Mr. Denby to Mr. Blaine.
Peking, January 5, 1892. (Received February 24.)
Sir: The Peking Gazette continues to publish memorials from the generals engaged in suppressing the rebellion in Mongolia, reporting the unvarying success of the imperial forces.
The miserable peasant rebels, armed with Chinese flint locks, are no match for Viceroy Li’s foreign-drilled troops, equipped with the best modern long-range rifles. In every encounter they are defeated with immense loss of life, while the Government troops count their casualties by several killed and wounded only. It is estimated that of the insurgents nearly 20,000 have so far fallen. The prisoners taken, who number very few as compared with the slain, are put to death as soon as their voluntary connection with the uprising is ascertained, without the formality of a reference to the throne. In every stronghold captured there are, however, found many innocent people, coerced or overawed into joining the rebellion against their will. These are at once set at liberty or sent under escort to their homes.
Whatever possibility of cooperation may have at first existed among the insurgent forces has now been destroyed. They have been widely dispersed by repeated defeats and are now found in scattered parties of a few hundred each, intrenched in rudely fortified villages or hidden away in the mountains. These are being one by one hunted down and the final complete suppression of the rebellion can not be long delayed.
I am, etc.,