The evening times., 1900-07-02

Little Hoo. for the Ministers.


The Navy Department is in receipt of a
despatch from Rear Admiral Kempf, ca
bled from Chefoo this morning, which ap-
parently DESTROYS the iast faint hope for
the salvation of the ministers and other
foreigners in Pekin. 1t states that ma
tive runner has arrived-probably at
Tientsin-with the intelligence that when
he left Pekin the foreigners were besieged
in the British Legation, were destitute of
supplies and could not hold out more than
twenty-four hours longer. He also re-
ported that there were twenty thousand
Chinese troops inside Of the city, thirty
thousand outside. and that three thousand
had started fer Tientsin. obviously to re-
enforce the forces operating against that
place
An analysis OF Rear Admiral Kempff's
message will show how small chance ex-
lists that the legation people can have es-
capped massacre, assuming the information
to be true. as there is too much reason to
believe it is. The despatch started from
ChefoO this morning. 1t must have been
carried there by despatch boat leaving
Taku yesterday. Probably the news had
been sent to Kempff from Tientsir not lat
er than yesterday morning II it was
transmitted by wire very soon after the
arrival OF the Chinese runner. we may con-
lecture. though very broadly, concerning
the time he must have left Pekin. Con-
sidering the obstacles, he would have TO
overcome in penetrating the country be-
tween Pekin and Tientsin. under present
conditions it is not conceivable that the
runner could have made the distance u1der
four days. 1t is therefore probable that
his story relates to the situation in the
capital on June %. We are. therefore.
compelled to assume that, if the position Of
the foreigners was as desperate as re-
ported on the twenty-sixth. there is not
one chance in ten that any one of them is
alive today.
Even if We could believe, in spite of
this sad news that our Minister and his
colleagues. with their families and guards.
were still able to defend themselves
against an army of drilled Cinnamon.
armed with Mausers and equipped with
modern artillery, it would be impossible
to do anything to effect their relief for
some time TO come. 1t would be madness
TO attempt a movement against Pekin
with less than flying column of twenty
thousand men: and there were not more
than fourteen thousand troops OF all ma
tions ashore on yesterday. The Chinese
are still fighting vicioUsly at Tientsin. and
the Communications between that point
and Taku are reported by Kempn as '.in-
secure"
Other governments as well as ours have
faiIad rn tba
tion in time to meet it properly Japan
may be an exception; but Japan was de-
TERED from pushing matters by the hos
tility OF Russia. The United States could
have landed ten thousand men at Taku
ten days ago, and such action might have
prevented the successes on the part OF
the Chinese troops which have convinced
them that at last they are a match for
European soldiers. There will be plenty
of international energy displayed now,
when it Will require large army to at
tack conditions which three weeks ago
might have been handled by a few reg
ments and landing parties from ships. Ger
tainly, we may expect that Germany will
not lose a moment in preparing to avenge
the death of her Minister, Baron Won
distance and lack of Immediately available
transports. as are other powers. The pun
tive army which must be assembled can
not be. under a month, unless Russia and
Japan are allowed and allow each other.
free hand Perhaps under the shock which
today's news gives 20 all civilized peoples,
political differences and ambitions mar De
forgotten. ald all the states ceacerned be
able to agree upon a policy which shall
gladly accept aid TO the common cause In
men and guns, no matter from whence IL
may come. And this country should not
be laggard in contributing whatever share
OF the force 1t possibly can spare The
Boxer movement, now openly aided by the
army. is spreading like wildfre All China
will be ablaze with war against civiliza-
tion before many days, unless something
can be done to change the situation Can
ton is reported as on the verge Of an out
break " Canton rises, so will Shanghai
and the other treaty ports It is not a
time for hesitation Each civilized power
owes it TO God and humanity to do its fun
part toward crushing the yellow Terror"