The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-17

Soldiers.
Londin, July IL, 4:10 a. ma terrible
veil of silence enshrouds Pekin and
there is nobody but believes the worst
has happened. 1t is taken for granted
that all the powers have exhausted
every means to get direct news from
their legations and the fact that their
efforts nave been vain leaves bU.
Interpretation.
The Chinese representative in Gerlin
denies the statement that Ii Hung
Chang has sent to him a hopeful tele-
gram. He says that on the contrary,
no direct telegram has been received
by him from Ii Hung Chang for some
time past.
fridays news is again restricted to
the usual crop of untruStwOrthy Shang
hal rumOrs, the most serious Of which,
reported by the correspondent of The
Express, is to the effect that Euro
peans are directing the Chinese mill
tary operations. The correspondent as
serts that Captain Bailey, of H. NJ. s.
Aurora, distinctly saw a man in Euro
pean garb directing the Chinese artil-
leTy operations outside of Tien Tsin.
AOICISu refugees IIOm 1lCu lSlll
openly accuSe a European official,
whose name the Express correspondent
suppresses, and Colonel Won Hannekin,
who was formerly employed TO drill
the Chinese troops, Of being parties to
a Plot to procure the escape of General
Chang and themselves from Tien Tsin
before the bOmbardment, leaving the
other foreigners to their fate.
statements are in circulation in
Shanghai, accusing the Russians of
indisCriminat slaughter of friendly
Chinese nOn-cOmbatantS without regar
to age or sex. The manager of q Chi
neSe steamship who has az
rived in Shanghai asserts that he only
escaped from Tien Tsin by cutting off
his que and dOnning European clothes.
It is stated that the taOtai of Shanghai
protested to the powers against the
Russian slaughters.
it is asserted that the Buddhis
priests throughout the empire are prop
agating Prince Tuan's anti-foreign
gospel
RUAORED DEFEAT OF FOREIGN
FORCES.
News is circulating throughout the
Yang TIE valley that General Ma has
inflicted a crushing defeat pom the
allies at Tien Tsin and that the foreign
army has been cut to pieces east of
Pekin. The actual impotence for the
III VI ~ IN ACAON@ AA --AJ
gives color to these stories, with the
worst results.
The Shanghai correspondent of The
Express gives Tien Tsin advices &c
July Sth, when the superior range of
Japanese artillery enabled them to
relieve the Russians, who were hard
pressed at the railway station.
GERMANY'S ATTITUDE.
Berlin July LIT is semi-officially
stated that Count Won BueliW, the
secretary of state fir foreign af-
fairs, has addressed a circular to the
German federal governments. After re-
viewing recent events in China be
says.
The latest development in the NIL
tary situation is the piercing by the
Chinese of the imperial canal, near
Tien Tsin for the purpOse of inundat-
ing the country and thus hampering
any advance upon Pekin from the
south, while great masses of hostile
Chinese are pressing on from the north
ana east.
Our military measures, consisting
of eight battalions of infantry. three
squadrons OF cavalry and four batter
les will enable us to participate in the
military action in a manner CORE
spending with Germany's political
choice. BY The recent events in China,
the successful German mission opera
items there, the f1ourishing German
trade and economical enterprises are
menaced. Our moral and material in
teIeStS We must protect.
Our aim Is the restoration of secu-
rity for persons and property, freedom
of action for German subjects in China
the rescue of the foreigners beleagCred
in Pekin. the establishment if
Iations under a proper Chinese govern
ment, and satisfaction for the outrages
committed.
We desire no partition of hin and
seek no SPECIAL advantages.
The imperial government is imbued
with the conviction that the mainte-
nance of the agreement between the
powers is a primary condition for the
restoration of peace and order in
China"
Washington July 1.-THE japanese
legation has received a dispatch from
Toxic. giving briefly the details of the
assassination Of Baron Won ketteler at
Pekin and the fighting around Tien
TSin. III dispatch was sent from
Toxic July 4th, but was in some way
subject to great delay along n Sloe-
rian route. 1t states that the German
minister was killed by a shot, and that
it is not known whether the nib ele-
ment OF the sOldiery is responsible for
the shooting.
PLANS FOR FEEDING AMERICAN
TROOPS.
Washington, July 12.-The plans OF
the war department for feeding the
army in China are being gradually
formulated. 1t has been decided that
all troops destined for Nagasaki with
a probability of service in hin shall
carry sixty days rations which will be
landed with them Transportation for
this amount of stores Will be furnished
at once so that the American contin-
gent will be able to make. a prompt