The evening times., 1900-10-08
Circulation Statement.
The Late News From China.

Again the pendulum of the Chinese sit
uation has swung from the diplomatic
10 the military side of the clock-csse.
Today's advices from the Flowery King
dom are ominous of the resumption of
hostilities Of which Sir Robsrt Hart
warned the powers three weeks ago N5t
far from Tientsin Russian column has
suffered repulse 1t the hands of body
OF Chinese troops numbering eight
thousand, and supposed to be force OF
Ii Hung Chang's veterans. A Shanghai
despatch to the Berlin Loka1 AnZ5igeT
asserts that two hundred thousand Chi
nese troops, armed with modern weap-
ons. are marching in detachments from
ali the provinces to Join Tupg Fun Slang,
the Empress Dowager's general, at Sin
gan-fu. The foreign commanders in C1i-
na have information upon which they
base an estimate that the Chinese still
have seven hundred pieces of modera
artillery and rapid-ire guns, and a lib
eral supply of ammunition and small
arms.
All the signs point to a renewal OF
war. Shanghai is-being prepared for al
imminent There does not seem to be
any roam for reasonable doubt that the
Chinese Government having withdraw
itself to a safe distance in the inter;o-,
and collected its forces gain. is all bat
ready to hurl defiance at the civilized
world. Unless AEr. MeKinIey's ex ca-
tive army hurries, it may not be able 10
put the finishing touch to The AmsriCaG
cut and scuttle policy before the war
breaks out In that case it might have
to do some heayy fighting to reach the
coast. Portions of the American ccnt.n-
gent are now understood to be scat red
along the line of communications he
tween Pekin and Taltu. a small body OF
our marines having already arrived al
the latter place.
Late developments seem to suggest that
the American Executive may have commit
ted another in its long series of blunders
in retreatng from Pekin and leaving there
only a handful of American troops They
are not in sufficient number 10 represent
1rst-class power in joint operations which
il is now probable must be undertaken for
the common defence of the allies aud the
D
Chaffee has steamed for Manila we shall
have only a legation guard in China, and
that under orders not TO act under the in
stTuctions OF the International military
commander. We are, therefore, isolated
in a military sense, and our past amateur
ish mistakes have left US pretty we'll iso-
lated automatically The child-Iike and
bland confidence which-for domestic pa-
liticai reasons-Mr. Mckinley has reposed
III the good faith ana peaceable intentions
OF the Empress Dowager. and her noble
''Washingtons and Jacksons." as Editor
Nu describes the patriots Prince
Tuar and his eoadjutors. bids fair
to cause him regret and trouble. Being
determined TO adopt a 'fscuttling policy"
perhaps ii would have been better if the
President had made it complete, and had
withdrawn his legation and its guard as
well as the bulk of Chaffees command,
from the Empire.
An early renewal of hostiIities, and the
probability of a Chinese attempt to isolate
and then attack Pekin in heavy force,
would leave Minister Conger and his escort
in an embarrassing and even perilous pc
sltlon- 1t is not certain that, in present
circumstances, there can be any serious
attempt at peace negotiations. China gives
evidence OF being upon the point of prac-
teal declaration of war. Possibly the ne
gotiations with Ii and Ching may have to
wait until its conclusion. In the meantime
we are sorry to think that the position OF
this country in the whole connection is
n cfOrv no. diorY-i6ed
things, of course, must be considered solely
in their relations to the approaching Pres
idential election.