The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-11

nave left Pekin2 at least five days carrier,
making the real date of the message June
%, while the alleged massacres are said
TO have occurred on June 30. Until this
point can be cleared up the greatest
anxiety will be felt as TO the fate Of the
Europeans.
The Shanghai dispatch announcing that
the dowager Empress, who had been re-
ported within two weeks dead, fled,
poisoned and hopelessIy mad. had resumed
the reins Of government has not been con-
frmed. The date given is June 30. the same
on which the wholesale massacre of for
eigners is alleged TO have occurred. The
telegram of Sheng. the administrators of
| telegraphs and railroads, to the Chinese
minister at Washington. WI Ting Fang.
saying the imperial government is protect
ing the legations appears. however. to lit
in with the dispatch from Shanghai, par
ticularly in connection with the orders
given by the Empress relative to the pro-
lection of foreigners. AT the same time
people continue to ask why. il the lega-
tions are protected, the ministers are not
permitted to communicate with the outer
world.
| Sheng's expressed fear that the food and
ammunition of the legations are exhausted
are counteracted by the news that Prince
| Ching. the commander of the Manchu field
| force. is revictualing them, beside which 1t
! is now known that in the last resort there
are available for food several hundred
ponies usually kept within the walls of
| the British legation.
| In the meantime. according TO the lega
| tion of Japan here, the Japanese by no
| means share the general opinion that the
advance on Peking must be indefinitely
| delayed. The officials assert that the
| Japanese have no intention of halting at
| Taku or Tien-Tsin. but propose to advance
| on Peking during the present week. Their
military authorities express the opinion
| that the 10000 of their troops in addition
to the international forces already avail
/ able will suffice to force an entry into the
| Chinese capital
| II has been learned that the Chinese lega-
/ tion here, though apparently unable to
| communicate directly with Peking. is get
F! ting news from there indirectly. The Off
cials of the legation declare the present
| trouble is entirely the work of Prince
| Tuan and that the government, the
dowager Empress and the Chinese gener-
| ally are against the Boxers. The officials
also say they have reason to hope that the
| situation at Peking is improving and that
| Prince Ching will succeed in protecting the
| foreigners. They scout the stories of the
massacre of the people in the legations
and the poisoning of the Emperor and
| dowager Empress, and express the opin-
ion that Prince Ching and the loyal
| viceroys could best be assisted by the
promised dispatch of reinforcements and
the promise of help in the formation of
strong government.
WAR TO THE KNIFE.
According to the Shanghai correspondent
of the Express, it is war to the knife be-
| tween the dowager Empress and Prince
Tuan. In a recent edict the latter boldly
discards his mask and signs himself as
| Emperor. He warmly commends the Prov
ess Of Ibis faithful Boxers" and in flow
cry language appeals to their cupidity and
| fanaticism. In the same decree Prince
Tuan appoints Prince Tseuan, the iron
capped" Prince Tsaishan. his imperial
clansman, and Kang vi to command the
three chief wings of the Boxer army.
Three hundred European refugees from
Tien-Tsin have arrived at Shanghai in a
state of destitution, after terrible suffering
The Chinese version of the origin of the
outbreak. published in Shanghai, is that
Baron Won Ketteler was hated by the
Pekingese, who. taking advantage of the
condition of affairs, shot him out of re-
venge, thereby causing a conflict between
the Chinese troops and the Germans, the
latter of whom destroyed the Tsung l.
Yamen. The infuriated soldiers under
Prince Tuan then gained complete contro
over the dowager Empress.
The Daily News's Tien-Tsin correspond
ent says the allies have decided to bonn
bard the native city. which they have hith
erto hesitated to attack. owing to tn,
, heavy commercial interests involved. TIL,
chief difficulty of the allied forces at Tien
Tsin is the absence of an adequate water
supply. The condition of the river is pesti
| lential.
The panic among the Chinese in th'
, southern provinces is completely stopping
trade and most of the native cotton mill.
| are closed.
The London daily papers comment favor
| ably upon Secretary of State Hays circI
lar. The Times says: "It will meet will
/. general appreciation and welcome in Grea
Britain. While IL is manifestly dictated b,
regard for American interests. 1t coincide
closely in almost all important respect
with England's avowed policy. The reason
is simple. In China the interests of boil
countries are primarily commercial. and /
is from their commercial interests tha
their political interests are derived. Sec
retary Hay bears this fundamental fac
| steadily in mind"
Emperor William dispatched the German
warship Bussard from Klel for China yes
terday morning. while the German cruiser
Geir and Seeadler have been ordered I,
proceed to China as rapidly as possible
from their American and Australian sta
tions, respectively.
; The TerribIe's Guns Used.
: TIEN-TSIN, July 5.-Yesterday larg
forces of Chinese troops attacked the set
tlement from two directions-one from TIL
western arsenal and the other upon tn
railway station. on the opposite bank o
! the river. The Chinese evidently now hav