The Portland daily press., 1900-07-12
Advance Not Possible
for Two Months.
An Attempt TO Assassinate
Prince Tuan.

London, July 1s.-3.s0 a. m.-The
Chinese situation again bears most
oninous aspect. Eighteen days ago, Sir
Robert Hart despatched his last message.
declaring that the situation was desperate
and since then no word has come from
the Europeans in Pekin. According to
the Daily Mall S Shanghai correspondent,
LII Hung Chang has received an imperial
decree ordering his immediate departure
for pekin, presumably to break ths news
Of the Pekin tragedy to the European
powers and, IN his usual role of nego6la-
tor with Europe in difficult matters, to
+ endeavor to act as mediator and to avert
the vengenee Of the powers. To add to
the griinness Of this suggestion all ad-
vices from Iien Isin tend to confirm the
reports OF the periIous condition OF the
allied forces and belle the optimistic
Chinese rumors. Unless reinforcements
speedily reach Tien Tsin another disaster
may be expected. The Daily Nails Tien
Tsin correspondent, telegraphing July 8,
says:
fIhe situation is about as bad as it can
well be. / only trust that we shall not
soon want relieving ourselves. A forward
movement is impossible. From 80 600 to
$40, 600 troops are wanted and there are
only 10000 here. The foreign troops are
working well together, but it is incon-
venlent that there IS no supreme COM
mander. In some quarters the feeling is
let Us rescue Pekin and then clear out in
favor Of Russia -
Other lien Tsin co respondents say
that no advance is possible until Septem-
ber ], and explanations are being asked
by the papers here Of the tardy action Of
Japan in sending troops. since it1s known
that she was ready ana willing to send
them and tn at Russia raised no objection
to her doin & so. 1t is limited that a diff
Guilty arose as to the manner in which
Japan was to be recouped for her heavy
outlay. Rumors are current that Japan
demanded the cession Of a Chinese port.
The Russian papers report that the
Boxers are ravaging Manchuria and have
damaged sixty miles of the railway,
threatening Telin and Kirin, while Port
Arthur and New Chawngare said to be
endangered. Russia therefore has noti-
fed the powers of her intention to des-
patch large military force to Man
churia.
1t appears that the Russian censorship
suppressed all reference to this matter
and it transpires that six thousand regu-
lar troops have already arrived from Port
Arthur and Amur to protect the Man
churian railway and that other troops are
now on their way to Manchuria.
All kinds of stories come from Shan
ghai which it is impossible to verify 1t
is stated that the Boxers have murdered
the chancellor of the Pekln University and
sixty of the members of his family and
retainers.
A confidential officer of General Yung
Lu, In guise as Boxer is reported to
have crept into Prince Tuans tent while
the Prince was sleeping, with the inten-
tion of stabbing him. He was caught by
the sentry, so the story goes, and decapi-
tated on the spot His head was sent
with Prince Tuan's compliments to Yung
I.u as warning to him to beware.
The French consul at Shanghai has
news that the Chinese prefect at Moukden !
himself murdered the Catholic bishop
Guillon in his yamen Besides Bishop
Guillon, fathers Cruenet, Corbel, Borgois
and Veuilmot and two sisters OF the
French mission and numerous native |
Christians were massacred.
From Canton comes a report of large
desertions from German Chinese regI-
ment at Kioao Chou and of sanguinary
riot between Germany troops and Boxers,
many Of the latter being killed.
Both at Shanghai and Canton appre-
hension exists that evidences of a wids-
spread native rebellion indicate theE
for immediate measures on the(
part of the powers.