Tsingtao

TSINGTAO, a port on a large inlet named Kiaochow bay, on the south side of the base of the Shantung peninsula, China. The bay was occupied by Germany after the murder of two mission aries in Shantung in 1897, and negotiations followed, resulting in a lease of land to Germany for 99 years. The area leased was about 117 sq.m., and all points within 32 m. of any point on the bay were held not to be affected by Chinese ordinances without German consent. A free port was created in 1899, and a branch of the Imperial Maritime Customs was established there for col lection of duties on shipments to and from the interior, in accord ance with the general tariff. Tsingtao, on the bay, became the port and chief centre, and the German Government created edu cational and agricultural institutions in the leased territory, and fortified the port. Japanese forces took the place in 1914, and held it till 1922, when it was returned to China under the Washing ton Agreement. The port is connected with Chinan, the capital of the province of Shantung, by rail, and here the railway joins that from Peking and Tientsin to Pukow on the Lower Yangtze. The Siege of Tsingtao.—The first part which Japan took upon herself to play in the World War was the reduction of the German stronghold of Tsingtao, on the bay of Kiachow. This fortress served at the outset of the war as the only base of opera tions in Eastern Asia for the German marauders menacing the Allied trade routes. It was imperative to make von Spee's raiders homeless, and the military and naval operations against the re doubtable base, which was under the command of Capt. Meyer Waldeck and garrisoned by some 13,000 men, of whom 5,599 were German regulars, were started with the utmost despatch. On Aug. 27, 1914, the blockade of Kiachow bay was declared by the Japanese navy, and Lungkow, 15om. N. of Tsingtao, was chosen

as the point for landing troops.

On Sept.

2, 1914, the Japanese division, under the orders of Lieut.-Gen. Kamio, commenced landing at Lungkow. Despite the terrible weather conditions, the vanguards arrived on the 12th at the small town of Tsimo, where they encountered the enemy for the first time. The second Japanese contingent began to land at Laoshan bay, within the leased zone, on Sept. 18 and soon estab lished touch with the first army. The Japanese forces under Gen. Kamio thus amounted to about 22,98o officers and men, and they succeeded in some io days in wresting from the Germans several of their advanced positions. On Sept. 24 there arrived at the arena of campaign the British force, commanded by Gen. Bar nardiston, consisting of 910 officers and men of the 2nd South Wales Borderers and 450 of the 36th Sikhs. After the non-com batants had been permitted to leave the fortress, the general at tack of the position was commenced on Oct. 31, the Japanese blockading fleet off the harbour assisting by a continuous born bardment. On the morning of Nov. 7 white flags were descried on the forts of Moltke, Bismarck and Iltis, to the pleasant sur prise of the attacking army, which had expected a protracted siege. After the fall of the stronghold it was ascertained that all enemy ships, including the Austrian cruiser "Kaiserin Elisabeth," had been sunk in the port of Tsingtao. The Japanese army lost during the campaign 1,968 killed or wounded, and the Japanese navy, a cruiser, a destroyer and a torpedo boat. The port of Kiaochow was reopened for trade by the Japanese on Dec. 28, 1914. (See WORLD WAR: Bibliography.)