Anti-dynastic and anti-Christian troubles had been rife in China for some time previous to the Boxer Rising of 1900. Little is really known of the Boxers, except that they formed a secret society, having as their object the extermination of all Christians and the overthrow of the existing dynasty. The murder of some English missionaries in the neighbourhood of the capital and a general sense of insecurity led the various foreign Ministers in Pekin to call up a mixed force of Marines and bluejackets from the allied fleets in Chinese waters for the defence of the Embassies. This step was replied to by the Chinese by the murder of the German Minister and a general attack on the Embassies, which for a period of eight weeks were exposed to one of the closest sieges of modern times. Thanks to the gallantry of the British Minister, Major Sir Claude Macdonald--a soldier who had served his apprenticeship in that excellent regiment the Highland Light Infantry, and who was unanimously nominated to the supreme command of the little garrison, numbering only 400 officers and men--the Legations, though hard pressed, were enabled to hold out until assistance arrived. In June, 1900, on learning of the precarious situation of the Legations, Admiral Seymour, commanding our fleet in Chinese waters, and the senior of the foreign Admirals, essayed to march to their relief with a mixed force of 2,000 seamen and Marines from the various fleets. His little force included Americans, Austrians, French, German, Italian, and Russians, as well as our own men, our contingent numbering close on half the total. The Admiral found his force too small to cope with the hordes of Boxers, and he was compelled to make a stand at Tientsin. In the meantime the European Powers, together with Japan, were hastily despatching troops for the double relief of the Legations and of the Admiral. On June 16 the allied fleets bombarded and seized the Taku Forts, as well as the Chinese flotilla, the torpedo-boats built by the Germans for the Chinese fleet being gallantly cut out from under the guns of the forts by a young English Lieutenant, Roger Keyes. By the beginning of August the Indian brigades, under Sir Alfred Gaselee, reached the mouth of the Peiho, and after a series of small engagements pushed its way up to Pekin, and on August 14 the relief of the beleaguered Legations was accomplished. PEKIN, 1900. This honour was awarded to the regiments which accompanied General Sir Alfred Gaselee to the relief of the beleaguered Embassies in Pekin, when besieged by Chinese during the Boxer Rising of 1900: Royal Welsh Fusiliers. 1st Duke of York's Own Lancers. 7th Rajputs. 51st Sikhs. 24th Punjabis.