, 1900-07-26

Tien Tsin, July 20,-Chinese coming
from the country report Chinese sol
diers killing Boxers wherever the lat
ter are seen, giving. as a reason tina
the Boxers deceived them into embark
ing on a hopeless struggle. An intelli'
gent Chinaman said he regarded this
as a sign of widespread dissensioa. L
was only a matter of a short time, he
declared, before the same state would
exist in Picking, when, in all probabili.
ty, Jung Lu, commander-in-chief of the
Chinese forces, and Prince Ching
would be able to regain sufficient in
fiuence to make peace, especially if the
foreigners in the capital were safe.
This appears to represent the general
native opinion here, as far as it is
possible to ascertain it.
In the meantime reliable news as to
events in Picking and whether the for
eigners are alive is entirely lacking, or
is only o%btainable from Chinese
sources, and ever this is most meager
and contradictory.
1t is now thought that the forward
movement Of the allies will probably
take place earlier than was at first in
tended, possibly by the end of this
month; but nothing definite will be
decided before the arrival of General
Sir Alfred Gaselee, commanding the
Indian contingent.
A runner who arrived from Picking
yesterday reports that the foreigners
were safe on July 10, and that there
had been considerable fighting between
the Boxers and soldiers inside the city.
Tien Tsin, July IS, via Shanghai, Ju-
ly 2i.-Colonel Bower of the Chinese
regiment, Colonel Wogack of the Rus
rians and Colonel Aoki Of the Japanese
will form the joint provisional govern
meEt for the city of Tien Tsin, which
it was recently decided to establish.
They will be intrusted with the task
of bringing something like order out
of the existing chaos.
Since the issue of the proclamation
inviting well disposed Chinese to re-
turn to their homes a number have
come back to the city and many ma
tive servants are coming to the settle
ments, a majority Of them returning to
the service of their previous employers.
The native city this afternoon pre-
sents an appalling spectacle of ruin
and desolation. The suburbs were COM
pletely destroyed by fire, mostly caus-
ed by the shells of the allies, on the
side facing the settlements. 1t is b.
lieved that not a dozen houses are in
tact, and all were a little damaged by
the tremendous fire of the allies artil-
lery, which, however, was apparently
not heavy enough to produce much eff
feet. A. curious spectacle is presented
by a number of mud shovels immedi-
ately underneath the wall, where the
latter was most damaged, hardly one Of
them showing signs of having been
hit.
Inside the city the damage was ter
rife. The buildings nearest the wall
were mostly Quilted by fire and many
We're totally blown to pieces by the
shells of the allies. Among the smoul-
dering ruins are many charred corpses,
which the pigs and dogs are eating.
The allies are busy removing the
bodies, but in consequence of the great
number of dead, many have not yet
been buried. The streets throughout
the city are strewn with. all kinds of
articles, and dozens of Chinese are
digging in the ruins for money and
other valuables. Most of the houses
which are intact or little damaged dis
play the flags of mt or the other of
the allied forces, the Japanese and
French flags predominating. There
have been many Attempts to initiate the
flags, which. under other circum-
stances would be la%ughable. The
houses which do not display flags show
bits of cotton or paper bearing the
names of the allied nations and COM
plimentary sentences. The French ap-
p%arently are the favorites, many of the
pieces Of cotton and paper displayed
bearing the inscription France" or
give Ia France" All are unmistak-
ably in the handwriting Of native
clerks, formerly employed by foreign
Chinese firms.
1t is stated that the Chinese losses
since the troubles broke out are IL 900,
most OF whom have been killed by
Boxers and soldiers. This is probably
much exaggerated.
The Boxers are said to be gathering
In large numbers in the neighborhood
Of the Hsikon arsenal, captured by Ad-
miral Seymour's column and now oc-
cupied by Russian troops, who have
suffered several casualties through
Shippers" concealed in the woods in