the struggle it will be well to sum up in Gordon's own words the
different positions held by the contending forces:--

"We held the Taiho Lake with the steamers the _Hyson_, the
_Tsatlee_, _Firefly_, and 200 men (Imperialists), which cruised
off Moodow, and prevented supplies coming to Soochow up the creek
which leads from that village to the small West Gate, or
Shih-mun, of Soochow, and where they had many actions with the
rebel gunboats. The next great water outlet was closed to the
rebels by our possession with 1000 men (Imperialists) of
Wuliungchow. Off the Pon-mun, or South Gate, the next main water
and road communication to the south was closed to them by our
occupation by 1500 men (Imperialists) of the Patachiaou stockades
on the Grand Canal, south of the south-east angle of Soochow. The
next, which led from the east gate of Soochow to Quinsan, was
closed by Ching's force of 3000 or 4000 men, nearly two miles
from the gate. These men were well posted in strong and
well-constructed stockades. The next position held was Leeku,
where I had one regiment, and at Wanti there was another
regiment. The total force in the stockades was about 8500 men,
leaving for field operation 2500 Imperialists, 2100 of the
Quinsan Corps, and 400 Franco-Chinese. San Tajin had 20,000 to
30,000, in three separate camps. He was utterly incapable for
command of any sort.

"The rebels held Soochow with some 40,000 men in and around the
city. The city of Wusieh held some 20,000 men, and Chung Wang had
at Mahtanchow some 18,000 more. Chung Wang's position was central
between Wusieh and Soochow, some ten miles in advance of the
Grand Canal, so as to be able to give help to either city, and to
attack on the flank any advance made by us on their grand line of
communications by that canal."

The city of Soochow, now so closely beleaguered, was of imposing
appearance. An English traveller who saw it at this time thus
describes it:--

"Further than the eye could penetrate in the misty morning
stretched the grizzled walls of Soochow, a city celebrated for
ages in the history of China for its size, population, wealth,
and luxury, but now stripped of its magnificence, and held by an
army of Taeping banditti against the Imperial forces. To the
right and left, mile after mile, rose