The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-08-31

London, Aug. 25.-Fires, fighting and
the wake of the relief of Picking. The
Daily Mail publishes dispatches from
the Chinese capital, dated as late as
Aug. IL, declaring that great fire
was then raging in the imperial city.
The Russian commander had declined
to accept the decision of the other
generals not to violate the imperial
precincts, and street fighting was 60
ing on. Gen. Chaffee, so it is asserted.
maintained that the Chinese had been
adequately punished already, and that
/ It would be unwise to take the inn
perial palace. This explains the with
drawal of the Americans after breach
ing three gates, as cabled by the spe-
cial correspondent of the Associated
Press. The Russian general. however,
maintained that his government
Had Declared War
against China and that, therefore.
there was no reason to prevent him
carrying hostilities into the sacred
precincts. Judging from various, and
in many cases contradictory. dis
patches that have reached Europe this
morning from Picking, the command
ers eventually adopted middle
course. for Reuter- telegram asserts
that sentries were placed to prevent
looting. Hence it is presumed that the
imperial buildings, although captured,
will not be destroyed The fires APP
pear to be incendiary and to be caused
by the Chinese themselves. All the
dispatches point to the fact that
IvxyIo ho lott
left Peking the commanders We're
Somewhat Mt Sea-
regarding their future action, awaiting
instructions from their governments.
The foreign residents appear to have
been sent to Tien-tsin, although the
st. Petersburg correspondent of the
Daily Mail says the ministers will not
leave Peking until negotiations for in
demnity are under way. Neither the
commanders nor the diplomats were
in communication with the Chinese
government on Aug. II. They were
then searching for Prince Tuan.
Among the puzzling reports as to the
wherea bouts of the empress dowager
is one from st. Petersburg that she is
in the vicinity of Picking. but sur
rounded. The emperor seems to have
Disappeared Completely.
st. Petersburg dispatches announce
good progress in the Manchurian cam
paign. The town of Merger was oc-
cupied Aug. IS with trifling Russian
loss, While the Chinese suffered So
verely, leaving ten guns. 700 rifles and
large quantities of ammunition in the
hands of the Russians. The reports of
riSingS in Northern Eorna AFRO cop.
firmed. 1t is believed that these are
not due to ill will toward foreigners,
but to local dissatisfaction. The
Korean government is sending troops
to the disaffected districts According
to kilograms from Shanghai consider
able uneasiness is felt there over the
fact that no dispatches have been re-
ceived from Peking since Aug. 20.
Says DowaEer Was Captured.
Other Shanghai reports locate En-
peror Kwang IIsu as under the Pro-
lection of the allies and the dowager
as already captured by the Jarane So.
Describing the engagement west of
Tien-tsin Aug. 6, q special dispatch
says:
| 1.-The Sixth United States cavalry
worked with drill-like precision in the
hand-to-hand fighting, and the Chi
nese only ESCAPED through the bung-
ling of Gen. Dorward."
Berlin learns that there has heen
further fighting west of Tien-tsin
which creates the impression that the
province of Pechili must be effectively
become feasible.