Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Textbook Eukaryotic Genomic Databases Martin Kollmar Ebook All Chapter PDF
Textbook Eukaryotic Genomic Databases Martin Kollmar Ebook All Chapter PDF
Kollmar
Visit to download the full and correct content document:
https://textbookfull.com/product/eukaryotic-genomic-databases-martin-kollmar/
More products digital (pdf, epub, mobi) instant
download maybe you interests ...
https://textbookfull.com/product/plant-genomic-and-cytogenetic-
databases-methods-in-molecular-biology-2703-sonia-garcia/
https://textbookfull.com/product/secondary-findings-in-genomic-
research-1st-edition-martin-h-langanke-editor/
https://textbookfull.com/product/the-eukaryotic-rna-exosome-
methods-and-protocols-john-lacava/
https://textbookfull.com/product/genomic-medicine-a-practical-
guide-laura-j-tafe/
Seven Databases in Seven Weeks A Guide to Modern
Databases and the NoSQL Movement Perkins
https://textbookfull.com/product/seven-databases-in-seven-weeks-
a-guide-to-modern-databases-and-the-nosql-movement-perkins/
https://textbookfull.com/product/databases-theory-and-
applications-junhu-wang/
https://textbookfull.com/product/translational-cardiometabolic-
genomic-medicine-1st-edition-annabelle-rodriguez-oquendo/
https://textbookfull.com/product/seven-databases-in-seven-weeks-
a-guide-to-modern-databases-and-the-nosql-movement-2nd-edition-
luc-perkins/
https://textbookfull.com/product/a-code-for-carolyn-a-genomic-
thriller-v-anne-smith/
Methods in
Molecular Biology 1757
Eukaryotic
Genomic
Databases
Methods and Protocols
Methods in Molecular Biology
Series Editor
John M. Walker
School of Life and Medical Sciences
University of Hertfordshire
Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB, UK
Edited by
Martin Kollmar
Group Systems Biology of Motor Proteins, Department of NMR-Based Structural Biology,
Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
Editor
Martin Kollmar
Group Systems Biology of Motor Proteins
Department of NMR-Based Structural Biology
Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
Göttingen, Germany
This Humana Press imprint is published by the registered company Springer International Publishing AG part of
Springer Nature.
The registered company address is: 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, U.S.A.
Preface
Since genome sequencing became affordable, the number of available eukaryotic genomes
has dramatically increased. Large-scale sequencing of thousands of species is under way
(e.g., 1k fungi project, Y1000+ yeast project, Genomes 10k vertebrates project, B10K bird
project, 5k insects project, 959 nematodes project, 10KP plant project). Species-dedicated
communities complement genome-based knowledge by population genomics, transcrip-
tomics, and various other types of data. This volume introduces databases containing
genome-based data and providing access to genome-wide analyses. The primary audience
involves geneticists and molecular biologists who want to keep their knowledge up to date
on where and how to obtain eukaryotic genomics data. Many databases also contain more
complex data and analyses that are often hidden to the novice or occasional user and are
usually not described in documentations or online help pages. Chapters will describe data-
base contents as well as typical use cases, written in the spirit of the series which aims to
provide practical guidance and troubleshooting advice. The focus of this book is on data-
bases from all taxa except plants, which are described in another volume.
Although most of the databases provide access to the same data analysis tools such as
BLAST, JBrowse, and InterMine, and connect the genome annotations with the same fea-
ture databases such as GO, KEGG, Pfam, and phenotype ontologies, the described use
cases and approaches to capture and combine these data are very different. Therefore, it is
highly recommended to read and follow the protocols of multiple chapters even if the main
interest is in a single species or taxon. The databases presented in this volume are under
active curation and development. General technological developments and demands to
integrate extended and new data types will lead to continuous changes to and major updates
of these databases. However, the rationale how to access and combine the described
genomic data will remain independent of whether the look and feel of tools will change.
