FLAGSHIP KENTUCKY.
Cavite, P. I., April 13, 1901.
Sir:—There appears on page 638 of the PROCEEDINGS OF THE U. S. NAVAL INSTITUTE, No. 96, the following paragraph in the article entitled "Operations in North China," by Lieutenant W. C. Davidson:
"Later, on the 14th of June, a force of about 800 allied troops, which had been landed at Tongku, were peremptorily ordered to return to their ships by the Chinese general commanding the Taku forts at the mouth of the Pei Ho. At this, the foreign naval commanders held a conference, at which, the American admiral dissenting, it was decided to take possession of the forts, in order to avoid further trouble with them, and an ultimatum was accordingly sent to the Chinese general on the 15th, demanding that he evacuate the forts before 2 A. M. of the following day."
As this statement, coming from an American naval officer who served in North China, although not until after the capture of the Taku forts, and published by the U. S. Naval Institute, would seem to carry with it a certain weight of authority, and consequently mislead many people in regard to the true history of events, which caused a rupture with the Chinese Imperial troops, I cannot allow it to pass without calling attention to the great error this officer has made in the reason he gives for the ultimatum being sent by the foreign naval commanders to the Chinese general commanding the Taku forts.
On no occasion did any Chinese official order troops of the allied forces to return to their ships, or even make a protest or offer objection to their landing.
On the other hand, the Russians and the Germans, June 15, prevented a force of Chinese troops from going from Lutai by train to Tongku and Chin Liang Cheng, by the former seizing the railroad station at Tientsin and Chin Liang Cheng, and the latter prohibiting trains from leaving Tongku. The telegram from the Chinese to the station-master at Tongku, ordering a train sent to Lutai, for the purpose of conveying Chinese troops from there to Tongku and Chin Liang Cheng, was obtained and read by Lieutenant Blue, who was stationed at Tongku at the time, as well as a similar telegram, countermanding the order for the train, after the action taken by the Russians and the Germans.
This matter is only referred to in this connection, as it might possibly be this case that Lieutenant Davidson, who arrived about two weeks subsequently, confused in his statement about 800 of the allied troops being peremptorily ordered back to their ships.
Very respectfully,
JAMES KEMPFF,
Rear-Admiral, U. S. Navy, Senior Squadron Commander.
The Secretary of the Naval Institute, Annapolis, Md.