The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-26

pal actor seemed TO De the least concerned
of all. He was eating some ricecakes and
chatting cheerfully with some women close
by. but directly he saw couple OF 70.
eigners training their kodaks on him he
faced about and pulled his hat down over
his eyes. A bride OF so cents induced him
to let one photograph be taken OF nis fea
lures, but one only. Heavy irons encirCle
the prisoners ankles, but with the guard
on duty yesterday it did not look as If it
would be hard matter for few desperate
and armed men to effect q rescue. 1t IS es-
tlmated that the wIetched creature will be
strangled in about four days, after severe
suffering.
Mr.. David Glass, Q. c., member OF the
Canadian bar. who is at present in the
Far East, is reported in the North China
Herald" Of June 20 as having said, in
speaking Of his travels: During April and
May I went over Japan fairly we'll, when
my good opinion Of that country was faliy
confirmed. They are united people and
have high destiny. The Chinese on the
contrary, are not united, and from what
l can gather are wholly wanting in patriut-
ism. The formation Of their governing
powers forces government by sections,
while the language differs largely in Diff
ferent sections, whereby the homogeneous
character of the people is greatly weak
ened, reducing their harmony, happiness,
and strength"
The Tientsin correspondent writes, in
part:
During the last few days we have rather
been awaiting history than making it.
Tientsin has been organizing itself and is
now fully ready TO give more than warm
reception to the Boxers should they at
tempt a raid. Many OF our more eager
spirits hope the so-cailed patriots VIII
come. They say, with good deal Of sense,
that it would be the most ready method OF
prickng the bubble on which all the pO-
tency OF the fellows depends. viz. the idea
of their invuinerability. 1t certainly is
most curious how widely this delusiOn eX-
tends. The Chinese of all classes believe
in it. aud this creed has completely taken
away any pluck the imperial soidiery may
have possessed. The minor officers and
men make no secret Of their half-hearteG-
ness in attacking an enemy who can catch
bullets in their flight and who can, by a
coniuroT-like pass, deviate a hayOnet from
its aim. When once the Chinese mind is
disabused of this idea of the Boxers i'm
munity from death and wounds there will
be a quick and great reaction; therefore,
the sooner 1t comes the better
After speaking of suffering from a nine
months drought and shortage of food, the
correspondent continues:
Scarcity of food is so terrible a foe
that political sedition is a welcome diver
sion to many. The Boxers make the duty
of a conscientious annalist difficult. If one
believed even one-twentieth of all that is
circulated by sensible Chinese one could
fill columns but every day the facts of the
afternoon fatty contradict the eertainties
of the morning; and the news of the even.
| ing is utterly irreconcilable with both.
! Nearly all our news comes from rural Chi
nese sources, and is therefore tainted at
its fount. Chinese at present are in a
| frenzy of fear and credulity utterly incGm-
| patible with sane observations and true
narrative. l have had to give up the tele-
| graph simply because it was sheer i'm
possibility to avoid shocking Shanghai with
unintentiOnal lies. The Jesuit and Protest
ant missions get some sort of information
| from their people, but for the most part
it turns out the product of imaginative
| fear. Let your readers, therefore. be
ready to make very heavy discount on all
| so-cailed news from the north. and espe-
| cially telegraphic news. The information
| is sent in perfect good faith and is the re-
| suit of very careful examination and COM
pariscn, but it is often fatty contradicted
| before an hour Is over Today General
| Nleh has gone up the line with 5000 Of his
| fairly drilled and well-armed men. On
| Tuesday at 10 a. N. il was credibly report
| ed he had advanced against the Boxers
| and kiIl-l 1000. At l p. m he had been
| defeated slain; and his head was going
round the countryside on the end OF a
| pike. Whereas the facts were that he
| got on board the Pekin train at or near
| YangtsUn (sOme eighteen miles from ITEM
| tsin). advanced with it about three miles
beyond Loga, and then ordered 1t instantly
| to return to Tientsin. as ne saw the Box
| ers' fire on ahead. Now Mr.. c. W. Camp
| bell, of the consular service, and Mr.. A
| Currie, the engineer Of the line. were on
| the train; they had powerful field glasses
and were confident there were no fires and
| no sign of an enemy.
| They wished to go on, but the stout old
soldier % would not hear OF it and in
| sisted On going back to his men, profess
| ing great anxiety for the foreigners lives.
| These gentlemen were IN the general S
presence an hour after the pike business;
yet the latter had credit all over the city.
| even among many officials. All
| the history OF the past fifteen days points
| to something like this. The Chinese could
| crush the sedition in a few days if they
wanted to- They don't want to. as the
reactioraries are tempOrizing and still
| hope there may be virtue in Boxer pO-
tepcy against foreigners. The sooner this
! is recognized the better. Get rid Of the
| influences Of Yu Hsien. Tuan, and men Of
| like kidney in Pekin. and the situation will
| brighten up lllllAltAlldLGiJ.
THE Rev. II. V Norman's murder is
quite confirmed He fell into the hands
| Of a man named Ii. the head of a httie
township hard by. Ii recently lost ms
son in quarrel between Boxers ana
| Christians. vowed vengeance. ana loon II
on his cautfve. The Anglican mission IN
north China has lost three members oy
rnartvrsom and three by death during the
last six months. -.;...,
II have excellent reason Tor asserting
| tb,t General Nieh's apparent poItroonery
L. soleIv the result Of his deplorabie IN
| str,,ctiors He told the Niceroy tIu La
- the other day that he was willing 10
,,rs,t all responsibility and stop the Sc
iition promptly. But the Niceroy himself
a. ,,rder very stringent orders as to his
- action. As far as he can he cooper
aras promptly and earnestly with the con-
Ms and be has done everything in his
mower to allay panic"
| From FoOchow. under date Of June II.
Eampden C. du Rose writes the North
| china Herald" urging the prompt action
n the powers and pointing out the neces-
sity of troops. In conclusion. he says;
..Ths is a plea for the preservation or
| millions Of lives. Revolution in thina
| means the lndiscriminate slaughter OF men.
| women. and children, and the wholesale
| destruction OF property. Rescue the mil
lions should be the watchword OF the
West 4"