Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-25
BIG FORCE IS NEEDED.
Powers Are Conscious of the PerilOus
Situation In China.

Powers Are Conscious of the Perilous
Situation In China.
LONDON. June 25.-Although the powers
at last seem conscious OF the magnitude of
the Chinese peril and are concertedly hur-
rying forces to Taku. the international
troops available to overcome the immediate
perils of the situation are. apparently to-
tally inadequate. The alarm not only for
the safety of Vice Admiral Seymour and
his party, who not mentioned in any of
the dispatches pUrporting to come from
Pekin, but for the safety of his base at
Tfen Tsin, remains unrelieved. Almost the
only ray of light is the report of Sheng, the
director of railroads and telegraphs. for
warded by the French consul general at
Shanghai. to the effect that the legation
people We're safe June 1a and preparing to
leave the capital with the consent of the
Chinese government. But the motives Of
the Chinese officials in keeping the powers
appeased by reassuring messages is too
obvious TO allow the unreserved acceptance
0 the statements.
Tien Tsn is So hard pressed that it must
be relieved before assistance can be sent to
Admiral Seymour's force. The absence. of
exact dates of the last dispatch from Taku
and other messages makes it difficult to
connect the various stories, but some of
the dispatches might be read as Indicating
that even the large force mentioned by
Rear Admiral kempff about TO start to-
ward Tien Tsin has met the same fate as
the combined American and Russian col
umn, whch was repulsed June Il.
Troops From India.
India is sending eight battalions of in
fantry, cavalry regiment. artillery and
engineers as fighting force, besides two
battalions to guard communications
The Official Gazette of st. Petersburg
today contains an order of the czar as fol-
lows:
LAS We consider it necessary to raise the
troops in the Amur military district to a
war footing. We direct the war minister to
take the requisite measures At the same
t1Ie We direct tfat the necessary number
OF reservists belonging to the Siberian
Amur military district shall be called out
for active service
The Associated Press learns Lord Sails
bury is still hopeful that the Chinese crisis
Will be solved without war against that
country as Il whole. In spite of the alarm
ing reports he tnclines To the belief that
the government OF China in some satisfac-
tory form will shortly be able to reassert
Itself. He does not mean that he belittIes
the professions of the various viceroys who
have given notice of their willingness 10
Cooperate with the united forces With
out committing himself to a definite view
OF the future. he appears averse to any
scheme of territorial indemnity which,
when order is restored. might be suggested
by the powers who have suffered during
the uprising.
ChOate COnfers With SaIisbury
The interview of the United States am
bassador, Mr.. Joseph II. Choate, with Lord
Salisbury Saturday was due to Instructions
received from Secretary Hay in which the
ambassador was notified of the friendly
professions Of the various viceroys and
was instructed to secure Lord Salisbury's
views beyond casual conversation. Mr.
Choate had not mentioned the crisis in the
far east until he received Secretary Hays
cable message. The ambassador discover
ed the British premier's views were exactly
as frequently represented in these dig
patches He maintained the belief that the
diplomats at Pekin had not been massacred
and did not believe they were likely to he
He is eminently satisfied with the action
already taken by the United States and
expressed the same views the cable dis
patches attribute to Secretary Hay
In short. the conference may be said not
70 nave encited a single point on which
Lord Salisbury differed from the Ameri-
can attitude. and while he expressed his
determination to use every endeavor to re-
store order in the Pei-ho valley and extri-
cate the diplomats. his estimate of the sit
uatiOn was tinged with a spirit of hopeful-
ness that contrasted greatly with the gem
eral tone of the British press.
Did Not Discuss Settlement.
The ambassador did not discuss the even.
tual settlement and the likelihood of a par-
tition of China, etc, and ii may be reiter-
ated that this phase of the situation has
not yet been made the subject of an ex-
change of views between any Of the ma
tons Judging from the account of what
passed between Mr.. Choate and Lord Sails
bury and the statement recently made to
the Associated Press by tn foreign office
that Great Britain and the other nations
SO far as the foreign Office knew were con-
fining all their energies and deliberations
solely to the present predicament Is & sfT.
cere statement of fact. If Russia, Japan @,
any other power has an ulterior object In
making capital out Of the trouble in China
Lord Salisbury does not appear to bt
aware of it.
Arethuse to Be Commissioned.
PHILADELPHIA, June 25.-Under order:
from the Navy Department. large forct
Of men today began the work of preparing
for active service the water carrying shiI
Arethuse. which has been in reserve a
League Island since the close of the Span
ish-American war. The Arethuse is to b.
sent to Chinese waters, and officials at til,
League Island navy yard expect TO hav'
her ready within ten days.
After the iecent war distilling plant wa!
f,l,flt for hnt n UoS paye