New-York tribune., 1900-08-14
LATEST WORD FROM PEKING.
SIR CLAUDE MACDONALD DESCRIBES
THE SITUATION AS DESPERATE
ON AUGUST G.
ON AUGUST


London. Aug. 14-The British Consul at Can
ton, says THE Daily Telegraph correspondent
there, has received the following message dated
August 6, from Sir Claude Macdonald. British
Minister in Peking:
Our situation here is desperate In ten days
our food supply will be at end. Unless we
are relieved, a general massacre is probable.
The Chinese offer to escort us to Tien -Isin'
but, remembering Cawnpore, we refuse the Of
fer. There are over two hundred european
women and children in this Legation.
The Shanghai correspondent of THE Daily
Express" telegraphing yesterday. says:
The allies at noon Saturday within
twenty miles of Peking.
AS General Chafee's report which is the only
authentic news received here regarding the ad-
vance, located the international forces about
forty miles from Peking on Friday, st seems
probable that this Shanghai report is optimistic,
1t is scarcely likely that the allies could advance
twenty miles in as many hours.
A Yang-Tsun dispatch dated August Z, giving
details regarding the capture of that place, says:
The Russians and French held the left, the
British the left centre, the Americans the right
centre and the Japanese the extreme right. the
British and Americans advanced on the village
,
a severe shell and rifle fire. The Russians
opened and the Britsh-American advance be-
came race for positions, eliminating in brill
liant charge.
The heaviest loss of the day was sustained by
the Americans, the 14th Infantry having nine
killed sixty-two wounded and several missing;
The Bengal Lancers unsuccessfully attempted
to cut off the Chinese retreat.
Another Yang-Tsung special says:
Owing to a mistake, British and Russian guns
shelled the 14th United States Infantry during
the night, wounding ten.
Commenting on this occurrence. The Stand
ard" says:
1t is melancholy to learn that tie losses of the
Americans, who seem to have borne themselves
with conspicuous gallantry, were increased by
a deplorable error, in consequence Of which one
OF their regiments was pounded by Russian and
British cannon. The incident emphasizes the
necessity of that close cooperation which is not
easily Cbtainable without a single commander
and general staff
Official advices from Yokohama. dated yester-
day, say that the allies propose to advance on
August Z to Nan-Tsi-Tsur.. between Yang-Tsun
and Wu-sing. The Japanese suffered no
casualties at Ysng-TsIn, but the official reports
say they had three hundred at Pei-Tsang
'"The Daily Nails" st. Petersburg correspond
ent declares that the taking of Aigun has sealed
the fate of the rising in Northeastern Man
churia. He adds:
No prisoners were taken by the Russians.
o y,
rode over the field, killing all the wounded with
the butt ends Of their mUskets.
The British Government according to the
Shanghai correspondent Of The Times" has Of
fered to lend f75,OOO at AZ per cent to the
Viceroy Of Wu-Chang. Province of Hoo-Pe on
the Yangtse- -Kiang for the payment of provin-
cial troops.
The japanese losses at Pei-Tsang on August
were three hundred killed and wounded. The
Chinese left two hundred dead the field.
An explanation as to why some of the Peking
cipher messages are dated Tsnan is made by
the Great Northern Telegraph Company, which
points out that it has a regular courier service
between Peking and Tsinau. and that the wires
working from the latter place.
MESSAGE FROM RUSSIAN MINISTER.
IMPERIAL MISSION AND RUSSIAN COLONY
WELL ON AUGUST 4.
st. Petersburg, Aug. 13.-M De Giers. Russian
Minister in Peking, reports in cipher under date
of August as follows:
The Chinese Government recently applied to
and to all the foreign representatives in order
to arrange the date and conditions of our jour
ney to T1en-Tstn. AT the same time the Tsung-
I-Yamen informed us that the foreign govern
ments had not once demanded from the Chinese
Ministers abroad our departure from Peking un-
der escort.
We replied that we required instructions from
our governments without which could not
leave posts.
1 consider it my duty to point out indis-
pensahle to our journey that the allied troops
sent as an escort should be of sufficient force to
protect eight hundred Europeans, including two
hundred women and children and fifty wounded.
1t appears that the journey to Tien-Tsin at the
present season of the year is dangerous, owing
to lack of means of communication.
All my colleagues here are sending similar
kilograms to their governments Please inform
The families of the Imperial Mission and the
Russian colony well.
1rn