The clear guidance presented in the chapters should facilitate accessing eukaryotic genomic
data and stimulate comparative genomic research.
v
Acknowledgment
Pedro Assis, Gail Binkley, Juan Carlos Chan, J. Michael Cherry, Anne Eagle, Ken Frazer,
Sibyl Gao, Patrick Kalita, Kalpana Karra, Jonathan Knight, Ruben Lancaster, Kevin
MacPherson, Prita Mani, Ryan Martin, Stuart Miyasato, Sierra Moxon, Hans-Michael
Muller, Cecilia Nakamura, Paulo Nuin, Holly Paddock, Christian Pich, Matthew Russell,
Kevin Schaper, Tim Schedl, Gary Schindelman, Xiang Shao, Travis Sheppard, Matt Simison,
Amy Singer, Lincoln Stein, Paul W. Sternberg, Sabrina Toro, Daniel Wang, Shuai Weng,
Edith Wong, Adam Wright, Karen Yook
vii
Contents
Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Acknowledgment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
ix
x Contents
Index��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 579
Contributors
xi
xii Contributors
Matthew J. Hoffman · Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center, Medical College
of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Department of Physiology, Medical College of
Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
Douglas G. Howe · The Zebrafish Information Network, University of Oregon, Eugene,
OR, USA
Kevin L. Howe · European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics
Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
Christina James-Zorn · Xenbase Curation Team, Division of Developmental Biology,
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Tamsin Jones · Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of
Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Kamran Karimi · Xenbase Development Team, Department of Computer Science,
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Xenbase Development Team, Department
of Biological Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
Thomas Kaufman · Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
Paul J. Kersey · European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics
Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
Ranjana Kishore · Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of
Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
Jessica C. Kissinger · Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of
Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens,
GA, USA; Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
Martin Kollmar · Group Systems Biology of Motor Proteins, Department of NMR-Based
Structural Biology, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
Olivia W. Lang · Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
Aoife Larkin · Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of
Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Stanley J. F. Laulederkind · Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical College of
Wisconsin and Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
MeiYee Law · Mouse Genome Informatics, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
Raymond Lee · Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of
Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
Yu-Yu Lin · Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National
Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Antonia Lock · Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College
London, London, UK
Vaneet Lotay · Xenbase Development Team, Department of Computer Science, University
of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Xenbase Development Team, Department of
Biological Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
John Martin · McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St.
Louis, MO, USA
Steven J. Marygold · Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience,
University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Beverley Matthews · Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA,
USA
Gillian Millburn · Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University
of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
xiv Contributors
Abstract
The diArk Eukaryotic Genome Database is a manually curated and updated repository of available eukary-
otic genome and transcriptome assemblies. diArk is a key resource for researchers interested in comparative
eukaryotic genomics, and the entry point to browsing sequenced eukaryotes in general and to find the
most closely related species to the own organism of interest in particular. The exponentially increasing
number of sequenced species demands sophisticated search and data presentation tools. In this chapter we
describe how to navigate the diArk database keeping a first-time user in mind.
1 Introduction
Martin Kollmar (ed.), Eukaryotic Genomic Databases: Methods and Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 1757,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7737-6_1, © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018
1
2 Martin Kollmar and Dominic Simm
2 Methods
2.1 diArk Website diArk’s home page offers several entry points to search for
Navigation sequenced genomes and transcriptomes (Fig. 1). The main access
to tools and information is via the dark-grey menu bar near the top
of the page which is present on all diArk pages and facilitates quick
navigation to the search tools, to extensive statistical analyses of the
data, to help pages and other information. In addition to the menu
items, the website provides two autocompletion search forms. An
autocompletion search box, which can be added to the search
plugins of the Firefox browser, is located on the right site of the
menu bar and provides quick access to species summary pages
(Fig. 1A; see Subheading 2.2). Right in the middle of the website
is an autocompletion search field by which a search using the Fast
Search functionalities is started (Fig. 1B; see Subheading 2.3). The
home page also includes a quick view on a randomly selected spe-
cies, a short list of the latest species and their genome/transcriptome
assembly data added to diArk, a short list of the most recent pub-
lications about species’ genome/transcriptome analyses, and a
small box to the right with some metrics of diArk’s content
(Fig. 1C). More statistics can be obtained by clicking the info-icon
in the header of this box, and by browsing the statistics subpage,
which is accessible from the menu bar.
