The Irish standard., 1900-06-23
RUSSIANS OPEN FIRE.
Relieving Force Attacks City of Pee
king on Two sides-Massacre OF
All Foreigners Reported,

Relieving Force Attacks City of Pee
king on Two sides-Massacre OF
All Foreigners Reported.
London, June 20.-The Russian re-
lieving force arrived outside of Picking
Tuesday morning, says the Shanghai
correspondent of the Daily Express.
and Immediately began to attack the
city on two sides, employing numerous
artillery. The force apparently ar
rived in the nick of time, for the Chi
nese assert that the attack upon the
legations had been successfully re-
newed. On the night of June 1e the
Chinese troops under Gems. Tung Fab
Slang and Tung Ching attacked the
legations and set on fire five European
buildings. Nothing definite is known
as to the result, except that the Chi
nese were disappointed, although other
reports, utterly discredited by 80
eigners here, are that the Chinese, in.
furiated by the destruction of Taku,
have since massacred all the foreigners
in Picking.
A modified version of these rumors
received at Berlin is that the French
as well as the German minister has
been killed. The English at Shanghai
think that the Chinese had foreign
advice in organizing the defenses at
Taku, because of the precision with
which their attack was delivered.
The wires connecting with the har.
Dor mines were cut by the boats of the
warships the night before the bonn
bardment. 1t is now reported at
Shanghai that it was on board tho
Russian cruiser Korietz, and not tho
Mandschur. that the explosion oo-
Cured, killing and wounding more
than so. 1t is reported that no fewer
than 700 Chinese were killed in the
forts.
The Shanghai correspondent of the
Daily Express says he is officially in
formed that Japan is mobilizing $4,000
men for immediate transport
The British cruiser Undaunted ar
rived at Shanghai Tuesday, cleared
for action and took up position COM
handing the Chinese forts. There are
three Chinese cruisers in the harbor.
The new Chinese cruiser Hai-Yang,
built by the Armstrong;, has been
taken into custody ut Taku by the
British and Russians.
The dsortlcrly elements have Sc
cured the upper hand at Wu-Hu and
Czechuan. where the native Christians
have been massucred.
Paris, June 2O-The French govern
ment will have 1900 troops at Taku
when the reenforccments just ordered
out arrive there. Two thousand will
reach Taku before July 8. The dis
patch of u cruiser division, which was
decided upon Tuesday, will give
France u strong naval force, consist
ing of seven modern cruiscrs-thres
of the first class and four of the SEQ.
ond-four gunboats and dispatch
boat.
London. June 20.-A dispatch from
Shanghai announces that the United
States transport Thomas, with troops
for Manila, was diverted Mt Nagasald
and has arrived ut 'raku with 1 200 men.
Washington, June 2O.-Secretary of
State Hay has been notified by the
Russian embassy here that 1000 Rus
sian troops have been dispatched from
Port Arthur to Taku.
One fact of the utmost Importance
has developed. 1t is that the notice of
the Russian government. of it's in
tention to dispatch 1000 troops
to China was accompanied by an u1l-
derstanding that these troops were to
be used for the assistance of Euro
pcans and Americans and with no
purpose of territorial aggression on
the part of Russia. This assurance
was received with the greatest salts
faction. 1t is understood that japan.
in view Of Russia's frank declaration,
will consent to assume the same obli-
CATION toward the other nations, in
which case the greatest obstacle to
effective action, whether concurrent
or joint, by The powers in China may
be considered as removed.
London, June 20.--.Judging from the
German official dispatches, the Amer
lean ships took no part in the bonn
bardmcnt Of the Taku forts Sunday
morning. No news has yet been re-
ccived here of the relief of the lcga-
tions ut Peklng, and Europe's atten-
ton is centcred far less on the over
whelming display of naval force at
Taku than on the fate of the diplo-
matte stalls and 600 cosmopolitan res
idcnts guarded by a handful of inter-
national marines within the legation
compounds. There has been no news
thence since June ID.