The representative., 1900-11-15
I Special to the Dispatch. J

I [ Special to the Dispatch.)
n LONDON, Nov. v1O.-The lot of the
American troops in China has been far
from happy, according to the Tien Tsin
correspondents of the Daily Mail. He
says:
There is constant friction between
the troops of the allies, and already
there is covert taking of sides and get
ting into line. for the severance which
officers and men alike feel is practically
certain to come. The Frenchmen, Ger
mans, Russians. AustriansA and Italians
are gravitating together, not SO much
because other interests are identical, but
because of their common jealousy and
dislike of England and the United States.
Meanwhile the Japanese sit on the fence.
Frequent misunderstanding are
arising. The soldiers of one nationality
are being killed or wounded by men of
others. Numerous British. Americans
and Sikhs are the principal sufferers,
chiefly at the hands Of the French SEN
tries, who shoot on short notice. These
mishaps have resulted in grudges and
bitterness.
Zone sore point with the Americans
was the shelling of their men at long
range by the French troops in Pekin.
No harm was done, fortunately, but this
does not prevent the Americans from
cursing the French for a lot of stupid
blunderers. rs~
'The Russians are also execrated for
killing one American soldier and wound
ing another at Yang Tsung by a shell,
which really seemed to have been fired
by British gun, but John Bull is given
the benefit of the doubt.
only day or two ago a dispute over
the wood pile came near creating serious
international complications. Some time
since the British Communicated a large
wood pile on the Bund in the British
concession. A guard of Sikhs was set
over it. One afternoon file of Russian
soldiers. in command of lieutenant,
appeared and ordered the Sikhs to va
cate their position, at the same time
preparing to tear down the Union Jack,
which foated over he wood The Sikhs
protested, but, as they were outnumber-
ed four to one by the Russians, the wood
would have been seized had not man
ran to the British headquarters and re-
DOrted the sit,latjon
Gen. Leon Campbell arrived in the
nick of time to prevent collision, which
would cvertainly have resulted in blood
shed, for a Russian soldier was on the
verge Of tearing down the funf6n JACK,
while the Sikhs guard stood trembling
with excitement, evidently determined
to resist
Taking in the situation at a glance
Gen. Campbell ordered the Sikhs to
lower their weapons and demanded an
explanation from the Russian officer.
The latter said that he had been order
ed to take possession of the wood pile
and that he proposed to carry out his
orders
"A guard of American infantry, under
command of lieutenant, came march
ing by. Gen. Campbell halted the Off
Ger:
"'Will you place your men on guard
over this wood pile until can call on
the Russian general?' he said. The
Sikhs are like powder likely to go of
like flash with no officer to restrain
them.'
THE American officer hesitated, anu
intimated that the affair was none of
his business.
I know It, but l would do as muc,.
for your people, said Gen. Campbell I
only ask you not to let them tear down
our flag .
"'All right, sir; I'll stay here till yoa
come back, said the American lieuten-
ant, ordering his men to assemble
around the wood pile. He kept his
word.
Gen. Campbell explained matters a,
Admiral Alexieffs headquarters, ana
soon Russian staff officer arrived on
double quick with an order for the Rus
slams to retire. Gen. Campbell after
wards wrote note to Col. Mole, cont
manding the American brigade at Tien
Tsin, thanking him for the assistance
rendered by the infantry lieutenant and
guard.
These trifies merely are illustrative
OF a thousand such of greater or less
Importance. The powers are jostling
each other now on almost everything
they attempt in China.
Probably all this petty fiction.
though irritating, may lead to nothing
more serious than columns of racial
mud-finging in the newspapers or cold
looks exchanged between officers of diff
ferent nationalities and between the
soldiers in the crowded streets of Pekin
and Tien Tsin, but some such triae may
provoke and start an international con-
f1agration of which no man can foresee
the quenching"