Because many species (especially fungi and yeasts) are known
under multiple, synonymously used scientific names, and because
many species were renamed recently because of better classification
based on now available whole-genome data, we adhered to a few
conventions from the beginning of the diArk project. First, diArk’s
reference scientific species names are the main species entries as
given in the NCBI-Taxonomy database [16]. There is no notifica-
tion by NCBI-Taxonomy, and thus we only adjust names as soon
as we observe changes. Second, as an exception to this convention,
we consistently use the fungi’s teleomorph names as diArk’s scien-
tific reference names. Teleomorph and anamorph are the sexual
and asexual states, respectively, of fungi, and both states were often
given different scientific names in times of pure morphological
classification. Many of these states were later shown to belong to
the same holomorph (the whole fungus, including anamorph and
teleomorph) but all scientific names remained in use. NCBI-
Taxonomy does not have, to our knowledge, a convention on how
to assign a main species name to these fungi. In most cases, the
name of the most widely analysed state seems to be taken.
Accordingly, in case the anamorph is the main experimental
research state for a fungus, the corresponding genome/transcrip-
tome assemblies at diArk refer to the less used teleomorph name.
Third, different sequenced strains/breeds/cultivars/isolates of the
same species (summarized as “strains” from here on) get different
4 Martin Kollmar and Dominic Simm
Fig. 1 diArk home page. The dark-grey menu bar below the page header can be used to quickly navigate to
search tools, statistical representations of sequenced genome/transcriptome data, help pages and more. (A)
Use the autocompletion search box to access species summary pages. The menu bar and the search box are
visible from all diArk pages. (B) Entering a search text in the autocompletion search form and selecting a spe-
cies from the list of hits starts the Fast Search. (C) Some metrics on diArk’s content are shown in the right box.
More numbers will be shown upon clicking the info-icon
2.2 The Fastest Species summary pages provide the most basic information about
Access to Sequenced available genome and transcriptome assembly data. These pages
Genome are accessed by using the autocompletion search box in the menu
and Transcriptome bar which is present on all diArk pages (Fig. 1A). The query is
Data automatically performed in all species name categories, diArk’s
main scientific names, alternative/synonymous scientific names,
names of anamorphs, and common names. The search box can be
added to the list of search plugins of the Firefox browser by click-
ing on the Firefox browser icon on the right site of the search box.
This allows accessing diArk’s species summary pages from
anywhere.
1. To access a species summary page, first open the diArk home
page (http://www.diark.org) (Fig. 1). Locate the autocomple-
tion search box in the right top corner of the page.
2. To find a sequenced eukaryote of interest, start typing your
query into the search box (e.g., type “dict”). The autocomple-
tion function will list the first 10 hits for your query string in
alphabetical order and summarize the remaining if more hits
were found. Direct matches of the query string to diArk’s main
species names are shown in bold. In case the query string
matched to a common name, a name of an anamorph or an
alternative scientific name, diArk’s main species name is shown
in the list (e.g., type “dolphin,” “chicken,” or “duck”).
3. Move the mouse to the name of your eukaryote of interest. For
faster orientation, the currently activated species name is high-
lighted in yellow. Click on the name of the eukaryote of interest
to open the species summary page (e.g., click on “Dictyostelium
discoideum AX4”).
4. On top of the species summary page is a header with diArk’s
main species name in bold and a brief taxonomic overview with
the three most ancient and the three most recent taxa (Fig. 2A).
