n, and the sick
and wounded were now in quarters which, compared with the holds of the
junks, must have seemed luxurious; and, but for the question of rations,
the force was now safe, but of these latter only enough for three days
and that at half allowances remained. Anxiety on this last account was
happily set at rest the next day, 23rd June, when, besides immense
stores of ammunition, which included war material of the newest pattern,
15 tons of rice were discovered.

All danger was now past. Several efforts had been made to communicate
with Tientsin, only five miles distant, but none of the native runners
had got through, till the 24th, when a force at once set out under the
Russian Colonel Shrinsky, who led a force of 1000 Russians; 600 British,
under Captain Bayly, and 300 of other nationalities then arrived at
daylight on the 25th. The arsenal, said to contain three million pounds
worth of military stores, was set on fire, and the united forces
returned to Tientsin the next day without further incident.

So ended the first expedition to relieve the legations in Pekin. The
failure was owing to the destruction of the railway and the fact that
the Imperial Chinese army, so far from assisting or even standing
neutral, took the side of the Boxers and opposed the expedition. That
it was not a disaster was owing to the wonderful manner in which
officers of no less than eight nationalities worked together, and the
courage and endurance of their men. The thought of the Chinese habit of
torturing their captives must have added to the natural anxiety of
depression on board the junks and to the terrible strain upon the
commander.

THE CAPTURE OF THE TAKU FORTS.

Soon after the admiral's departure it became clear to the commanders of
the ships off Taku that the Chinese Government were preparing to bring
down an army upon Tongku, the terminus of the railway, and that the
communication with Tientsin was threatened, and that the Taku forts were
being provisioned and manned. It was therefore decided to occupy the
forts, and notice was given to the Chinese of the intention to do so at
two a.m. of 17th June.

Taku is situate at the mouth of the Peiho river, which was until the
railway was built, and, if this were interrupted, would become again the
principal approach from the sea to Pekin, about 80 miles by river, and
to Tientsin 44 miles. The entrance, which runs east and west, is
strongly guarded by a series of fort