The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-09-29
ADDS TO THE FLEET.
Six More Warships Are Sent to
China.
Secretary Long Takes Important Ac-
tion-OmcinIs Evidently Fear
WarIike Events-Capture
of PeitanE Forts.

| of PeitanR Forts.
| Washington, Sept. 24.-Signifcant
| preparations for warlike events that
are likely to occur in China were
made by the navy department Satur-
day afternoon. Secretary Long issued
an order directing the new battleship
Kentucky, one of the greatest fighting
machines afloat, the cruisers Albany
and Wilmington and the gunboats
Vicksburg. Dorotha and Annapolis to
proceed to China to reinforce the
American fleet already in Asiatic
waters.
1t developed in addition that no inn
mediate orders for the withdrawal of
American soldiers from China are con-
templated. Fifteen hundred marines
on duty there are under orders to pro-
coed to Cavite, where, after a short
rest, they are likely to be pressed into
active service by Gen. Macarthur.
Secretary Longs memorandum ac-
comparing the order to the captains
of the vessels which are to proceed to
China is in some respects one of the
remarkable features of the whole
Chinese correspondence. 1t says:
"Inview of the possibility that later. when
| circumstances so warrant. the land forces
| in China Will be materially reduced. the
| naval force In Asiatic waters from time
| TO time will be increased with reference TO
! American interests in China and also the
| Philippines"
| Then follows the order to the six
vessels named in the foregoing. II
! this should be so the United States
will shortly be represented by the
most powerful fleet ever assembled
under the stars and stripes for any
| purpose.
The fleet in Asiatic and Philippine
waters now comprises 2s vessels. The
first class battleship Oregon. 5he ar
mored cruiser Brooklyn. the New Or
leans. Monocacy. Montery. Nashville,
| Princeton. Don Juan de Austria and
| Iris are in Chinese waters, and the
Newark. Monadnock. Yorktown. Mari
! eta. Castine, Concord, Isla de Cuba.
| ia de Luzon Helena, Glacier. Ben
nington, Petrol. Yosemite. Zafiro. CAL
lao, Celtic. General Alava. Manila.
Nanshan and Culgoa are at Manila or
near by.
| rear w
That President Mckinley and his
! advisers discern threatening war
| cloud in the Chinese sky is made APP
! parent by the sending of large naval
reenforcements to the admirals in
command on the Asiatic station. They
have been on the lookout for this
since the beginning of the Chinese
troubles. Now they appear TO be GER
tain that world war is almost in
evitable The opposing and conflict
ing aims of the various powers, their
mutual suspicion and dislike for each
other and their determination TO en-
force measures of revenge or punish
ment upon which no two of them can
agree are signs that lead the admins
tration TO look out for big events.
The Taking of the Peitnng Forts
Taku, Sept. 20.-Four thousand
Russian, 1900 German and 1000
French troops. with a detachment of
Austrian marines began the attack
upon the Peitang forts at daylight.
The attack was answered briskly
from the forts, the bombardment con-
tinuing until noon. but it was noticed
that the forts did not reply after ten
o'clock.
The allies sent forward at noon to
discover the reason of the cessation
of the firing from the forts and found
them deserted. there being only four
dead Cinnamon within the walls. The
allies were much chagrined, as they
believed they had the place complete
LII LII, INN
sible; yet over 5000 men got away in
broad daylight. The Russian artil-
lery fire had proved effective and the
forts were badly damaged.
The British and Italian command
ers had decided to join in the attack,
but their troops had not arrived in
time.
The entire line between Tientsin and
Taku shows reenforcements were
heading for the forts.
Three members of the allied forces
were killed and 80 were wounded
through the explosion of mines laid
along their line Of march.
Losses of the Allies.
London. Sept. 24.--,Advices to the
Standard from Shanghai place the
losses of the allies before Peitang as
300, principally due to the explosion
of mines. one of which. 200 yards long.
exploded like an earthquake, killing
and wounding large numbers, and lit
orally blowing two mounted officers
to pieces.
London. Sept. 2i.-Dr. Morrison the
Picking correspondent of the Times
wiring Septe mber 10, protests against
what he calls ian unworthy act of van
dalism on the part Of Gen. Wilson's ex-
petition" namely, the attempt to de-
stroy the superb white pagoda in the
tempe grounds at Pei-Tai-Chu." For
tunatcly, says the correspondent, the
masonry was too solid.
DR.. Morrison adds: at is expected
that the orders sent TO NJ. Pichon. the
French minister. to withdraw, will bt
countermanded."