The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-10
THE MARCH ON PEKIN
To be No for the Invaders.
I!umor the Ministers Have Left for
Tier Tsfn.

London, August Z, $40 a. m.-"The
menced to-day" cables the British
consul at Tien Tsin. nder date OF Au-
gust 4th. This is the first Official in
formation received here tina the at
tempt to relieve Pekin a bgun. 1t is
accepted as correct.
The British consul does not mention
any fighting; but the Shanghai CORE
spondent of The Daily Mail, telegraph
ing Sunday, The Pekin RELIEF
column is reported to have suffered 4
check. The Chinese are said to a
adopted Tugela tactics and, after sew
eral hours of fighting, to have re-
treated"
This is the only message received in
London this morning bearing out the
reports of Admiral Remey and Com
mander Taussig regarding an engage
ment at Peit Sang The fact tina the
advance did not begin until Saturday
is taken to strengthen the accounts of
a battle Sunday.
In the same ~cablegram, which was
read in the house Of commons, the con-
sui at Tien Tsin says: News from the
japanese legation has been received up
to August 1st." Therefore the edicts
announcing the safety of the ministers
on that DAY are COnf1rmed-
Yesterday the Chinese minister COM
m~unicated to Lord Salisbury a mes
sage from the Tsung Ii Yamen, dated
July Goth, reiterating the statement
that the ministers were safe on that
day and recounting the friendly rela-
tions existing between them and the
yamen, as we'll as reporting the send
ing of supplies to the legations by the
yamen- The message contains this
important statement: "A successful
termination of the conference with the
ministers for their conveyance under
escort ito Tien Tsin is expected; but,
on account of the re-commencement of
hoStilitieS ait Tien Tsin. code kilograms
for transmission to the representatives
are considered undesirable"
TO USE THE MINISTER'S AS HOS
TAGES.
This appears to confirm the state
ment that the Chinese government will
endeavor to stop the march to Pekin by
using the ministers as hostages.
The Lokal Anzeiger of Berlin, pub
fishing an Interview with Lii Hung
Chang quotes him as declaring emphat-
ically that China must not in any cir
cumStances cede any more territory
to any power In reply to a question
why the rebellion was not put down,
EdTl LII Is represented as having SAID.
II blame Prince Tuan. the empress
dowager and the whole Pekin govern
ment; but for their lack of energy the
situation would never have become so
serious"
RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES
The ST. Petersburg correspondent Of
The Daily Mail says: active nego-
tiations are proceeding between Russia
n the United States. the probable
outcome of which will be a resolution
to uphold the integrity Of China uncon-
ditionally."
A Shanghai correspondent of the
same paper says that the Americans
there are urging h appointment of
General Macarthur as communicating
chief of the allied forces.
The Standards Shanghai represen-
tative wiring Sunday says:
TT is clear that the march to the re-
lief of Pekin will be anything but a
walkover. Japanese scouts have dis
covered a large force of Chinese south
force in the vicinity Of Lu Tai, to the
eastward.
"It is learned now hat the members
Of the Tsung Ii Yamen who were put
to death for their alleged pro-foreigr
proclivities were not ~beheaded, but
were cut in twain, this being the Sc
verest penalty under the Manchu code
Sheng declares hat the grand council.
at Pekin was ignorant of the orders fol
the execution
THE MINISTER'S LEAVE PEKIN
4 a. ma Sanghai special, dated
August 9Th, says: LII Hung Chang
has officially informed the consuls thai
the ministers left Peki for Tien Tsir
last Friday, August 3rd. with Genera,
Yung Lu in command of the escort
The consuls are by no means disposed
to credit Earl Lis statement"
All other reports that have reached
London up to this hour indicate thai
the ministers have not left Pekin