The allied forces launched an attack on the south gate, and after entering the city, the inhabitants did not put up any resistance. At that time, British Commander Gussley, concerned about the potential danger to the embassy during the siege, discovered that a drainage ditch was located very close to the embassy. He stealthily guided his troops through the drainage ditch and, indeed, arrived directly at the British embassy at three o'clock in the afternoon. After meeting with Minister Dou and other British officials, they provided strategies for assaulting the inner city. By this time, the British forces had already captured Zhengyang Gate, so they immediately dispatched troops to protect the embassy, while some went on to occupy the Temple of Heaven. Just after occupying the Temple of Heaven, the Qing army at Yongding Gate came to the rescue but was defeated by the British forces, suffering heavy casualties, and ultimately, Yongding Gate also fell into British hands. At this time, the residents and officials in Beijing, unable to escape, feared being massacred, with some families resorting to suicide. However, when the allied forces first entered Beijing, apart from the Russian and German troops, the other forces still adhered to military orders and did not dare to be too reckless, but the common people had already been plundered, leaving nine out of ten homes desolate.
After the foreign troops occupied Beijing, they sent soldiers to eliminate bandits and had commanders from various nations conduct patrols around the palace, then sealed the palace off. As Beijing was vast, they discussed dividing the city into manageable zones, widely setting up patrol posts, and strictly establishing regulations for movement to temporarily pacify the populace. The contents of the regulations are as follows:
Article 1: All foreigners, be they military personnel or civilians, who violate regulations within the territory shall be apprehended and sent to the nearest patrol post for detention, with the head of the patrol writing a letter to the respective country's officer, submitting the offense and all witnesses for reporting.
Article 2: Each patrol post shall maintain a register to record the cases of accused foreigners, as well as the names and identities of witnesses for reference.
Article 3: All soldiers and camp personnel, if they do not have a passport, must not leave their respective jurisdictions without permission; only areas within and outside the city walls and the designated public streets are accessible.
The public streets include:
1. From Anding Gate to Coal Hill Drum Tower to the back gate;
2. From Anding Gate to Dongjiao Minxiang;
3. From Haidai Gate to Yonghe Palace.
First, we walk from Shunzhi Gate to the North City Wall. Then, from Xizhimen to Shunzhi Gate Avenue. Next, we cross the Mashichao Bridge from Pingzemmen and continue walking to Coal Hill. Then we walk from Dongzhimen to the Drum Tower. After that, we walk from Qihuamen to Xipaifang Avenue. And then, Dongjiao Minxiang. From Coal Hill, we walk outside Donghuamen Gate. From Shawo Gate, we walk to Zhangyi Gate. From Qianmen to Yongdingmen. From Shunzhi Gate to Caishikou. From Haidaimen to Suanshikou. Finally, we walk from Dongbianmen to Xibianmen.
Next are some regulations regarding passports and patrol officers: According to Article 3 mentioned earlier, the British and Japanese commanders should discuss and arrange the issuance of passports for all nations. Chinese individuals walking on the public streets mentioned above cannot be compelled by any nation to perform forced labor. Chinese shops on public streets may engage in trade freely and cannot be obstructed. Within the jurisdiction of each country, matters involving Chinese individuals, including incentives and penalties, shall be governed by the respective country's own regulations. All patrol officers, whether Chinese or foreign, must wear a white armband on their left arm with the Chinese characters "巡捕" (patrolman) displayed. Patrolman cards must feature red and white lanterns, clearly displaying "巡捕" in Chinese, and hung in a visible place. Based on the public streets and patrolman cards established as stipulated in Article 3, the British engineering team must promptly create a map.
