The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-06-20
4. dinstof Homo for Pckin.

A dsaS of Hope for Pekin.
What Ye-are able to hear from China Is
rather In6, the way OF rumor than
news; sull.. it may be true as cabled by
the Shanghai correspondent of the Lon
don Daily ENpress." that the legations in
Pekin have been saved by the arrival OF
4 strong force of Russian troops this
morning.-How this information could have
reached Shanghai so promptly in view Of
the recent breakup Of all means OF com
munication, is not explained. and the sto-
~ is not generally accepted as worth much.
while. naturally. everybody hopes that it
may prove true.
While We have this small grounl for
thinking that the foreigners in Pekin may
have been able to hold out until rescue
came. the reports are increasingly omi-
nous today as to the fate of Vice Admiral
Seymour's relief column. which includes
a hundred American marines. It is as
serted that the force is surrounded on an
arid plain and is without food or whole
some water. A late despatch this morning
reiterated a rumor Of yesterday, that the
force had reached Pekin; but it is hardly
credible. The inference is that
former story to the effect that Sey-
mour had returned TO Tientsin. resulted
from mistake in identity Rear Admiral
Bruce. Of the British Navy. had reached
Tientsin. and the Shanghai correspond
ents jumped to the conclusion that the
British admiral" who was unnamed. re-
parted as arrived, was Seymour
Some sort OF understanding appears to
have been reached by the powers. includ-
ing the United States and Japan. in ref
erence to common action in sending a
punitive army 10 Pekin- Each State vii
furnish about four thousand men. and thus
a column of fifteen or twenty thousand
troops, with cavalry and artillery. can
probably be organized at Taku and moved
against the capital by the first week in
July This country it is stated. will send
the Ninth. Eighteenth. and very likely the
IWeaty-hrst Infantry, and some batteries
from the Sixth Artillery. II is also an
ncunced that the Oregon, Brooklyn, New
orleans. Castine. Lon Juan de Austria.
Yorktown, Buffalo. Princeton. Benn. netoa.
Marietta. and Concord are TO be added 10
the squadron OF Rear Admiral Kempf at
Taku. As number Of Russian and JaDau-
csc troops should be landing at that port
by today. it is to be presumed that the
international authorities there are strain
ing every nerve 40 support Vice Admiral
Seymour and his expedition
We are glad TO note a better tone in the
Dispatches IN relation to the feeling among
the powers. There is less talk Of susp;-
cion, and. apparently. a more general
inclination to act. together for the CEN
mon good Russia. in announcing the
. movement Of four thousand additional
troops. -fFqIn Port Arthur. is reported 70
have volunteered the statement that the
st. Petersburg Government is not actuat-
ed by any designs Of territorial aggrauiize-
ment This expression seems TO have ex-
erted a favorable effect upon the relations
Of the various nations forced into partici-
patton il current events in China. japan
has accepted the declaration as in good
faith and irtimated more friendly dispo-
! sitiOu toward her rival The indications.
! therefcre. are that the civilized powers
will De able to act together in the war
without serious friction. at least I'D to tbs
point OF occupying Pekin and pun!shine
I the Chinese.
Beyond that it would be dangerous to
risk predictions Views may differ serious
| ly as TO the reconstruction or destruction
Of the Imperial Government, and ss to a
division Of territory. OF spheres OF lnflu-
ence- But. for the present. it looks as If
Russia and japan would keep the peace
toward each other. and each perform her
necessarily important part in the mill
tary operations forced upon ell. il a shirt
of loyalty TO the concert Of civilization.