Hall—Shameen—The English and French concessions—Foreign gunboats—The trade of Canton—French designs—Energy of their consuls—Our weak forbearance—An attack on Canton by river and by land CHAPTER XII CHINA—PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE At England’s mercy in the past—An easy and tempting prize—Patriotism unknown—The Chinaman’s wonderful love of his family—Causes of his want of patriotism—His indifference as to his rulers—The Chinese abroad—Hatred of foreigners in China—Its causes—This hatred common to all classes—A substitute for the non-existent patriotism—Can we blame the Chinese?—A comparison—If England were like China—Our country invaded by Chinese, Coreans, Siamese, and Kamschatkans—The missionaries in China—The gospel of love becomes the doctrine of revenge—The China of the present—Tyranny and corruption—What the future may prove—Japan’s example—Japan in the past and now—What she is China may become—Intelligence of the Chinese—Their success in other countries—The Chinaman as a soldier—Splendid material—Examples: the Boxers; the Regulars who attacked Seymour and Tientsin; the military students at Tientsin; the behaviour of our Chinese Regiment under fire—Heavy losses among the Allies in the beginning of the campaign—Comparison of the Egyptian fellaheen—The Chinese army of the future—A reformed Empire Index |
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