Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-06-30
THE WAR IN CHINA.
More and More Like the Great Worlds
Combat Has Commenced.


Combat Has Commenced.
Though as yet there has been no
formal declaration of war, develop
ments in China indicate very clearly
that the confusion of the past few
weeks may very properly be described
as the genuine article. All the great
powers are now tearing at the throat
of China, with probability that the
next shift of the scenes will show them
tearing at the tbroats of each other.
Dispatches of Thursday give some
particulars as to the relief of Tien
Tsin. A Russian general was in com
mand, and the fighting commenced on
Saturday morning at daylight. The
allies opened fire with several OF the
British warship Terrible's At naval
guns, six field guns and numerous ma
chine guns. The firing was at long
range at first; but the allies drew closer
and closer and by superior marksman-
ship dismounted most of the Chinese
guns that were replying from the city
Then came a generous rivalry as to
which of the foreign troops should
first get into the city. The Americans
and British went in neck and neck,
with the other nationalities following
close behind. The Russians had
stormed the arsenal, where the resist.
ance was greatest, and met with the
heaviest losses. Owing to the heavy
work of Saturday, it was necessary
that the troops rest on Sunday, and
when on Monday morning Admiral
Seymour photographed that he was
only eight miles away, surrounded
with So men killed, and 200 wounded,
unable to 60 backward or forward or
hold out more than two days longer,
the allies forces started to his relief.
1t is now estimated that the Chinese
now have in the field: $4,000 men at
Shang Hal Wan, $1,000 near Tien
Tsin, and 100000 in and around
Pekin. They are we'll armed but
their discipline is Indifferent. Alto
gether $1,000 Japanese have landed in
China, and other Internationals mum.
Der 1000. Japan is arranging to send
20, 900 more troops at once, and with
the British and Americans on the
way, it is calculated that the total
force of Internationals, at the end OF
four weeks, ought to number 10000.
Discussing the situation in China at
a London banquet on Wednesday, Sir
Michael Hicks Beach, chancellor of the
British exchequer, spoke ae follows:
"It is difficult to know what are
the scope and nature of the work be-
fore US III China. We cannot tell yet
what were the precise immediate rea-
sons for this furious outbreak. We do
not know how far it extends or will
extend, nor can we tell what are the
relations of the Chinese government
with those who, at any rate, in the first
instance, appear to be rebels against
the authorities.
"It is easy to see, however, that the
first duty before the powers, among
whom I am glad to recognize the
United States and Japan, is to rescue
and defend their legations and subjects
and to extract reparation for injury to
life and property as we'll as to see that
such things do not occur again.
"Since the war between China and
Japan it has been fashionable to regard
China as a plum cake to be divided
among the powers, provided the pow
ers do not quarrel among themselves.
1 doubt whether any one among us
would advance that view, and it has
never been the view of her majesty's
present government, which has always
desired that there should be a stable
government in China. At the present
time I believe this view to be held by
all the powers"
The dispatches published Friday
morning give information of few
new developments. The relief force
from Tien Tsin, consisting principally
of Russians, got in touch with Admir-
al Seymour Monday night, and sue
ceeded in escorting his force, Of which
200 men were wounded, back to Tien