The page lists species-related information such as full taxonomy,
alternative and common species names, comments about spe-
cific strains sequenced, and provides links to NCBI taxonomy
and Encyclopedia of Life pages (Fig. 2B). The project-related
part of the page lists the type of data (genomic DNA or tran-
scribed DNA) and the sequencing centers where the data have
been obtained from (Fig. 2C). Via the links you can directly go
to the sequencing centers’ reference pages for the respective
species. The projects also list and provide links to community-
driven species home pages such as dictyBase, XenBase, or
ZFIN. Using these links you can directly access more
6 Martin Kollmar and Dominic Simm
Fig. 2 Species summary page. (A) Header with species name and basic taxonomy. (B) Complete species infor-
mation including full taxonomy and alternative scientific, common and anamorph names. (C) List of all external
resources that provide access to genome/transcriptome assembly data for the particular species.
How to Use diArk 7
2.3 The Fast Search The Fast Search is enabled by using the autocompletion search
field in the middle of the home page or by selecting Search Database
from the menu bar. The autocompletion function in the search
Fig. 2 (continued) Some of these external resources provide extensive additional data and multiple analyses
tools. (D) List of assembly files available at diArk sorted by project. In case several projects host exactly the
same data, these data are linked. The table contains multiple metrics for comparing different assemblies and
evaluating the quality of each assembly. Multiple icons provide further detailed information and plots upon
clicking
8 Martin Kollmar and Dominic Simm
Table 1
Genome and transcriptome assembly file types
(continued)
How to Use diArk 9
Table 1
(continued)
Fig. 3 Genome assembly analyses. (A) By clicking the info-icon in the Contigs column of the Genome files sec-
tion of the species summary page, the user can inspect N50 and A50 plots of the assemblies. (B) A Chaos
Game Representation (CGR) is a unique fingerprint for each genome dataset and the number of pixels in the
graph is exactly the number of nucleotides in the dataset. Therefore, for comparing CGRs usually Frequency
Chaos Game Representations (FCGRs) are taken, in which the pixels in a certain resolution-dependent section
of the graph are summed
10 Martin Kollmar and Dominic Simm
Fig. 4 (continued) Below the species selection section there are three options to select certain sequencing
types (genome, EST, transcriptome, and combinations of these), complete or incomplete genomes, and genome
data available for download at diArk. (B) Data for the selected species can be browsed in seven Result tabs.
By default, the Species result tab is opened which is identical to the species section on the species summary
page (see Fig. 2B). Here, the References result tab is opened providing information about available analysis
tools and data types at species home pages and repositories
How to Use diArk 11
Fig. 4 The Fast Search. (A) The Fast Search offers a collection of the most commonly used search options.
Species can be searched using an autocompletion search field and are selected by pressing the enter key
or the left mouse button. Species and taxa can also be selected from the list of model organisms and taxa.
12 Martin Kollmar and Dominic Simm
2.4 Complex In the extended search, available by Search Database and then
Searches Search from the menu bar, the database is searched using modules
by Combining Search that can be combined in any order. These modules work as selec-
Modules tion baskets, meaning that by default nothing is selected when
choosing a search module. Users are usually interested in only a
small subset of the data, and this is faster to select from the avail-
able options than to deselect the rest. There are five different mod-
ules each providing specific options: a module for the full-text
search in all species names, a taxonomy search module, a publica-
tion search module, a module to search sequencing project related
data, and a module to filter by parameters related to
genome/transcriptome assembly files. A search operation can con-
sist of any combination of modules and their options. By adding
Fig. 5 The Genome Stats result view. The Genome Stats result view shows the genome size and GC content for
the selected species, here all mammals. To better evaluate these metrics the number of contigs for the under-
lying dataset is given. In most cases the sizes of the contig datasets are bigger than those of supercontigs and
chromosomes because the latter do not contain those contigs that cannot be ordered into supercontigs or
mapped to chromosomes
14 Martin Kollmar and Dominic Simm
further search modules the user can successively refine the search
and narrow down the result list. For each module the resulting set
of species, projects and publications is shown below the modules,
providing additional context. When a new module is added the
options available are restricted by the selection from the previous
module(s). At any time, the search options for every module can
be changed and modifications are propagated down the chain
reapplying previous user actions.
