The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1900-06-22
AT GATES OF PICKING
Russian Relief Force Has Ar
rived Outside the City.
United States Not in a State of War
With the Chinese Govern
ment

With the Chinese Govern
ment
London, June 2O.-The Russian re.
lieying force arrived outside Of P,kinc
this morning, says the Shanghai CORE
spOndent of the Daily Express. and i'm
medlately began to attack the city on
| two sides, employing numerous artillery.
| The force apparently arrived in the nick
OF time, Tor the Chinese assert that the
attack upon the legations had been suc-
cessluily renewed. On the night of June
10 the chinese troops under Generals
lung ran Stang and Tung Ching at
lacked the legations and set on fire five
european buildings. Nothing definite
Is known as to the rumOr that the Chi
nese were disappointed, although other
reports utterly discredited by foreigners
here are that the Chinese, infuriated by
the destruction of Taku, have since
massacred all the foreigners in Peling
modified version of these rumOrs
received at Berlin is that the French. AZ
well as the German, minister has been
Killed. The English at Shanghai think
the Chinese had foreign advice in organ
lzIng the defenses at Taku because of the
precision with which their attack was
delivered. The wires connecting with
harbor mines were cut by the boats OF
the Warships the night before the HON
bardment.
lt Is now reported at Shanghai that
1t was on board the Russian cruiser Ko-
rletz, and not the Mandschur, that the
explosion occurred, killing and wound
ing more than so. 1t is reported that
no fewer than 700 Chinese were killed in
the forts.
The Shanghai correspondent of the
Daily Express says he is officially in
formed that Japan is mObilizing %. 900
men Tor immediate transport. The
whole japanese Merchant shipping com
pany has been chartered.
Shanghai Under the Guns
The British cruiser Undannted arrived
at Shanghai yesterday, cleared for ac
tlOn ana TOOK up position command
ing the Chlnese iOrts. There are three
Chinese cruisers in the harbOr.
The new Chinese cruiser Hal Yang
built by the Armstrong;, has been taken
into custody at Taku by the British and
Russians. At 1unan Flu, where the ris-
ing has been gathering force for several
days, $50 Christians have been attacked
at the French mission settlement. MANY
being put to death. The French consul
and three missionaries are still in prison
The dlsOrderly elements have secured
the upper hand at Wahu and Czecbuan
where the native Christians have been
massacred. A thousand Boxers have
gathered on the outskirts Of Tientsin.
The Worst to be Feared at Peking
The Shanghai correspondent of the
DAILY News, telegraphing yesterday.
says: The Chinese officials here assert
that they have news from Peking up to
June II. The situation was then very
serious. Beyond that they claim to
have received nothing, but they deny
that dispatches have been withheld.
Although | am not willing to adODt
the alarmist reports, my impression
gathered from the cOnsuls and the
Chinese authorities, is that the worst is
to be feared at Peking Admiral Sew
mOur's column is now in the middle OF
an arid plain, with no food and no good
water and surrounded by hostile forces
A dispatch from Shanghai announces
that the United States transpOrt
Thomas, with troops for Manila. was
diverted to Nagasaki and has arrived at
Taku with 1900 men.
1t is not known whether or not our
naval vessels were with the other for
eign ships IN the engagement at Taku
on Saturday.
A significant fact in this connection is
that the official view here is still that
there is not yet a state of war between
China and the United States. 1t is con-
tended that the stirring events of Sun
day morning did not of necessity involve
US in war, and thai the action OF the
Chinese commander at Taku NAV vet be
dlsavOwed or prove to have been based
upon ignorance or misunderstanding
In this case it still gives an opportunity
for explanation by the Chinese govern
ment and suitable reparation that will
close this incident without war.
Three OF the Taku forts, it is added
we're completely destroyed, and most OF
the garrisons were killed or wounded bv
a charge from the sailors of the allied
fleets.
The allied relief force under British Ad-
mlral Seymour has marched into Peking.
Relief Force In Tight Place,
London, June 17.-There is no con-
firmatiOn OF the reported destruction of
the legations in Pekin aDd the killing OF
the German minister, Baron Won Ketteler.
nor OF the later report of fighting be-
tween the British and Chinese.
Dispatches from Shanghai dated last
evening, state that Admiral Seymour's
force is in tight place between Lang
Fang and Yung Sun, with enormous
masses of soldiers in front, while the
Boxers with that soldiery, are cutting
the railway in the rear. Kiang Nan
arsenal, outside of Shanghai, is sending
vast quantities of ammunition north.
All is quiet at Shanghai, but all trade
i has been disrupted. 1t is stated that
1000 Americans are coming from Manila
| and that large force OF Japanese are
also enrOute.
The wires south of Tien Tsin have
been cut and the city is geographically
isolated.
A CATHOLIC EXPLANATION.