Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-26
FIGHT BELOW PEKIN
French Force Routs an Army Of
$4,000 Chinese,
LATTER SUFFER SEVERE Loss
Nineteen Catholic Missionaries Re-
ported Burned by Boxers.
PR AISE OF AM L r &c A \ s

PEKIN, December 25.-The French report
eucountering 25.Gp0 Chinese and capturing
five flags and number of guns and intiict-
ing a great loss upon the Chinese thirty
five miles south of here The report is gem
orally discredfted. According to the rumor'
the French did not suffer any losses them
selves 1t is believed. however, that the
French probably met a rowing band, Whlch
was dispersed, q number of the Chinese be
ing butchered. Ii Hung Chang says that
he is satisfied that the story is false.
Rev Mr. Kelly. a Presbyterian mission
ary has reported to Minister Conger the
burning by Boxers of nineteen CathoIlc
Christians He says, however. that MS IN
formation has been derived entirely from
Chinese sources The japanese, who have
iurNdiction over the territory thirty miles
north. in which it is alleged the outrage
occurred Will investigate the report.
Confirmed by Naldersee.
BERLIN, December 2G.-Field Marshal
Count Won Waldersee, in a dispatch from
Trktn dated Monday. December "A, says;
THE French troops encountered December
o. east Of Chochan. between Ielln and Pao-
Ting-Fu, a Chinese force numbering 2ooCo
meu with artillery The Chinese fled IN
the direction of Hae-Hs!en. They suffered
losses and left behind them five STANDARDS
and f1ur cannon The Chinese probably
consisted of the reunited remnants OF
body already dispersed
Praise for the Americans.
LONDON. December Pin the course OF
a careful review published in the Morning
Post today of the conditions existing at
PekN II J. Whigham, the Well-knoWn
newspaper correspondent, says there are
now 10000 Inhabitants pursuing their Or
binary avocations in the American quarter.
The markets are in full blast. He adds
that the American and Japanese quarters
are in all respects the best managed. show
ing ability on the part of the Americans to
handle q subject peop.e winch they nave
not. developed eIseW here to proper ad-
vantage.
Continuing Mr. Whisham says:
This enormous portion Of the city Is
p0lictd hy exactly one company of infantry
and few mounted men under provost
marshal If only these hardheaCed sol
diers Of the provost marshal type had been
given free hand In the Philippines the
task Of subjugaUHg the unfortunate island
ers would have been much more simple
If he japanese have come out Of the mud
die with flying coors they at least have the
Americans close behind. 1t was worth
sending an expedition to China ii only TO
get a few hints transport from the
Americans.
Equal to the British.
Their scheme of municipal government
could not be bettered by the British who
have learned the business by experience in
every quarter of the globe. The point of
c,ntrast is only necessary to walk down the
avenue of the Chinese city dividing the
UiSted States and Germany. The American
side of the street is simply Pekin in the or
binary garb of peace, minus its variegated
smells. The opposite side is almost de-
serted. The Germans have come to the
American side for meat and vegetables. and
1t is whispered that the country people are
sometimes robbed as they bring in the
produce. except where the gate sentrieS
are British American or Japanese. That
Is why the markets in the quarters con-
tfoIled by these nations are the best
A dispatch to the Pail Mail Gazette from
Phkin, dated Monday, December "a. says
much irritation has been caused by the
activity of the German troops in the dis
trictS under British protection. So acute
has been the feeling, the dispatch adds,
that there has been a question Of the Brit
ism seeding from the allied command.
The foreign office informed a representa-
tive OF the Associated Press today that
there is no truth in the Pail Mall Gazette's
Pekin dispatch, which says there has been
"a question of the British seeding from the
allied command owing to the activity of
the Germans in the districts under British
protection
French Account OF Fight.
PARIS December ga dispatch to the
Havas agency from Pekin. dated December
%, says the detachment of French troops
commanded by Gen. Bailloud We're recently
attacked by Chinese regulars and Boxers
at Thi-Tcheou. south of Pao Ting Flu. The
punitive expedition took the village after
u lively combat. Many cannon and guam
tity of provisions and ammunition were Sc
cured. On account of the hostile attitude of
the population, Gen. Bailloud burned the
village and also those villages in the neigh
borhood. The Chinese loss was 900 men
! Gen. Bailloud's force sustained no loss
Christian Chinese families have been NAL
treated by the Chinese regulars
French Praise Mckinley
PARIS. December 26.-I4a GauIois con-
graduates President Mckinley upon his de-
cision to abandon an independent policy IN
China IN favor of joint action with the
powers, thus putting an end to a most dam
, gerous situation.