1. Click on Search Database and then Search in the menu bar
to move to the extended search by Search Modules (Fig. 6).
By default, all data in the database are selected and can be
browsed using the Search Result tabs as described above (see
Subheading 2.3).
2. The Species Names search module is identical to the species
autocompletion search field available in the Fast Search
(Fig. 4A). Click on the Taxonomy search module picture. The
headline contains a search module icon and the search module
name on the left, and a number of icons on the right (Fig. 7A).
Fig. 6 Search modules for the extended search. The extended search allows any combination of the available
five search modules to select specific subsets of the species and to filter for certain assembly characteristics.
When opening the search from the menu bar, all species are selected by default. By selecting any search
module all previous data (either all or the selection from previous search modules) are blocked. By selecting
species/publications/projects from the search modules these data immediately become available in the Result
views
Fig. 7 (continued) contracting the module (arrow-up/arrow-down icon). (B) Section of the Taxonomy search
module that allows selecting any combination of species from a full taxonomic tree. Here, “Dictyostelium
discoideum AX4” was searched and selected in the autocompletion field, which opened the corresponding part
of the tree up to the searched species. Species connected to internal nodes are automatically shown. The tree
can be expanded and contracted using the arrow-down/arrow-up icons, and species and taxa are selected
using the check boxes
Fig. 7 The Taxonomy search module. (A) The header of the Taxonomy search module. The icons in the right top
corner of the header are available in all search modules and allow removing the module (minus icon), getting
explanations for the search options (help icon), activating/deactivating the module (check box), and expanding/
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
colleagues, assumed the chief command. The French and
Austrians reoccupied the French Legation, but the barricade in
Customs-street was lost. One German only was killed and the
position was saved, but the blunder might have been
disastrous.
"It was obvious from the first that the great danger at the
British Legation was not so much from rifle-fire as from
incendiarism, for on three sides the compound was surrounded
by Chinese buildings of a highly inflammable nature. Before
time could be given to clear an open space round the Legation,
the buildings to the rear of Mr. Cockburn's house were set on
fire, and as the wind was blowing strongly towards us it
seemed as if nothing could prevent the fire from bursting into
the Legation. Water had to be used sparingly, for the wells
were lower than they had been for years, yet the flames had to
be fought. Bullets were whistling through the trees. Private
Scadding, the first Englishman to fall, was killed while on
watch on the stables near by. Men and women lined up, and
water passed along in buckets to a small fire engine that was
played upon the fire. Walls were broken through, trees hastily
cut down, and desperate work saved the building. It was the
first experience of intense excitement. Then the men set to
with a will, and till late at night were demolishing the
temple and buildings outside the wall of the Legation. Work
was continued in the morning, but when it was proposed to pull
down an unimportant building in 'the Hanlin Academy that abuts
upon the Legation to the North, the proposition was vetoed.
Such desecration, it was said, would wound the
susceptibilities of the Chinese Government. It was 'the most
sacred building in China.' To lay hands upon it, even to
safeguard the lives of beleaguered women and children, could
not be thought of, for fear of wounding the susceptibilities
of the Chinese Government! So little do the oldest of us
understand the Chinese.
"A strong wind was blowing from the Hanlin into the Legation,
the distance separating the nearest building from the
Minister's residence being only a few feet. Fire the one and
the Minister's residence would have been in danger. Suddenly
there was the alarm of fire. Smoke was rising from the Hanlin.
The most venerated pile in Peking, the great Imperial Academy,
centre of all Chinese learning, with its priceless collection of
books and manuscripts, was in flames. Everyone who was off
duty rushed to the back of the Legation. The Hanlin had been
occupied during the night by Imperial soldiers, who did not
hesitate, in their rage to destroy the foreigners, to set fire
to the buildings. It was first necessary to clear the temple.
