The Press. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1900. CONCERTED CHAOS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10760, 13 September 1900, Page 4

The Press. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1900. CONCERTED CHAOS.

It is not easy to say exactly what is happening in China just now. But it is to be -hoped that no necessity for joint European action will arise before Count Waldersee, or some other responsible person, arrives to assume undißputed control of the allied forces. How they ever succeeded

in reaching Pekin is still a mystery. For weeks they were in a state that it would be polite to describ*. as chaotic. No one would move without everybody else, and between distrust and -national pride everybody was afraid to start. One English officer declared that an army half their size could have relieved the Legations in a' week, if only they had someone to follow and could have trusted each other. Admiral Seymour, being the officer of highest rank on the spot, seems to have been recognised as a sort of informal commander-in-chief. But he does not seem to have let himself go very far. He mado "suggestions" to the officers commanding the other contingents. His remarks were always politely received, but were not always followed out. The commanders tried holding councils of war, but there was nobody to enforce their decisions, and all these distinguished soldiers seemed to have lived for in mortal terror of offending each .thereby doing something independent. The American contingent from tho first was most anxious to risk anything on the cl-uuic*. of getting through to Pekin, ! and, as we know, the British and Japanese co___nandeis supported them. But the Russian troops, splend-d'ly as they fought, were not anxious to commit tbeoiselves. Their officers talked vaguely about "waiting for more troops from Port Arthur." The other Allies had to do nothing for four whole days while the Russians made up their minds that it was advisable to shell the native city and forts at Tien-tsrin. One British officer wrote disgustedly that they had wasted a whole week in politeness, and done absolutely nothing.

! Even when the advance did begin, the | lack of organisation and the conflicting opinions of the leaders of the different bandied to most disastrous confusion. When they started out from Tien-tsin to attack the native city, Colonel Liscum, commanding the United States Sth Infantry, had arranged to support the Japanese column, which, under General F_-a___iraa, the Japanese Captain Burnaby, was to make a frontal attack. The American regiment was left to find its own way, mistook the Japanese centre for their Hank, and finally got into a sort of blind alley, in which they were «--W»d with, a tacit murdcou- __•«. Tho

Colonel ieU, and the other officers got the men out of the trap as best they could, but with heavy loss. Later in the day, General

Dorward received from the Japanese general a written order which nobody could understand. The adjutant who brought tlie message could not speak English, and, as the position described by the Japanese leader could not be discovered, the Americans remained for the rest of the afternoon under fire, and did nothing. This sort of thing went on for a long time. Happily every-

thing turned out much better than anyone had any right to expect. But there is little doubt that'it was only tho arrival of General Gaselee and the Indian troops that saved the Legations. Tlie Russian and German authorities, both in Europe and China had declartjd that the relief of the Legations was quite impossible, and it seems as if the of the English, American and Japanese to succeed at all hazards had carried the other troops along with them in what most of them regarded as a very forlorn hope. If England had been prepared to asiert the undoubted predominance of her interest- in China, by boldly claiming the lead in the there could have been no doubt from the outset of its success.