The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-19

from Shanghai say an ~unconfirmed
report has reached here from Tien
Tsin, to the effect that a foreign lega-
ton has been burned and that a min
lister has been killed. The names. it
is added, are withheld, pending q con-
frmation of the report.
1t is further rumored that the inter
national relief parties are experience
ing great difficulties in regard to pro-
visions and water.
1t is believed that the delay has been
caused by the fear that the force was
insufficient to overcome the opposi-
tion that might be encountered and
thus precipitate a massacre az the
capital.
1t is added that the Japanese have
sent two more cruisers and nave
landed 300 additional troops.
A telegram received from Yunnan
Flu says that the English and French
missions there have been burned and
that the foreign residents a v taken
refuge in the viceroy's residence. The
trouble, this dispatch says, is reported
to be due TO French i%nlrigues.
FOREIGN TROOPS ADVANCE ON
Washington, June 1.-THE following
cablegram a been received from Ad-
miral Kempff:
Tonga Ku, JUNE Is.
Secretary of the Navy, Washington:
twenty-five hundred men are on
the road to Pekin for the relief of the
legations; 100 are Americans; English
and Russians in large majority; all
nations here represented. The vice
roy at Tien Tsin gave permission to
go there; railroad being repaired as
force advances. Russians now send
ing soldiers from Port Arthur with ar
tillery.
"KEMPFF"
SMALL AMERICAN FORCE.
Amiral Kempff's dispatch makes
no mention of any undue delay in the
movement of the foreign forces upon
Pekin, and as he is in a position to Sc
cure the latest and most accurate
news from the relief column, the Off
Gals here believe that there have been
no untoward happenings Some sur
prise is expressed at the strength OF
the column. There is a sincere regret
entertained at the navy department at
the comparatively small representa-
ton of the United States in this move
ment, but it is said that the navy has
done all it can to meet the calls
upon it.
Lie 1iIlIIIldllOl IL eIy CISdI Tia IL
further reinforcements are needed for
this Chinese service, recourse must be
had to the United States army. On
their part, however, the army officers
~repudiate any purpose to become in
volved in the situation n it is Off
cially declared that there is still no in
tention of sending any United States
troops to China.
AMERICANS IN DANGER.
John Foord, secretary of the Ameri-
can Asiatic Association, to-day re-
ceived the following cablegram from
the Shanghai branch of the associa
ton:
Shanghai, June Is, 1900.
Grave danger Americans
in Yang Use valley; urgently advise
immediate gunboat protection.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION
On the 7th instant the following ca
blegram was received by the associa-
ton from it's Shanghai branch:
American lives and interests ir
north China are seriously imperiled
Urge the government to act promptly
and vigorously with adequate force
The association using these two ca
Diagrams as a basis, Is circulating e
petition for signatures addressed to the
president asking hat this government
take energetic steps to protect Amer.
lean lives and interests in China; also
also that the nited States act in con-
cert with the other powers in this
emergency.
TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
WITH PEKIN CUT OFF.
1t was said at the state department
to-day that no request for 1000, Or in
fact for any number of troops. has
meen received from Minister Conger
as reported from Shanghai. AS a mat
ter of fact, the state department has
not heard from Minister Conger fol-
~thirty-siX hours past. AS it is gath
cred that the European foreign offices
are in precisely the same position re-
Specting the diplomatic representa-
t:ves at Pekin, it is assume that the
communication between Pekin and the
outside world, which for the last three
days has consisted of a single line
running north into Russian Manchu'
ria, has at last been totally inter
rupted.
JAPAN TO SEND A REGIMENT.
The japanese authorities here say
that the Yokohama press dispatch
stating that Japan is about to send {
mixed regiment to China is undoubt'
eddy correct, as 1t tallies with wha'
has been expected in diplomatic quar-
tiers.
In some diplomatic quarters there
is talk of a joint request of all the par
ties interested, on either Japan or Rus
STA, or o of them, to land a strone
force Of soldiers, instead of h limitec
number Of marines now available
This, however, has not yet taken oni'
cia1 form. Mr.. Nabeshima avs japan
would not act along such lines unless
all the powers united in a request o,
that character.
THE POWERS DISAGREE.
london .June IA special dispatch
from Shanghai, dated today, says:
"a report has reached here that the
British, American and japanese min
listers in Pekin favor the restoration
OF Emperor Kwang Su, but that the
French and Russian ministers insist
upon the powers taking charge of
China. 1t is further reported that the
respective divisions OF the country
have already been assigned. b be-
lief is that the withdrawal OF the Brit
ish ships from the Yang 9 k1ang is
an indication of Great Britain'S dis