The sun., 1900-06-29
KEMPFF REPORTS,
Says That Twelve Thousand Foreign
Troops Are Ashore In China

| troops Are Ashore In China
Washington, June 2S-The following
cablegram has been received by the navy
department from Admiral Kempff. dated
Chefu, June %:
about $4,000 foreign troops now
ashore Soldiers ordered should report nj
Taku instead of Chefu. Substituted
Nashville for Yorktown at Chefu. York
town used as dispatch boat, being more
| suitable"
The war department has received the
following undated cablegram from Gen.
eral Macarthur:
Transport left Manila at $50 morn
ing June y, with Colonel Liscum in com
mand, 80 officers, 1,271 men"
Advices from Taku state that Inrge
force is pushing on to Picking from Tien-
tsin. Another army is being rushed from
Iaku to Tien-tsin, and 5000 are holding
the latter place.
And from the south more warships are
hurrying to the gulf of Taku-a regiment
from Manila, 1000 men from India,
5000 from French Cochin China; 10000
from Japan. From the north RUSSIA is
preparing to hurl her armies on to Chi
nese soil.
Within week the allies will have from
10000 to 10000 men at the scene of
trouble.
The officials here had felt sure that the
foreign ministers to China were safe
with Admiral Seymours column. That
confidence is now shaken The only Off
ciai dispatch received from the seat Of
trouble, that from Admiral Kempff, was
so barren of the information so earnestly
demanded here as to cause severe criti-
cism at the admirafs expense. His dis
patch makes no mention of the minis
tiers welfare or of Seymours column.
taken i'll connection with the ominous
press dispatch from Chefu via Shanghai
relative to the return of Seymour's bro
ken column to Tien-tsin, the officials feel
that they have good ground for renewed
apprehension as to the fate of the foreign
ministers.
The conclusion drawn by navy depart
ment officials from Admiral Kempffs dis
patch is that he is not in communication
with Tien-tsin and that, Notwithstanding
the cable company's notice, there is still
no news route open to that city save by
runners, who must pass through coun-
try beset by Boxers to reach Chefu
An explanation was had at the state
department of the report from Shanghai
that the consuls there were negotiating
with the Chinese yiceroys respecting the
protection of the city. Because they
were cut off from communication with
Minister Conger, from whom they should
receive instructions in normal conditions,
the American consuls in China had been
embarrassed in dealing with the local
Chinese authorities by reason of the
necessity of securing instructions from
Washington at every point. Therefore
Secretary Hay sent general instruction
to all of the American consuls in China
who could be reached by cable and wire |
authorizing them to deal directly with |
the Chinese viceroys and taotais in franz
ing measures for the protection of Amer
lean lives and property. Shanghai has
heretofore been made neutral port dur
ing time of war by such agreements be- |
tween the foreign consuls there and the
Chinese officials, and it is probable that |
a similar arrangement will be made now |
The only condition is that before with
drawing their naval forces from the |
treaty ports the foreign consuls must feel |
assured that the Chinese officials are not /
only willing but are perfectly able to in
sure the safety of the foreigners in the
towns.
The Ninth infantry, which is reported
to have cleared from Manila. should
reach Taku about Wednesday next, the
Fourth of July. The war department
already had anticipated Admiral Kempff's
suggestion relative to landing the troops
at Taku instead of Chefu.