The evening times., 1900-06-27

LONDON. June 27.-SpecIlation as to the
fate Of the foreign ministers at Pekin IS
still rife. and the air is full Of contradlc-
tory reports. There is nothing to substan-
tiate the rumor that the ministers are with
Rear Admiral Seymour's expedition west Of
Tientsin. A despatch from Shanghai, IN
der today's date, stating that Seymour had
communicated with the Tientsia relief
force, says that he does not mention tie
foreign ministers. 1t is not believed here
that Seymour has either heard from the
ministers OF taken them under his pc. &c
tion.
the French Foreign Office has received
the latest report concerning the imperiiel
representatives Of the various nations, and
this despatch. sent by the French Cors-I
General at Shanghai, under yesterdays
date. says that the ministers left Pskin for
the north, escorted by regular Chinese
troops, although the date of their alleged
departure is not given. 1t is supposed. the
despatch continues. that they have gone in
the direction Of Shan-hai-ka -kaun, following
the great wall.
Yesterdays late reports stated that Rear
Admiral Seymour had signaled by hello
graph from Tientsin that the foreign min
isters were safe anG with his relief force.
but there is absolutely no confirmation Of
that despatch.
SeymOur's Terrible Plight.
Today's reports from China state that
Rear Admiral Seymour sent a message to
Tientsin on Monday that he was eight
miles west Of that city and could hold ou,
against the Boxers two days more. He
stated that his losses had been sixty-three
killed and 200 wounded As previously
stated, he made no mention of the foreign
ministers, who, 1t was said in yesterdays
dispatches from Shanghai, Prince Tuan
has sent to Lian-fu which will become the
capital OF China if Pekin is occupied.
The fact that the international relief
force has not left Tientsin to aid Seymour
is regarded as oninous- It is believed that.
between the Pekin relief expedition and
the allied troops occupying Tientsin there
are overwhelming numbers of rebels and It
is feared that the foreign soldiers will not
be able to break through in time to save
+boir ;r,ro-iyol yo-,-,s.z
Yesterdays adviees stated that Seymour
was in desperate straits and had signaIed
that he was badly in need of help. He ur-
gently asked that troops be sent to his
relief at once as he was bozet on all sides
with hostile Chinese.
It is stated that when Admiral Seymour's
relieving force started for Pekin on June
10. seventeen days ago, it carried one
weeks rations and 15O rounds of ammu-
milton for each man.
The foreign occupants Of Tientsin will
make every effort to force their way
through and save the remnant of the Sey-
mcur column. with its many wounded.
but the task seems to be hercuIean.
Russians Claim the Credit.
Full details Of the fight at Tientsin are
yet to be had, but it Is known that the
engagement lasted from daybreak until
noon. when the guns Of the Chinese forts
were silenced by those of the allies.
There is a dispute as to who has earned
the credit for taking the initiative in the
dash that drove the Chinese from their
stronghold.
According TO the Russian Consul at
Shanghai it was Russian troops who re-
Iieved the city, although small detach-
ments of troops Of other powers entered
at the same time. III other reports say
that the English and Americans entered
first. The Americans and English were
led by Major Waller. Of the American ma
rines. The Anglo-American force, with
a gallant and resistless rush, broke
through the Chinese lines and siIenced the
guns of the arsenal that had been bonn
harding the foreign settlements. The 9th
er foreign troops followed the Americans
and British into the city. The Russians
lost four killed and thirty wounded
A despatch from Hongkong says there
are signs of serious trouble along the West
River. Missionaries from the interior are
iOcking to WI Chow. the capital of Kwang
ST.
A Ghefoo despatch says that the Cover
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