A breach was made in the wall, Captain Poole headed a force of
Marines and volunteers who rushed in, divided, searched the
courts, and returned to the main pavilion with its superb
pillars and memorial tablets. Chinese were rushing from other
burning pavilions to the main entrance. They were taken by
surprise and many were killed, but they had done their evil
deed. … To save the Legation it was necessary to continue the
destruction and dismantle the library buildings. With great
difficulty, with inadequate tools, the buildings were pulled
down. Trees endangering our position were felled. An attempt
was made to rescue specimens of the more valuable manuscripts,
but few were saved for the danger was pressing. Sir Claude
MacDonald, as soon as the fire was discovered, despatched a
messenger to the Tsung-li-Yamên, telling them of the fire and
urging them to send some responsible officials to carry away
what volumes could be rescued, but no attention was given to
his courteous communication. The Dutch Legation was burned on
the 22nd, and next day Chinese soldiers set fire to the
Russo-Chinese Bank, and a greater part of the buildings were
destroyed, involving in danger the American Legation. Chinese
volunteers were called for. They responded readily, worked
with much courage exposed to fire from the wall, and the
Legation was saved. All the buildings back from the bank to
the Chien Mên (the main gate between the Chinese and Tartar
cities facing the entrance to the Forbidden City) seemed to be
on fire. Then all the Customs buildings were fired, so that
flames were on every side, and the smoke was tremendous, while
the fusillade was incessant. An Italian and a German died of
their wounds. The first American was killed, shot from the
wall, then a Russian fell. They were dropping off one by one,
and already we were well accustomed to the sight of the
stretcher and the funeral. Wounded were being brought in from
every Legation to the hospital in the British Legation. …
{121}
"Then a new terror was added to the fears of the besieged, for
the Imperial troops mounted a 3 in. Krupp gun on the Chien Mên,
the gate opposite to the Forbidden City, and began throwing
segment shells from a distance of 1,000 yards into the crowded
Legation. The first shell struck the American Legation, others
burst over the British compound, while others crashed into the
upper rooms of the German Legation. It was known that the
Chinese had ten similar guns in Peking, while we had nothing
with which to answer their fire, and no one ever knew where
the next gun might be mounted. Immediately all hands dug
bomb-proof shelters for the women and children. Rifle fire
also played on the Americans from the wall quite close to them
at a distance of a few hundred feet only, whence, safely
sheltered by the parapet of the wall, men could enfilade the
barricade which was held by the Americans on the street
running east and west under the wall. The barricade became
untenable, and to occupy the wall was a paramount necessity
which could no longer be delayed. … Down in the besieged area
the enemy pressed upon every side. Again they attempted to
fire the British Legation from the Mongol market on the west;
but a sortie was made by British Marines and Volunteers, and
the Chinese were driven from house to house out of the market.
The work was dangerous, and Captain Halliday was dangerously
wounded, while Captain Strouts had an extraordinary escape,
the bullet grazing the skin above the carotid artery. The
sortie was entirely successful; some rifles were captured, and
ammunition, which was more precious than silver. The buildings
were then fired by us, the fire being kept under control,
which cleared a long distance round the west of the Legation.
Fortification proceeded without intermission and all the
defences of the besieged area quickly gathered strength. For
the first time in war, art was a feature in the fortification.
Sandbags were of every colour under the sun and of every texture.
Silks and satins, curtains and carpets and embroideries were
ruthlessly cut up into sandbags. In the Prince's Fu the
sandbags were made of the richest silks and satins, the
Imperial gifts and accumulated treasures of one of the eight
princely families of China. In the Prince's Fu the Chinese
made a determined attempt to force their way into the Palace
in their frenzy to slaughter the native Christians. In the
angle of the wall in the northeastern court of the Palace they
made a breach in the wall and rushed wildly in. But the
Japanese were waiting for them and from loopholes they had
made opposite rolled them over like rabbits, driving them
helter-skelter back again. Some 20 were killed, and but for
the unsteadiness of the Italians who were assisting the
Japanese the execution would have been greater. The Chinese
were driven back, but the same evening they threw fireballs of
petroleum over the wall and set fire to the building. Flames
spread to the splendid main pavilion of the Palace. The
Japanese in their turn were driven back, and the Christians
escaping from the burning building overflowed from the Fu into
all that quarter lying between the Palace grounds and
Legation-street.
