The Portland daily press., 1900-06-16
u. S. TROOPS.
The Army May BE Called on 90 Assist I'm
China.

Washington, June 15.-It seems prob
able that, after all, the u. 4. troops in
the Philippines will be called upon to
| furnish contingent TO assist in the res
cue Of the foreign missionaries in China
and in the protection of the foreign EN-
bassies and legations. A great change
has come over the administration in this
regard for as late as yesterday there was a
| firm determination not to go beyond the
| employment OF marines and sailors.
| There was still such purpose when the
| cabinet met this morning and this is
even now disposition to limit the
United States forces employed TO the navy
| If sufficient force can be secured from
that branch of the service. So enquiries
are being made of the navigation bureau
and in turn of Admiral Remey to see TO
what extent the United States forces in
| China can be augmented. 1t Is realized
that the small force now engaged Is en-
| tirely disproportionate. when compared
with the foreign contingents, to the in
tsrests and duty of the United States.
| The newspaper report that the Chinese
| imperial troops are opposing the passage
of the relief column had given great con-
Germ and without doubt has had some
thing TO do with the bringing about of
the dissemination to increase the United
States contingent as has the direct ap-
| peals of the friends of the missionaries in
the United States. Already Admiral
| Remey has indicated that he cannot spare
more marines, and he is looking TO the
| navy Department for another battalion to
replace the men he has been Obliged 20
| withdraw from the naval station at Ca
vite TO assist Admiral kemptf. There Is
genuine need for all the available marines
at Cavite. 1t Is admitted that the cabinet
| Is seriously considering the despatch OF
troops to Tien Tsin and it is understood
| that inquiries are being made probably
directed to General Macarthur, as to the
number Of troops that can be spared for
| this emergency and the possibility OF Sc
curing transportation for them. The
| troops could not be gotten to Tien Tsin
in less than week even If the order for
their employment should go forward to-
day. That the crisis is by no means
passed, but ON the contrary is rather more
acute is evidenced by oablsgram re-
eeived by the state department. today
from the United States consul ut Tien
Tsin, MIR. Ragsdale. He says that the
mobs are in control of the native city of
seem to be able to do anything with
them. He adds that the foreigners in
| Tien Tsin are still safe. The surprising
| feature of this telegram is the announce
ment that the Boxers are operating freely
under the very guns of the men-of- war.
4
cacy are both about due at Taku, and
one or both of these vessles will soon be
able to command the situation at Tien
Tsin.s
BATTLE OF PAO TING FU.
| Victoria, B. c., June l5.-News is
| brought by steamer of the battle which
occurred on May 20 south of Pao Ting
| Flu. After seven hours Of fighting the
Christians succeeded in defeating and
routing the Boxers with a loss of 20
killed and q wounded the victors having
one killed and wounded.
| 1t seems that a mob OF 200 Boxers at
tackled the Roman Catholic village. The
villagers, nearly all converts of the Ro.
man Catholic missions had anticipated
the attack and We're well armed, whereas
the attacking Boxers were armed only
with iron shod poles, hat -hets, clubs,
stones and knives. The Boxers came
right ON into the gates of the city, which
were left open and then as they entered
| carrying their flags, with yellow ground
and red border, and their josses in big
ear, the villagers poured in heavy fire
from the nearby houses.
OMINOUS LACK OF NEWS.
Washington, June 15.-Nothing has
come to the state department from Unit
ed States Minister Conger ut Pekin since
| last Tuesday evening ana the officials
haYe settled down to the belief that
not until the foreign relief column
reaches the Chinese capital will Mr.. Con-
| ger be able TO resume the use of the
cable. 1t is omlnous that nothing has
been heard from the United States consul
at Ching Kan since his first appeal for
the sending of warship to that point
and it may be that he too has been iso-
lated.
METHODIST MISSIONARIES SAFE.
New York, June 15.-ln response to
cablegram sent a few days ago, DIR.
A. b. Leonard, secretary of the mission
ary society of the Methodist Episcopal
church, asking after the safety of mission
aries the following has BEEN received
from Tien Tsin:
''Tsun Hua safely arrived here. Shan
Tung is ordered to Chin Kiang. Pekin
| in a very dangerous state. Chinese army
is quite uncertain
The first sentence OF the above disposes
of the rumor circulated a day or two ago
that Miss Terry had been murdered.
I nj - n