The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-20

So many conflicting reports have been
sent out recently concerning the conditions
in China that chronological review OF
events known to have happened may be Of
interest and value for reference.
1t has been thoroughly established that
the Boxers began 10 make serious trouble
in the latter part Of May. There had been
Tioting previously. but such affairs were
regarded at the time as Of only local i'm
portanee. international attention was at
tracted to the Boxers by the occurrences
in the neighborchoOd Of Pekin on May
Pa On that date a force of Imperial Chi
nese troops sent out to suppress riot was
defeated with heavy loss. This victory
seemed TO give great encouragement 10
the insurrectionisJs who became more Nio-
lent and whose ranks were soon considera-
bly, augmented.
on the very next day Boxers tore up
sufficient OF the railway between Pekin and
Tientsin 10 suspend train service between
the capital and the zeacOast. The United
States cruiser Newark flagship CT Rear
Admiral KempG which had arrived at
Taku Oh May .. sent ashore los marines
with a machine gun and field gun on
May % One hundred men each were also
landed from British japanese, German,
Italian. Russian and French warships then
a, TaSu. when IN attempt was made TO
send these troops by train to Pekln 10
protect the foreign legations there, the
Tsung -li-Yamen would not permit IT, say
ing that the Government troops we're July
able TO cope with the situation unaided.
The fore igners insisted, however, and the
Tsung-Ii-T2men yielded. On May 81 spe-
cial train started from Tientsin for Pekln
with the following forces Americans. .
officers and IS men; British, officers and
- men. Italian. > officers and - men;
/ French. 3 officers and - men; Russian, !
officers and Il men: japanese, ? officers
I and q men. They took along i've quick
/ firing guns.
On June l United States Minister COnEer
reported TO the State Department 1t Wash
! ington from Pekin that these guards for
| the legations had arrived and their ap-
! poarauce had had the immediate eject OF
! improving the situation ard causing the
! Boxers within the city 10 assume less
/ beiligerent attitude; but Minister ConSer
! tcicgraphed on June that outside OF Pc
/ kin the murders and prosecutions by the
/ Boxers seem to be on the increase. All
/ foreigners have fed. The Chinese Govern
I ment seems either unwilling or unable TO
J suppress the trouble. The troops show no
/ energy in attacking the Boxers" On the
/ same day the Insurgents wrecked the rail-
/ road between Peilin and TienJsin again,
and all traffic over the lire was suspended.
Russians Begin the Fighting.
On June Rear Admiral Kempf sent a
despatch saying that the Russian force
landed at Tientsin had been the first 20 be-
/ gin fighting with the Boxers. who now
| threatened that city. and that Captain Me
Gala had taken command Of the American
force there. Cable messages were sent 10
I Minister Conger and Rear Admiral Kempn
/ by President Mckinley's direction on June
Z 8 giving them ample authority to meet any
. emergency likely 10 occur in the Chinese
/ crisis without involving the United States
{ in any combination among the powers or
[ interfering in affairs in which this country
has no direct concern. Meanwhile reports
Of murders Of foreigners outside Pekin
I were arriving day by day. and on June :
the British landed 900 more men al Ten
tsin and began preparations 10 force pas
sage TO Pekin through the hOrdes of Box
ers which had cut The railroad and beset
the capital Twenty-Five waTships Of the
various powers had assembled opposite Ia
I ku by this time.
Minister Conger sent word on June .
that the situation was steadily growing
worse. and two more American warShips
! were ordered 10 Taku. the gunboat Nash
Vile. with a force Of thirty marines. from
I Cavite and the MonGcacy. from Shanghai.
strong force Of foreign troops WAS des-
/ patched from Tientsin for Pelin on Juus
/ IL The frs, train contained ADMIRAL Sey-
, moUr. with CSC Britishers; Captain Nc
I Gala with 100 Americans; 40 Italians. and
/ - AustTians. \ second train contained 500
l British. japanese Russian. and French
/ troops. On the first train were Hotchkiss
/ and other guns. on the second repairing;
! material and new rails. BY this time thir.
] ty-Onc foreign war vessels We're reported
! n TakU. and all telegraph lines into Pc
! Kin had been cut
The relief expedition was held up about
| thirty miles from Tientsin by badly dam
! aged bridges. and while making repairs had
/ their first brush with Boxers. wLo appear
| ed in small force and were soon routed
/ leaving about thirty dead.
ConEcr Asks for Aid.
Minister Conger. the telegraph wires be
ing cut. managed to get a message out OF
/ Pekin By courier which asked for 2,O0O
United States troops. The courier reported
I that the Boxers were entrenching outside
( Of PeNin 10 oppose the advance OF the re-
. lief column from Tieutsin. and that Chi
/ uose guns had been trained upon the quar-
! tiers Of the foreign legations \ cOmplICa-
/ ton OF the situation was removed on June
/ y. when definite official information was
/ received through the Tsung-Ii-Yamen that
/ the Empress DOwagcr would not object to
! the presence Of foreign troops in Chinese
/ territory. The Empress had at last real