"Our isolation was now complete, and the enemy's cordon was
constantly drawing closer. Every wall beyond the lines was
loopholed. Not only was the besieged area cut off from all
communication with the world outside Peking, but it was cut
off from all communication with the Pei-tang. No messenger
could be induced for love or money to carry a message there.
Bishop Favier and his guards must have been already hard
pressed, for they were exposed to the danger not only of rifle
and cannon, but of fire and starvation. The small garrison
detached from the guards was known to be inadequately supplied
with ammunition. It was known, however, that the danger of the
situation had long been foreseen by Monseigneur Favier, who,
speaking with unequalled authority, had weeks before the siege
vainly urged his Minister to bring troops to Peking. When the
crisis became inevitable and Christian refugees poured into
the city the Bishop endeavoured to buy arms and ammunition, so
that there was a hope, though a faint one, that the Chinese
themselves had assisted in the defence. So with stores. Large
quantities of grain were stored in the Pei-tang, but whether
sufficient for a siege for a garrison of 3,000 souls was not
known. Their condition was a constant source of anxiety to the
Europeans within the Legations, who were powerless to help
them. Watch was kept unceasingly for any sign of the disaster
that seemed inevitable—the massacre and the conflagration.
{122}
"On the 29th the French Legation was hard pressed. One of
their officers, the midshipman Herbert, was shot.
Reinforcements were hastily sent from the Fu, and the attack
was repulsed; but some of the outer buildings of the Legation
were burned, and the French had to retire further into the
Legation. In this siege it was striking what a powerful part
petroleum was made to play. Already the French Legation had
suffered more severely than any other Legation; of their 45
men 16 had been killed or wounded. Krupp guns had been mounted
not 50 yards to the eastward, and the eastern walls of the
pavilions were being gradually and systematically battered
into ruins. All day now and until the cessation of hostilities
shells were pounding into the French Legation, into Chamot's
hotel, and from the Chien Mên on the wall, promiscuously,
everywhere. Much property was destroyed, but, though the
shells burst everywhere and escapes were marvellous, few
people were hit. Bullets whistled in the Legation compounds.
Surgeon Lippett was talking to Mr. Conger in the American
Legation when he was hit by a bullet that smashed the thigh
bone. Had the bullet not struck the surgeon it would have hit
the Minister. Mr. Pethick was sitting at a window of the
American Legation fanning himself when a bullet pierced the
fan. A civilian was wounded in the British Legation, and a
marine, Phillips, was killed while walking in the compound.
A fragment of shell fell on a patient inside the hospital.
{123}
"Most of the shelling was now directed against the French and
German Legations and Chamot's Hotel. The hotel was struck 91
times and was several times set on fire, but the flame was
extinguished. Work continued there, however hot the shelling,
for food had to be prepared there for half the community in
Peking, Russians, French, Germans, and Austrians. The energy
of Chamot was marvellous. He fed the troops and a crowd of
Christian refugees, killed his own mules and horses, ground
his own wheat, and baked 300 loaves a day. Shelled out of the
kitchen he baked in the parlour. His courage inspired the
Chinese, and they followed him under fire with an amazing
confidence.
{124}
{125}
"The visit of Wen Jui was on the 18th. Up to the time of his
visit, though more than four weeks had passed since the
assassination, no allusion of any kind whatever had been made
in any 'Peking Gazette' to the murder of Baron van Ketteler.
Then the Empress-Dowager, yielding to her fears, published an
allusion to the murder. Will the German Emperor rest satisfied
with the tardy official reference to the brutal assassination
of his Minister by an Imperial officer? 'Last month the
Chancellor of the Japanese Legation was killed. This was,