The incidents of this siege, which are fairly well known,
are evidently alarming the allied Powers. All their con- tingents are being increased. The British are sending 15,000 Sikhs and native troops from Madras and Bombay ; the German Emperor has raised his contingent to 15,000 men, 10,000 of them regular soldiers ; the Republican Government of France has sent 7,500 men; and the Russians are pouring troops through the Suez Canal. It may be taken as, certain that their contingent will be equal to that of any Power, and as the Americans contribute 5,000, the total will not be less than 57,000 men. This is exclusive of Japan, which will shortly have 22,000 men at Taku, and is discussing the propriety of raising this force to sixty thousand. If that is done the composite army of invasion will exceed 110,000 men, while if not it will be nearly 80,000, a force which will require very large supplies. It will not, however, be too big for its work, for it must garrison Taku, and hold Tientsin, and keep posts between Tientsin and Pekin—seventy miles— and when thus reduced storm the capital, which has internal as well as external defences.
