The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1900-06-20

Hours-Two British Warships Reported
sunk-A Number Killed on Both Sides
During the Fighting.
BERLIN, June l9.-The German con-
sui at Che Foo telegraphed that Japa-
ncse torpedo boat from Taliu brought
the following:
The Chinese laid torpedocs in the Taltu
river and collected troops from shan Hei
Kwan. The foreign commander assembled ON
the Russian flagship and sddresSed an ultima
tum to the commanders of the TalSu forts
summoning them to withdraw their troops
before o'clock June IL. At a. IN. June H.
the guns of the forts opened fire, TO which the
Russian, British. French and japanese war
ships replied. The bombardment lasted seven
hours. Two British ships in the river between
the forts are reported to'have been sunk
The telegraph line and railroad between Tcn
Tsn and TalSu We're destroyed. Communica'
tion by water is also threatened.
An Associated Press dispatch from
Chez Foo, dated yesterday afternoon
said:
"The forts on both sides Of tE , Taku
are now occupied. The Chinese opened
fire unexpectedly. The casualties to
the mixed forces were as follows;
Killed-British, 1; German, 3; Rus
san, lG, and French, 1. Wounded
British, 4; German. Z; Russian, 40, and
French, /. The Chinese torpedo boats
were seized"
MANILA, June 1S.-Ten a. M Manila
time the Ninth regiment has been or
dered to Manila, whence it will pro-
ceed to China.
PARIS, June 1S.--A cablegram re-
ceived from the French consul at Hong
kong did not mention the reported
murder of the German minister at
Pekin or the reported destruction of the
legations there. The French consul at
Tien Tsin tclegraphed that the Euro
pean detachments sent to Pelin were
advancing very slowly. In the recent
rioting in Pcllin, the consul reported
the Boxers burned the Protestant Epis-
copal establishments i'll the Chinese
town. All was quiet in the French
concession.
WASHINGTON, June 1S.-A third day
passed here without a single line Of
news from any official source respecting
the critical situation in China. Inquir-
les of the cable companies showed that
not only were the communications by
wire with Pekin, Taku, Tein Tsin and
all Northern China suspended, but the
notices conveyed little encouragement
for the hope that they would be soon re-
opened.
The navy department made an effort
to reach Rear Admiral Kempff on his
flagship Newark at the Taku forts, at
the mouth of the Pei-Ho river. a cable
gram was addressed to the commander
of the U. S. S. Yorktown, at Chez Foo,
repeating the message indited to Adj
miral Kempff last Thursday, inquiring
as to bis situation, the conditions at Pc
kin at last report and into his need for
more men and ships, and directing the
commander to take the message at once
to Taku and return with the answer.
The department is now pretty well as
sured that the original message never
reached Admiral Kempff. The depart
ment did not know whether the mes
sage to Che Foo could be delivered, but
made the effort. From Che Foo to TaBu
is only single days run for the York
town, so that an answer from Admiral
Kempff should be received by tonight,
if Che Foo was reached yesterday by
the Yorktown.
Failing this effort, resort will be
speedily had to other measures, if mean
time word is not received from someone
in authority in China.
Meanwhile, II the communications re-
main interrupted with Taku it is GER
tain Il q movement will be ordered at
once to Manila to despatch more naval
force or troops on the transports, to re-
inforce Admiral Kempff and extend aid
to the international relief column which,
it was beginning to be feared, was itself
in sore need of help.
General Macarthur probably would
require n few days to prepare a military
expedition, owing to the inadvisability
of reducing his present small garrison
in Manila. Even Admiral Remey may
be obliged to delay sending ships, ow-
ing to the absence of the smaller craft
suitable for such service as is required
on scouting duty among the islands of
the archipelago.
The state department received nu-
merous kilograms from relatives and
friends of Americans in northern China
and Pekin, praying for news touching
the welfare of their friends. Mr.. Led
yard, of Detroit, father of the wife of
the German ambassador at Pekin. re-
ported to have been killed by the Box
ers, was one Of the most anxious of
these inquirers, and ex-Secretary Alger
was another, each intimating a willing
ness TO meet any expense that might
be involved in an order from the de-
partment to some responsible officials
near the scene of the trouble to secure
information by any means in their
power.