The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-26
SITUATION UNCHANGED
NO AUTHENTIC NEWS FROM PEkIN
OR TIEN TSIh
RUM0RS OF THE GRAVEST KIND
Still Received of the situation in These
Cities and Other Parts Of China-The
Fighting at Tien Tsin - Reinforce
ments Needed There-American Con-
sulate Burned-Prince Tuan In Conn
mand Of the Attacking Party at Tfen
Tsin-Missionaries Murdered.


mand of the Attacking Party at Tfen
Tsin-Missionaries Murdered.
Shaghai, June 23.-The American
consul here, John Goodnow, has re-
ceived from the consul at Che Foo un-
der date of June %, a bulletin from
Commander Wise, of the United States
warship Monocacy as follows:
June 20,-On the arrival of the ma
rines this morning started fires in the
locomotives and got cars, and two
field pieces. Just now, l p. m, trains
with 400 Russians and one field piece
and $50 marines are leaving. A French
officer has just arrived. having left
Tien Tsin yesterday at 7:30 o'clock
when troops were attacking the for
eigners, but the American consulate
had been destroyed. He does not know
what has become of our men. The
Chinese have modern field guns and
are battering the foreigners in their
strong holds. He says the line can
be travelled from here to Ching Chang
Chan, half way to Tien Tsin. few
Russians are there. He says I may
be attacked here tonight, but / have
sent all the marines, as / can look out
for myself. This place will be desert
ed again tonight. 1t is very important
to preserve the rolling stock of the
railway. When the train has got as
far ahead as it can the troops will press
ahead afoot, and the train will be sent
back for achievements.
Il reached here at day light by
tnh Sta rt fwn 1nnn-
motives if 1 had competent firemen
WISE,
Captain of warship Monocacy."
REINFORCEMENT URGENTLY
| NEEDED.
Lieutenant Kempff, through the
British consul at Tien Tsin sends the
following by sepcial courier:
"Reinforcements are urgently need
ed. The casualties are heavy, the am
munition is insufficient and machine
guns are required. The Russians at
the railroad station are hard pressed.
The Chinese troops keep up an in
cessant fire from large guns on the
European concessions, nearly all OF
which have been burned"
Che Foo, June pa dispatch from
New Chwang, Cat the head Of the gulf
Of Lao Tung) says:
| 'ForeiSners are concentrating mere.
The British consul telegraphed for a
gunboat, but has received no reply.
The port is apparently left under Rus-
sian protection. Russian troops are ar
irving from Port Arthur and the north.
The residents are safe and business is
not likely to be seriously interferred
with
FIGHTING NEAR TEN TSIN.
Washington, June 23.-Dispatches
A
announced that fighting was in prog
ress near Tien Tsin. = Beyond the in
formation that the American marines
under Major Waller and 400 Russians
had been engaged with the Chinese
army and that a second attack VIII
a force of 1000 was about to be MADE
no specific details were received. The
officials waited anxiously Throughout
the day to learn the result of this
second movement, but up to a late
hour no further word had come from
the admiral or any other source.
The news was sufficient however, tt
accentuate the need of reinforcement!
and the energies Of the war and nav!
departments were exerted In prepar
| ing to forward men, ships and sup
plies as fast as possible, The dispatch
| of troops from Manila is mainly impet
ed by the severe storms now raging
| in the Indian sea.
Hurry orders were given to max
| ready for sea the three naval COLLEEN
| Hannibal, Alexander and Saturn, nov
| at Norfolk for the purpose of taking
| supplies of coal to the Asiatic station
| This led to the belief in some quarter
| that the colliers might be accompa
| MED by some of the powerful ship
| now in Atlantic waters, possibly por
| ton of the North Atlantic squadron
| but naval officials stated that Will
| Admiral Remey'S force at Manila ha
| been much depleted, there was no pres
ent purpose to send more ships.
RESERVE wARSHIPS.
In case they are needed, however, tn
| Atlanta is ready at New York, an
| the Bancroft at Boston, both of ther
being light draft vessels. we'll suite
for Chinese waters, while the Ne7
| York, Texas, Massachusetts, Indiana
Kearsarge and Kentucky give a re
! serve of strong vessels which can b
drawn upon if the developments seer
to warrant such a cause.
OUR NAVAL FORCE IN CHM
The American naval force in Chin
at present consists of the Newark, A
men; the Monocacy, 275; the Nashville
275, all at Taku; the Yorktown, 300, q
Che Foo. The Oregon, which is unde
orders to go to Hong Kong, probabl
will start next Monday, but cannt
reach the scene Of action short of 81
or seven days. The Iris, a suppl
ship, also is on the way. This wi
give Admiral Kempff a fleet Of 81
ships including the Oregon, when the
| are assembled a week hence.
THE IMPORTANT QUESTION.
Outside of the immediate necessit
Of meeting the military and naval -e
quirements the government is chief
concerned in finding out to what ex
tent the Chinese government is coun
tenancing or assisting the warfare q
Tien Tsin. One of the highest off
cials of the administration said tc
night that there was some evidenc
that General Tung Flu Sen, the prir
cipal general OF the Mohammedan Chi
nese. was in command, and that, pos
sibly. without orders from the Chimes
government, he had succeeded in lead
ing of some Of the regular Chimes
troops. This would, in part, expIs
Admiral Kempn's message that tn