The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-20

opened with artillery pom the British
legation. where all the foreigners had
concentrated. For two hours the walls
OF the buildings were battered with
heavy guns and huge breaches were
made in them Then a general advance
was ordered The fire of the defenders.
however. was so accurate that the Chi
nese broke and fed in widest confu-
siou, leaving a large number of dead
and wounded around the legation.
Prince Tuan by making a desperate
appeal induced them to return to the
attack Their artillery fire was resum-
ed and at midnight a second attack at
tempted. The attackers Were met by
Prince Ching and General Wang weng
Shao. with their troops. who were go
ing TO aid the foreigners. Unfortunate
ly many of Prince Ching's o de-
serted to Prince Tuan and Prince Ching
fell. 1t was supposed at the time he
was killed, but search for his body
next morning was unsuccessful. II Is
now believed he was only wounded and
was carried of by his retainers. Gen.
eral Wang Weng Shao was killed and
his force completely ~outnumbered and
routed.
The assault on the legations was re-
newed without success. About 5 a. n.
the besiegers We're about L withdraw
when General Tung Fuh Slang arrived
with reinforcements Of Kansu braves.
BY this time the legation buildings
were in ruins from the Chinese artil-
lery fire. and the small band of de-
tenders still alive took refuge in the
wrecked buildings. which they endeav-
ored hastily TO fortify. The Chinese
fire was renewed and it was evident
that the ammunition Of the allies was
running out.
At Z o'clock an advance OF Chinese
in force. failed to draw response. a
rush was made. There was a desperate
hand-to-hand encounter, and finally
overcome by overwhelming odds, every
one Of the Europeans remaining was
put 10 the sword in the most atrocious
n
ANOTHER MASSACRE STORY.
London. July 15.-The Daily Tel
egraph has received the following dis
patches from China:
Shanghai, China, July 15.-Taotai
Sheng received yesterday the following
telegram from Yuan Shi Kai:
~"Chinanfu, China, July IA mes
senger who left Pekin July 2 arrived
here today. He reports that the artil-
lery of the Boxers and of Genera Tang
Full Siang's troops made a breach in
the legation wall. which was then lev
eled, afterward taking the legation by
assault. A massacre followed. None
were left alive. The losses among the
Boxers and troops were enormous. The
foreign troops used up their ammunl-
ton before the Chinese effected the en-
trance into the compounds"
Foreign officials generally believe
these events occurred about the end of
last month
AMERICAS QUOTA OF TROOPS.
Washington. July 16.-Sixty thousand
men for the march to Pekin and 20. 900
more to keep open the lines of COM
munication, and. if necessary, to de-
fend the bases Of operations at Tien
Tsin n Taku is the estimate of the
number of troops hat will be required
in the Chinese campaign. Upon the
basis Of these figures, which, 1t is said.
are those of the commanders of the
allied forces in China, this govern
ment will furnish between 100 0 and
1900 soldiers. This is the number
thought by the officers that we should
furnish in the present emergency. In
deed il is more than was estimated
should be our share, as this was stated
to be about an ever 10000.