The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-26
THE BATTLE OF ten TSIN
AMERICAN MARINES AND OTHER FOR.
ElGN FORCES ENGAGED.
THEIR ATTACK UNSUCCESSFUL
Not Able to Break Through the Lines
ofthe Chinese eArmy-Reinrorcem
Of 1000 Men Sent to Their Aid No
Two American Warships in Asiatfc
Waters-Remey Wants More Naval
Oncers-More Troops for China.

Washington, June 23.-The navy de-
partment this morning received an i'm
portant dispatch from Admiral Kempff,
stating that an engagement is now in
progress between the United States
| marines and other forces against the
Chinese army, outside Of Tien Tsin.
The following has been issued by the
war department.:
Acting Secretary Hackett has this
| morning received a dispatch from Ad-
| miral Kempff, dated Che Foo, June
23rd, to the effect that our marines un-
| der Major Waller, together with 400
| Russians had had and engagement
| with the Chinese army near Tien Tsin
| They could not break through the line.
A force numbering 1000, the admiral
reports, is now ready to make another
attempt
| Admiral Kempffs dispatch stating
that an engagement had occurred near
Tien Tsin and that another was about
to occur, sent a thrill of expectancy
throughout official circles here. Other
| dispatches had been received giving
additional details, but these were not
made public, as they did not shed light
| upon the engagement itself, but more
| on the movements of the forces. The
| official information gave no clue, how
| ever, as to the extent of any casualties
| which may have been suffered by the
american forces engaged, and this was
taken to indicate that the loss was lit
tie or nothing in the face of such an
ill-equipped foe.
Major Waller in command Of tba
American marines, who participated in
the tight, is known here as a brave and
efficient officer, whose GOODNESS and
daring were displayed during the bat
tie OF Santiago. when he commanded
the marines on board the battleship
Indiana. The marines referred to i'm
the cablegram are the $50 men taken
by the Solace from Manila at the first
call for reinforcements.
Admiral Kempff'S 8 specific statement
that the engagement was with the
Chinese army at first caused some So
licitude among officials, for this was
the first positive official statement that
the imperial forces in China, and not
the Boxers, were fighting the foreign
, troops. Later, however, the view OBJ
!. tanned that the admiral had used the
words: Chinese army as handy
, means of expressing the Chinese oppo-
sition encountered, without intending
to officially declare that the imperial
troops We're fighting.
, NO ANGLO-AMERICAN ALLIANCE.
: The Shanghai statement of a practi-
/ cally "Anglo-American Alliance" elicit
ed an expression of Indignation from
the officials here who have grown
weary explaining that there is abso-
, lutely no such alliance, but simply par
allel action by this and other govern
ments toward the common end of pre-
serving their respective people and
property.
, The authorities here are using the
: utmost endeavor to bring officers from
every available point so as to meet the
, requirements of Admiral Remey, and
, for this reason the quota at the tor
pedo school at Newport and at many
other points is being reduced to the
smallest possible limit. There are now
> hfty-two vessels in commission in
Il Asiatic waters showing the extreme
need of large force of officers.
The navy department received a dis
| patch this morning announcing the ar
: rival of the Solace at Nagasaki, Japan
= No explanation is given at the depart
: ment as to why she went over to Ma
= gasaki instead of remaining with the
= American fleet at Taku, but is believed
+ | that she made the trip to the Japar
s | ports for the purpose of being in more
| direct communication with the depa t.
q ment. 1t may be that the departm, m
L VIII llIlu II HcCSSSdTS send
| messages to Kempff via NagaSki anC
q the Soiace could carry dispatches bacl
I and forth and establish direct connec
! ton with the department in this way.
J. FOREIGN TROOPS IN PEKIN.
In answer TO a request from the navy
department as TO how many American
), were in Pekin, Rear Admiral Kempf
replied, under date of June 23rd viz
Che Foo, that 80 Austrians, 75 French
N D,.-s n
Japanese, 15 Russians and 5S American
n troops are in Pekin. He further says
= There is no news of the whereabout
: of the Pekin relief expedition. Re
ported by cablegram June 18th. ia
s panese expect several thousand troops
s now due. No news from Tien Tsin o
q Pekin since last report"
e This dispatch arrived at the navy de
partment prior TO the dispatch an
t nouncing that fighting was in progres
e between the Chinese imperial troop
and the international column outside o
S Tien Tsin.
= UNAVOIDABLE DELAY IN SAIL
ING OF TROOPS FROM MANILA.
The only news given out at the wa
department today having any hearin
Z on the situation in China was a dis
n patch from General Macarthur an
% nouncing a further delay in the de
< parture Of the military reinforcement
a to China. The message is as follows:
q Manila, June %.
"Adjutant General, Washington.
Departure of Ninth infantry delay
ed until June 25th in consequence Of
l. storm which broke the railroad an
n telegraph and made approach to tn
: transport impossible.
: MACARTHUR"
1t 1t is proposed to send the Ninth in
,r fantry and its transportation equip
y ments, including mules and wagons,
j. Taku on the transports Logan an
lie Portalbert. Inasmuch as the voyag
&c will take at least six days, it will b
impossible TO land the troops on Chi