Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-16
YELLED WAR.
Foreign Legations in Pekin Are
Virtually Prisoners.
international Troops Wholly Inada-
quate to Cope With Chinese.
Massacre Of Foreigners 10 Pekin May Be Ex-
pec.ed al Any Time.

London. June 1G.-This is the stua.
| ton in china as IL appears to tn
! Shanghai correspondent If the Daily
| Express. cablcd, last evening: at i.
| really It state of veiled war. Tho mem
bcrs IF the foreign legations in Pekn
are virtually prisoners ana the Chi
nese troops are only restrained from
attacking them by fear of the legation
guards.
"Meanwlile the ministers are alto
gcther unable to communicate with the
officers commanding the relief column
which is making an enforced and isO-
lated halt between Tien Tsin ana Pekin
The walls Of the capital are guarded
by 100000 imperial troops. The gates
are heavily defended with modern guns.
Gen. Tung. acting under orders from
the Empress DowaFer, says that no
more foreign troops shall enter the
sacred city.
"On VI Inlay. the ministers sent a
q, mani To the Tsung III Yamen that
the gates " opened, declaring that
otherwise the foreign troops would en-
ter forcibly. To this no reply was
given. A second message went unan-
" hen TIL. latest news lofi Pekin.
Sir Claude MacDonalds latest mes
sage says that the legations are capa-
be If sustaining an effective defence.
unless attacked in force
Russia. this correspondent asserts.
Notwithstanding assurances to the con-
trary. sides with China. Some foreign
II. ops are already reported to be in
~ l.
Of the Chinese troops is increasingly
menacing.
The streets of Pekin," continues the
correspondent of the Daily Express.
are said to be secthing with anti
foreign mobs, clamoring for the de-
stIuctiOn Of the legations and the death
Of thu foreign ministers. Even where the
Tsung Ii Yamcn is disposed to restrain
the violence Of the rtaCtionaries, il is
considered highly improbable that they
will be able to hold them in check.
For the foreign ministers the crisis
will arise when the relief column comes
in sight II Pekin.
1t is still felt here that the foreign
force is wholly inadequate To battle
with the hOId X Chinese III, ops mass
clud, the imperial troops from shan
Hai-Kwan."
\ iisquirtinG element in the situa-
ton IL the fact That although the Rus
so-Cnjnese telegraph line from Pekin.
via Kiakhta eastern Sibaria) is work
ing a2an, the transmission If English
IN, -sages is rigidly refused.
From Tien Tsin it is reported that
the foreign forces in the harbor will
attack the Taku forts ana if necessary
lombard them.
The international column appears to
BE- still At Lang Fang. engaged in
slowly repairing the railway which.
according To dispatch from Tien Tsun
to the Daily Mail. dated Jun" II. can
not be effected for weeks. The force
is short Of provisions ana as it is with
out field transport, it must stick To the
railway.
The report that the mixed forces will
seize the Taku forts is taken to mean
hat the foreign commanders expect no
aid from the Chinese government in |
REFRESHING the disorders and are de |
termined to make Taku sure as a base |
from which to operate.
The British government is consider |
ng whether a substantial force should |
not be sent to China from South Afri- |
N. 1t Is unotlicially thought that |
Lord Roberts MI spare a brigade or
Wo. and the necessary transports are
low in South African waters. The
commander of the expedition. il ~ said
would probably " Gen. Sir William |
Nicholson.