New-York tribune., 1900-07-01
VERY MUCH LIKE WAR.
BUT A DECLARATION OF HOSTILITIES
IS STILL LACKING.
Copyright; 1900: BY The New-York Tribunel
lBY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.l

copyright; 1900: By The New-York Tribune
lBY CABLE TO THE TRIBUxEI
London, July l. a. n.-Colonel Forwards re-
port TO the War Office shows that the Chinese
arsenal Tien-Tsin captured by the
combined European, American and Japanese
forces two days after Admiral Seymours return
to the city. The casualties of the British Naval
Brigade were nineteen, and the Chinese regi-
ment from Wei-Hai-Wei thwarted counter
attack by the Boxers.
The details of Seymours engagements tend to
prove that the Chinese will fight the Europeans
and that they are we'll supplied with guns. rifles
and shells. Seymour's advance toward Peking
was undertaken under the illusion that the Chi
nese who had run away from the japanese
would not venture to stand before Europeans
The Chinese having harassed and nearly capt
ured Admiral Seymour's column. have swar1ned
about Tien-Tsin and renewed the bombardment
of the foreign quarter. The capture Of the
arsenal became necessary in order to protect the
allied forces, and it was not effected without a
stiff engagement The fact that casualty lists
are posted of various engagements is proof not
only that the Chinese can fight, but also that
there is a state of war in the empire. The Chi
nese have fired on fleets, nearly captured relief
column and are resisting strepuously the inva-
sion of their country. The allied fleets have
captured forts, a~e massing an army and are
capturing arsenals, having battles with Chinese
regulars and Boxers, and are threatening TO
occupy the capital in force.
These are unmistakable acts Of war, yet there
has been no declaration Of hostilities and the
ministers are apparently held as hostages or
else i iq frnntst3.re e. rrcEf7e safe escort fo1
them. Rumors that they nave left the capital
are still in the air, but probably they are in
Pehng Perhaps the Empress after ordering
them TO go, has thought better of it and COM
nanded them to remain where they can be use
full to her in an emergency; but probably they
refused to go without adequate protection
There is an ingenious theory that the Empress
will carry the legations with her to a new cap
ital in the interior if the united force of Euro
nesns and Americans and japanese marches to
Peking Sinan is named the Empress's
Iydenberg and it Is asserted by well informed
people that she will not allow the foreign Pow
ers TO rescue the Ministers, but will send them
awav under guard as soon Peklng is ap-
preached and will keep them prisoners as long
as there is any risk of her own dethronement.
This is pure conjecture. The foreign Powe&s
clearly have much to learn about China and the
Empress. They have ascertained that the Chi
nese are well armed and fight so strenuously
that an army of fifty thousand troops is needed
for the march to Peking, and they are likely TO
he convinced that the Empress is as willy and
resourceful as either President KRUGER or
stevn. She has less TO gain from sending the
Ministers out of the capital than she has from
keeping them under guard for her protec-
tion until the allies fall out schemes Of par
tftion and are content to postpone a settlement
of the China question for a more convenient
season.
While the dispatches from China are closely