Evening journal., 1900-07-18
China May Have Declared
War Against Russia
Ii HUNG CHANG GOES TO PEKTN
Wants the Allied Powers to Help Him
in the Performance Of His
Mission

London, July 1S.-The foreign Office
informs the press that a telegram iden-
teal with the one handed to Secretary
Hay at Washington by Minister Wu
Ting Fang has been delivered to it by
the Chinese minister here, which was
sent by Sheng, the administrator of
telegraphs at Shanghai. The foreign
Office points out, however, that the date
tJuly 81 mentioned in the telegram
probably applies to the Chinese calen-
dar, and is equivalent to July 5, accord
ing to the Gregorian reckoning.
There is little further news from
China this morning. The attack upon
the native city of Tien Tsin was fol-
lowed up so swiftly by the allies on the
morning of July IA that the Chinese
never had time to reorganize, and,
once their lines were broken, their re-
treat rapidly became a rout. The al
lies took possession of the native city
and its defenses. The total losses Of
the allies in the engagements of Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday were about
500 killed or wounded. The casualties
were greatest among the Russians and
japanese.
The news of the Manchuria disturb
serious view attributed by The Daily
Nails advices. Amur is boundary ter
ritOry between eastern Siberia and
Manchuria. The district has been the
scene Of local disturbances for a long
time. owing TO the provocative conduct
o fthe Cossacks toward the 25, 900 Chi
nese employed in the construction of
the Russo -Manchuria railway.
Several epriouc roI1fcfopc hovo 90
CURED between the Cossacks and the
Chinese troops. One happened several
weeks ago. when two Russian officers
and sixteen men were killed. The ex-
tension of the Boxer movement to
Manchuria has resulted in a great
destruction of the railway, compelling
the Russians to withdraw their Of
ficials. The Chinese tried to stop the
Russian steamer Michael, carrying
ammunition, and the steamer Selenga.
with the Russian frontier commission
on board, from passing up the Amur
at Aigun. They fired on the steamers.
wounding an officer and a few men,
but the steamers reached Blagove-
schensk. The local Chinese com
mander at Aigun seems to have sent
the Russians a sort of ultimatum to
quit Manchuria.
The Chinese, according TO The Daily
Nails st. Petersburg correspondent.
have thrown up fortifcations and plac-
cd 40 guns at a point II miles from
Aigun to dispute the progress of the
Russians. The official Russian advices
leave the inference that Blagove-
schensk is still in Russian hands. the
Russian losses during the lombard
ment being only three killed and five
wounded.
The Amur military district was mob
ilized fortnight ago on a war footing
and 1t is believed that the Russian
forces there are $4,000 men and 1l2
guns. The governor general has now
ordered the troops on the frontier to
form a Gordon. The Russian papers
demand severe retribution for Chinese
audacity in Manchuria, but they hold
TO the view that Russian must perse-
we're in her resolution to avoid war.
The Daily Mail publishes a sensa-
tional dispatch from st. Petersburg.
dated Monday, which asserts that there
is no doubt that China has declared
war against Russia.
THE Russian press" says the cor
respondent, lis restricted to the pub
lication of official details, and the pub
lication of many dispatches from the |
front has been prohibited. / hear,
however. from a reliable source that |
the Chinese troops and the Boxers seiz- |
ed a Russian transport vessel laden |
with munitions near Aigun Ton the |
Amur river, about Is miles from the |
Russian frontier). killing almost the |
entire Russian escort. They next sud |
denly attacked and bombarded the |
town OF Blagovechensk (capital Of the |
Amur government. on the Amur river). |
The garrison held out bravely, but was
finally overwhelmed. Nearly all per-
ished. and the town was burned"
The Dali Telegraph has the fol- !
lowing from Canton, dated July 16.
shortly before his departure for Pekin: |
In an interview with the foreign
consuls today Iii Hung Chang said
that his mission to Pekin was two
fold-tO save the lives of the foreign
ministers and to arrange the best pos |
sible terms of peace with the allied |
powers. The American and French
consuls, while contratulating him upon
these commendable purposes. remind !
ed him of us pledges to protect for /
eigners and to preserve peace in south- |
ern and central China.
Earl Ii replied that he must obev |
the summons to Pekin, but that he had |
taken all necessary precautions. He |