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P.A. Crush

Re the Russian troops threatening to take Tongshan during the Boxer troubles 

JPG

Letter

Copy of letter

Imperial Chinese Railway Administration

Admiral Bruce

Claude William Kinder

Copy of letter sent by CWK to Admiral Bruce IMPERIAL CHINESE RAILWAY ADMINISTRATION Pei Tai Ho Department June 18th 1900 Sir, I regret I am unable to go to see you myself in order to impress upon you my conviction that it is essential for us to hold this place as long as possible. There is little doubt that the Russians will soon hear that we have left Tongshan and have deserted the railway which, as you know, they are making every effort to obtain. This is by far the most convenient place for retaining a firm hold of the line when [guns] are available and when it is necessary to reoccupy Tongshan, which is practically the arsenal of the Railway, its recovery will be much easier from this point as a base than from any other. On this side of Tongshan there has yet been no damage done on the line and the population is less […], better off, and not anti-foreigner. The line is practically British property and the houses at P.T. H are chiefly English & American. If we leave P.T.H. when all Chinese guards have been withdrawn, the houses will at once be wrecked and the disturbance would extend to the railway itself. There is also British capital involved in the Chin Wang Tao Harbour scheme. The loss of prestige is an item which cannot be disregarded - seeing that the Chinese will consider we have been driven out by […] noisy threats and [retreating] without firing a shot.

1900.06.18

P.A.Crush & C.W.Kinder