The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-20


dier5 in front, while another was cutting
the repaired railroad in their rear. Pro-
visions and water were running short. and
il was seen that the only salvation lay IN I
retreat 10 Tientsin. Ircendiarism in Tlen-
tsin next assumed alarming proportions,
and telegraph communication was Destroy
ed. The japanese Government decided 10 ,
send coo troops to re-enforce its marines, I
ar1 the Cabinet at Washington made up [
its mind TO send troops from Manila
Allied wnrshipS Fired On.
While June II was such an important
date in the Cabinets of the powers, 1t was
even more eventfuI at the seat Of disturb (
ance for on that day the foreign admirals /
at Taku. with the exception Of Kempf, is /
sued an ultmatum TO the commanders OF ,
the Taku forts demanding the withdrawal |
of their troops before p. m. For answer /!
the forts opened fire on the thirty-two !
warships which had by that time gathered 1
al Taku. The Russian, French. British, !
and japanese guns replied. and after seven |
hours bOmbardment the forts surrendered :
On receipt of the news of the Talu forts +,
firing upon Americans. President Mckinley (
caused a despatch TO be sent TO KHmph, in /
which he was directed to act concurrently
with the forces OF the other powers for the
protection Of all American interests The 1
President also directed General Macarthur
I to send regulars to Tientsin, and Rear Ad-
miral Reney was instructed TO despatch
the Oregon TO Taku from HOngkCnG.
A large army Of Chinese attacked the al
lied forces in Tientsin on June 10 and 20.
The allies numbered only 1000 men. and
I they sent word to the fleet that re-enfOrce-
ments were urgently needed. Six hundred
Americans and Russians were rushed for
ward on June 4. but were rspuised before
I they could reach Tientsin. Major Waller
1 commanded the American marines. Four
I Of them were killed and seven wounded.
/ Rear Admiral Remey. in command Of the
{ United States Asiatic squadron was order
/ ed on June "a from Manila TO Taku on
/ board his flagship. the Brooklyn, the ore
gOn having sailed from Hongsong the night
before.
/ One piece of good news came TO relieve
/ tie situation on June %. This was that an
/ allied force from the fleet had succeeded
I IN raising the siege OF Tlentsin and had
/ rescued the beleaguered garrison there
4 Americans and British being the first to
/ break through the Chinese lines Wc.d
next came that SEYMOUR retreating col
J umn. after much hard fighting had won
{ its way back TO within ten miles OF Tien-
tSiu, where he was surrounded by Boxers
and in imminent danger Of bein. cut ID
/ pieces. The relief column which had
raised the siege OF Tientsin at once pushed
4 on TO SCymOur's assistance.
/ In the interval Brig. Gen. Atua =. Chat
{ Zee was appointed TO command The Amer
lean military force in China. aud the
. Ninth Regiment sailed from Manila
SEYMOUR Column Rescued.
On the morning OF June - the rclicy-
| ing force reached Admiral Seymour and
brought him safely into Tienlsin on the
| next day His column had reached a
| point twelve miles from Pekin after many
. = I,sF 10 ~
| turn back by superior force. lack Of pro-
| visions and being hampered by many
. wounded. His casualties were American,
! killed l. wounded -; British, killed -.
( wounded 80. French, killed I. wounded 10;
! German. killed =. wounded s.; Italian,
! killed = wounded 8. japanese. killed ,.
! wounded >; Austrian killed l. wounded ];
Russian. killed 10. wounded -. Captain
McCalla was among the American
| wounded
As the return Of Seymour's column p-sC-
| tically left the peut-up foreigners IN Pekin
TO their fate. careful calculations of their
number were now made, and Conservative
estimates placed them at about Loco white
persons. Native converts 20 Christianity
and native servants of the foreigners wOI' d.
of course. considerably increase the thrOng
! Of refugees at the embassies Nothing
had been heard from Minister COEger since
June y.
CONSERVATION struck our naval e1per. S on
June so when the Oregon ran on IO-k
about thirty-fve miles noJheasJ OF CICioO
and suffered serious damage Fist reports
made her out total wreck. but she wcs
nolted on July > and can be repaired
On the same day il became known that
Prince Tuan. the father OF the heir cp-
parent OF China. had usurped the imperial
authority. placed himself az the head of
the Boxers. and had issued al order tOr
the determination Of all foreigners IN Chi
na. The Niceroys and Governors OF the
southern provinces, however. refused 20
recognize the authority of Tudu. and took
steps for the formation Of an independent
state. with Nanking as capital, IL berg
their intention 20 maintain friendly rela-
tions Eih the powers
Dire News From Pekin.
The oninous silence concerning affairs
in Pekin was broken on July (. when
courier from the capital reached the coast
with a message from Sir Robert Hart. He
asked for speedy relief said that the for
GiEneTs were battling necessarily with The
mCbs. and were on the night OF June p,
{ WheI the courier started. making q des-
0erate stand in the inclosure Of the Brit
,sh Legation. The Emperor and Empress
v,ere prisoners in their palace by this time,
ard Prince Tuun was having everything
his own way. Other COurleTS who LETT
IGEGQ = DAY Ut TWO iaitT IMAM 81 aNDatl
Harris messenger. but who reached the
/ cost AT the same time said that the heads
OF some Of the captured legation guards
were being borne through the streets OF
the capital on the points Of spears, follow
cd BY crowds Of freuZied Boxers yelling,
XIII the foreign devils, XIII Kill
Sir Robert Hart succeeded in getting an
other message through the lines on June
-. which reached the outside world on
IIly 8. 1t said that Chinese troops were
Smelling the British Legation. where al
The members Of the diplomatic bG y were
congregated. Notwithstanding this h2r-
rowing appeal, the Russian and British
Admirals at Taku decided that II would
be suicidal TO attempt the relief OF Pekin
without greatly increased forces
! As a result of this desperate situation
the announcement was made on July
that Russia had consented to give Japan
free hand to apply military force in CHI
ma No power raised any objection 10 this
I course and the japanese ordered an army
division 10 be sent at once TO China. max
ing the total number of japanese troops
there %. 900. ReaSsuring news concerning
Pekin was received from Consul General
Goodnow at Shanghai on July s. He tele-
graphed that a courier who left PekiI
July reported that the legations were still
standing The Ninth Regiment arrived al
Taku from Manila on July Z.
China States Her Case
Wa Ting-fang. the Chinese Minister at
Washington. delivered to Secretary Hay on
! T,,r,- Of Inn,