The evening times., 1900-07-18
Circulation Statement.
The situation i'm china.

The important news OF the day from Chi
ma is the report OF a Chinese invasion OF
Russias Amur Province lying ID the north
Of Manchuria. and the siege and capture Of
its capital. Blagovestchensk. This is a
very serious matter. and ominous Of what
may be expected in other directions II is
stated in one OF our dispatches that Prince
Tuan, Ccmmander-in-Chief OF the Chinese
Amy, has modified nine hundred and fifty
thousand troops. and has ordered a large
force to carry the war into Russian terri
tory. The obvious deduction from this is
that the Chinese Government considers it
self strong enough 10 undertake offensive
operations outside of It's own boundaries,
and there is no reason to doubt that the in
vasiOn Of the Amur country viii be fol-
lowed by an early attack upon Shanghai
against which a Chinese army Of a hundred
thousand regulars has been massed, by AL
assault in force upon the French territory
OF Tonkin, and another upon Kowloon. op-
pCsite the English settlement of Hongkong
The military strategy Of these move
ments is not to be despised. They will
greatly tend TO prevent unity of acton by
the powers in a common campaign with
Pekin as its objective Russia viii be
preOccupied in Amur and in trying TO
protect its railway communications
through Manchuris; which latter. il is
probable will. however, be destroyed
France must succor its Tonkin colony
with perhaps poor prospects Of success.
Great Britain and the United States have
citizens and interests of vast Importance
in the great commercial city Of Shanghai,
and the British. Government cannot afford
10 lose its position and prestige in the Far
East by allowing anything disastrous to
happen TO Hongkong. Kiao-Chou will af-
ford Germany a hard job to prevent its be
ing oyerrun by the Chinese soldiery.
II IS not difficult 20 see that Prince Tuan
is acting intelligently in creating these di-
versions. which are calculated to hamper. il
not 70 render proximately impossible. the
contemplated advance upon the capital
from Tientsin. They pointedly suggest the
fear that the allies may not even be able
TO hold Tientsin and Taku. in view OF the
many other points which must be defend
ed At the present moment il is a ques-
tiOn whether. even if the garrison at the
former place can be increased 10 thirty
thousand men within the next week. it
can battle successfully against the Chinese
Army on the ground. re-enforced by the
hundred thousand regulars said to be ap-
preaching from Pekin.
There is no doubt that Tuan means 10
Tetake Tientsin at any cost. His ability
TO do so Will probably depend upon the
extent 10 which Japan may be able TO re
enforce the International garrison. The
dispatches from Taku are vague or silent
concerning the arrival Of troops. doubtless
for good military reasons. We are there
fore quite in the dark as to the numerical
strength Of the allies. II is TO be hoped
that il has been found possible 10 and
and move forward the first division OF the
japanese army II that has been accom-
plished. the situation Of the civilized
troops in Tientsin is much improved. and
their ability TO effect a successful retreat
10 Taku. in case OF necessity. is hardly
questioned. But, unless they are heavily
re-enforced before the arrival Of the Pc
kinese army, their chances for resistance
or escape would seem 10 be small.