Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-06-14
ROUT 1000 BOXERS.
SIXTEEN BRITISH MARINES DO EFF
FECTlVE WORK NEAR PEklN.

FEcTIvE WORK NEAR PEKlN.
Expedition of Nearly 1000 Europeans Is
Marching to the Capital-Nurder of a
Japanese Secretary of Legation * Pekin
May Bring on War.
LONDON, June 13.-Sixteen British
marines, accommodating in advance of
the international column marching to
Pekin, fought and chased 1900 Boxers
Monday, killing 20 or 80. A corre-.
spondent accompanying the column, in
dispatch dated Tien Tsin, June 10,
says: "While the working parties, &C
companied by a patrol of 16 British
marines, commanded by Major john
son, were repairing the line Monday
afternoon eight miles beyond Lofa they
encountered small parties of Boxers
who were destroying the line. The
Boxers moved away from the advancing
marines and apparently dispersed into
the country, leaving the rails moved
and the sleepers burning. The marines
when two miles in advance of the first
train, near Lang Fang, suddenly per-
ceived Boxers streaming from village
on their left. It was estimated that
they numbered 1900, some of them
being mounted, and they were trying
to get between the marines and the
train. Most of them were armed with
spears and swords. A few had firearms,
which they handled awkwardly. The
marines retreated, keeping upa running
fight for over mile and killing be-
tween 30 and 30 Boxers.
''The Boxers pursued the British for
some distance. Then seeing more ma
rines from the train coming to their as
sistance Major Johnson's 16 halted and
poured heavy continuous fire into the
crowd, driving them across the front Of
the reinforcing bluejackets, who pun.
lshed the Boxers severely with MaXims.
"The Boxers fled and the Europeans,
following mp their success, cleared out
two villages. The total loss of the
Boxers is estimated at 40 killed and
wounded. Seven of their wounded
were attended by British surgeons.
The British loss was nothing.
"Unless their loss causes the Boxers
to lose heart the International column
will have much trouble before it reaches
Pekin. The railway is so much dam
aged that the column covered only "a
miles Sunday and Monday and there
is reason to fear that the road beyond
is more badly damaged.
Evidences of General Nieh's opera
tions were found in headless bodies.
The whole country presents a desolate
aspect, whole villages being deserted.
The expedition numbers ,944-British,
95; German, 250; Russian, 300; French,
12S; Americans, 104 japanese, SD; Ital-
ian, 40; and Austrian, 25.'
The Times, in an extra edition, pub
fishes the following dispatch from
Pekin, dated June 12: "The chancellor
of the Japanese legation. Sugyama
Akira, while proceeding alone and un-
protected on official duty, was brutally
murdered by soldiers of Tung Fuh
Slang, the favorite bodyguard of the
.. empress, at Navigate railroad station
yesterday. The foreign reinforcements
are daily expected. The present isolated
position of Pekin, the destruction of for
eign property i'll the country and the in
security of life are directly attributed
to treachery Of the Chinese govern
ment."
The correspondents at Tien Tsin,
Shanghai and other treaty ports throw
side lights OF the situation. Accord
ing to one dispatch 5000 Russians az,
ready to land at Taku. A telegram
from Yokohama says that the Japan nese
government has ordered four more war
ships to proceed to Taku and 1000 men
of all arms are ordered to be in immedi-
ate readiness for embarkation. The
dispatch says the Japanese government
trusts the powers will not misconstrue
this action" The Japanese press is
urging vigorous methods.
The Hong Kong correspondent of the
Times says: "The admiralty have en-
gagged a transport to take 900 troops to
Tang Ku." The only bit of informa-
ton which the British war Office has
made public was the admission yester-
day that the summer residence of the
British minister in Pekin, Sir Claude
Macdonald, has been burned.
| Considerable contracts for the Chinese
have been placed with the Birmingham
arms factories, though whether for the
Chinese government or for the Boxers
is not disclosed.
Boxers, Attack Catholic Convent.
| TEN TSIN, June 12.-One hundred
and sixty-three British landed last
evening. An additional 20 British have
been sent to Fong Chan. Yesterday a
special train left Tien Tsin for Yang