Evening star., 1900-07-16
Informed Of the Fighting Near Tien
Tsin.
EXPRESSES HIS DEEP REGRET
Familiar With the Scene of the
Hostilities.
FOREIGNERS FRIENDS DEAD

After his breakfast he went to the drawing
room of the legation and prepared to hear
what was supposed to be the usual contra
dictory reports of the situation at Pekin.
But as the detailed account of this engage
ment at the walls Of Tien Tsin was un-
folded the minister followed the recital with
rapt attention, interrupting with ex-
pressions of astonishment and profound re-
gret at this startling development. He was
particularly impressed with the detailed
names of the American killed and wounded.
which appeared to remove every shadow of
doubt, and he asked as to the various Off
GERS and their families.
Familiar With the Scene.
The scene of the fighting came home
vividly to the minister, as he has lived for
a long time at Tien Tsn, the close friend
and associate of Ii Hung Chang during
the latters viceroyalty there, and every de-
tail of the engagement around the walls
could be followed by him with a personal
knowledge of the surroundings. II. mis-
minds eye he pictured before him the scene
of action. Here he pointed out, was the
great walled city, within which the native
Chinese population lived. Around the city
swept the Pei-Ho, very sinuous, from Taku
toward Pekin. Below the walled city, full
hours ride by chair, lay the foreign settle
ments, or concessions, or compounds. At
this latter point. well away from the walls
of the main city, the foreign citizens, with
the allied troops, have until now been To-
Gated. The news of the fight at the walls
meant therefore, that the allied forces had
advanced from their position we'll down the
Pei-Ho and had attacked the city itself.
The outcome of this move he viewed with
the utmost concern. He spoke with a good
deal of freedom, but owing to the unscrupu-
lous manner in which his name has been
used of late In alleged interviews, threaten
ing to embarrass his official relations, he
asked to be excused from any public decla-
ration on the subject. In the most sympa-
thetic terms, however, he expressed his
horror at the latest developments, declaring
that to no American home could the news
bring deeper regret than to himself.
At the other legations and embassies the
same feeling of dismay prevailed.
The Chinese View Stated.
Although Minister Wu will make pub
lie utterance, The Star is able, on its own
authority, to give what is believed to be
the aspect of the situation from the Chinese
standpoint. According to this view, the
move of the allied forces from the foreign
settlement down the river, upon the native
walled city was not only unfortunate. but
was fraught with the greatest danger. With
the fate of the foreign legations and min
listers at Pekin still in doubt, the allied
forces might well have turned their atten-
ton to cutting a way through to the rescue
of their officials and citizens at the capital.
In that event, it is said the normal condi-
tions around Tien Tsin would have con-
tinued and the status quo been maintained.
But by an assault of the walled city the
natives within the city might naturally be
expected to defend themselves. believing
that their homes were about to be attacked.
They have been penned up within the city,
knowing nothing of what has occurred
without, and from the Chinese standpoint,
1t will probably be found that it was in
defense against unexplained attack that
the present slaughter occurred.
One of the suggestions of the day, made
in official quarter. IS that a commission
be at once appointed to proceed to China
and investigate the facts of the present sit
uation, thus giving a basis for intelligent
action. At any other time the suggestion
would probably be welcomed. as a means
of clearing up the doubt and of unreliable
Shanghai reports, but with the tragedy of
Tien Tsin presented the situation appears
too desperate to await the slow processes
of a commission. The name of ex-Minister
DENLY was mentioned in connection with
the talk of a commission.
Friends of Foreigners Butchered.
report has reached the Chinese lega-
ton here of a shocking tragedy at Pekin
not heretofore shown in any of the reports
from China. This appears in native Chi
nese paper printed in the Chinese text, and
although It is in no way official and may
be a part of the exaggerated gossip of the
situation, 1t has none the less attracted the
attention of the officials here. According
to this Chinese report 5000 Chinese officials
of Pekin, engaged in the government ser
vice, and distinguished from the Manchu
officials, united in a petition to Prince Tuan
| to spare the foreigners and afford them
every protection. In response to this, ac-
cording to the Chinese report, Prince Tuan
ordered that those who had united In the
petition be killed, and the order was there
upon carried out. That such an atrocity,
| involving the lives of several thousand Chi
nese officials, should not be reported seems
| incredible, but 1t is given only because it
| has come to the attention of the officials
here.
Says ShenE Couldn't Know.
Minister WI declares unworthy Of belief
| the cable report that Sheng, director of
| telegraphs and posts at Shanghai, knew of
| the killing of the foreign ministers at the
| time he made a recent suggestion that for
| eigners be escorted out of Pekin If the
| allied forces would not advance. AS
| matter of fact, Mr.. Wu states, the Chinese
| officials have better means of learning
| the true state Of affairs in Pekin than the
| foreigners. all the usual means of COM
| munication are suspended. But he points
| out that Sheng could not have known Of
| the death of the foreigners, else he would
! not have made a proposal that the foreign
| ers be escorted out of the city. This lat
| ter proposal Is considered proof positive
| that Sheng considered the foreigners alive
! BELIEVED At THE LEGATIONS,
| Reports of Massncre In Pekln Prac-
| tically Accepted.
| Without exception today, the foreign rep
| resentatives in Washington accepted 1t as
practically certain that the foreign lega-
tions and ministers at Pekin have been
| wiped out. At the same time there is not a
! word confrmatory from any of the foreiRn