Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-08-16
REFUSED THE OFF Err
LEGATIONERS WILL NOT LEAVE
UNDER CHINESE ESCORT.
MINISTER M'DONALD'S CRY
Says Situation Is Desperate With Food
Supply to Last Only Ten Days
They Remember Cawnpore and Will
Remain Where They Are Until Re-
lief Column Comes.

London, Aug 1.-THE British consul
at Canton says the Daily Eelegraph's
correspondent there has received the
following message, dated the It'll, from
Sir Claude Macdonald, British minis
ter at Pekin: Our situation here is
desperate. In ten days our food supply
will be at an end. Unless we are re-
lieved a general massacre will be prob
able. The Chinese offer to escort us to
Tientsin, but remembering CaWnpOre,
we refuse the offer There are over
200 European women and children in
this legation" Tie Shanghai CORES
pendent Of ne Daily Express says:
All the allies at nocn. Saturday, were
within ~ miles of Pekin." AS Chat
fees repC;t. which is the only anthem
tic news received here regarding the
advance, located the international
forces several miles further from
Pekin thursday, it seems propable that
the aaanghai report is optimistic.
TIE Yang Tsun dispatch, dated inc
18th, giving details regarding the cap
ture Of that place, says: The
Russians and French held the left
the British the left center, the Ameri-
cans the right center, and the Japan
csc the extreme right. The British
and Americans advanced on the village
at a rapid rate for 5000 yards, until
the severe shell and rife fire. The
Russians opened and the British-Amer-
lean advance became a race for posi-
tons, eliminating in brilliant charge.
| The heaviest loss of the day was sus-
! tanned by the Americans, the four
teenth infantry having killed, 81
wounded and several missing. The
| Bengal Lancers unsuccessfully at
tempted to cut off the Chinese retreat.
Another Yang Tsun special says:
Owing to a mistake the British and
Russian guns shelled the fourteenth
U. S. infantry during the night, wound
ing ten" Commenting upon this oc-
currence, the Standard says: ct is
melancholy to learn that the losses
| by the Americans, who seem tC
have borne themselves with conspicu
Gus gallantry. should be increased by {
deplorable error, in consequence O
which one of their regiments wa!
pounded by Russian and British can
non. The incident emphasizes tn
necessity of close cooperation which il
not obtainable without single com
!; mander and a general staff.
The Daily Nails st. Petersburg cor
respondent declares that the taking o
Aigun has sealed the fate Of the risin
: in northeastern Manchuria. He adds
mo prisoners were taken by the Rus
slams. Wholesale massacre was tn
: order of the day, and when the battl
t was over the Cossacks rode over tn
field, killing all the wounded with tn
butt ends of their muskets." One
more the press Of England remarks uE
on the ability of the American govern
! ment to secure news ahead Of tn
, rest of the world. ut is to
Gen. Chaffee," says the Daily New:
that we are indebted for news frol
> the front. as not a single dispatch fror
Sir Alfred Gaselee is thus far issue
by the war Office"
= All the small arms and ammunitio
used by the allies are in accordant
with the recommendations Of the pea
l. conference, none being explosive
: expanding. The drain OF China an
south Africa upon England's stores
Il so great that every private firm h
n been enlisted to help the governmel
to supply the demand and restore Il
n reserve which is much below par. A
II the great ammunition firms are worl
ing night and day in their efforts
a meet the governments wish"