New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-20
ANXIETY IN WASHINGTON.
FEARS FOR THE SAFETY OF THE LEGA-
TION AT PEKING INTENSIFIED.
Ipr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUNE.l

IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE IkIbUNh-i
Washington. June 19-OficiaI anxiety for the
safety of the Legation at Picking, which has not
been heard from for eight days. has been mate
rally intensified by likelihood that the inter
national column has not only failed to reach the
capital or return to Tien-Tsin. but is itself be-
sieged between the two cities and in desperate
need of food. ammunition and relief. Unfortu-
nately the Powers seem unable TO gather sufh-
cient force for the present to prevent the de-
structlon of the Tien-Tsin foreign settlements,
and although large military forces-Russian,
Japanese. American, British, French and Ger
man-have been ordered to Taku. no forward
movement will be possible within week
THE DELAY TO THE 9TH.
Chagrin is expressed that General Macarthur
cannot start the 9th Regiment before next Sun
day and that the United States must be repre-
scented altogether by naval forces, until the last
day of June at least. OF the $50 compos
ing the OF the flagship Newark % were at
Picking. 1O4 were with Captain McCalla in the
international column, and nearly one hundred
are non-combatants in the hreroom force Of that
vessel there remained only 160 fighting men to
guard the ship. Perhaps that fact would ex-
plain why. according to reports from Taku, the
Newark landed TO assault the forts on
Sunday morning. The Oregon will not reach
Taku for at least week, If not ten days, as she
will be compelled to proceed cautiously most OF
the way through waters poorly charted for YES
sells Of her draught, although it is plain sailing
for lighter ships.
The Iris. which will leave Manila tonight or
tomorrow. will carry no men, but is sent solely
to furnish fuel fresh water and other supplies TO
the fleet The gunboats Princeton and Marietta.
which Admiral Remey to-day reported ready for
final orders at Cavte will probably start to join
Admiral Kempff tomorrow, and the Zafiro.
which Admiral Dewey purchased at Hong Kong
IN April. 1898. is simply fleet tender, with lit
tie capacity for carrying men or stores, but
which, being useful dispatch boat, may be
ordered TO Taku general utility transport
General Macarthur has not yet reported his
selection Of the two additional regiments to be
sent 20 Tien-Tsin the transports Warren and
Sherman. but the authorities at the War De-
partment think that one Of them will be the
18th or the Goth Infantry, now on provost guard
duty in Manila, the place Of one or the other of
them being taken by regiment near by. The
other, it is thought. will be the 22d Infantry,
now in the pacihed section along the railroad.
whence the 9th was withdrawn. The 9th Cav
airy, now camped south Of Manila, in Cavite
Province will be distributed in the country
formerly protected by the 9th and ODD Infantry
regiments.
COLONEL LIsCUM's ORDERS
The orders to Colonel Liscum direct him to
proceed to Picking for the relief and protection
Of the American Legation. and to take subse-
quent orders from Minister Conger. Beyond this
he has the fullest discretion, and will be gov
erned by circumstances as he finds them He is
expected to confer with the American Admiral
on reaching Taku whose assistance he will have
if he needs it for landing his expedition. 1t Is
also thought that Colonel Liscum will not hest
tate to act concurrently with other forces which
he finds at Tien-Tsn, and which, like his own
are bound for the same destination. He will Ger
tainly cooperate with them most heartily if the
march to Picking is opposed. AS one of the
higher officials Of the War Department ex-
planned it to-day:
Colonel Liscum must reach Picking as expedi-
tiously as possible. If he can peaceably buy a
ticket on the railway he will go through on
regular train without questioning his fellow
passengers. II the train is attacked doubtless
all the passengers will combine for defence, and
If the others are anxious as he is to reach
their destination. they will push through shoul-
der to shoulder. If it becomes necessary to de-
tach few companies OF his command TO furnish
a proportionate part OF force required to
maintain communication with the base Of COM
bined operations. Colonel Liscum Will not hest
tate to assume his share Of the responsibility.
If he gets into a tight fix he will have the
SeASA9N~SbAOAA
regiment, and perhaps two, will come to his
support within few days, as they will be only
that far behind him from the time he leaves
Manila"
In addition to the Oregon. which is to go UP
to Taku from Hong Kong the Buffalo. with
three hundred green Iandsmen aboard. has been
ordered at once from Southampton, England. to
the Philippines.
ADMIRAL KEMPFF"S FLEET
If the Princeton and the Marietta join Ad-
miral Kempff, as seems probable now he will
have at his command a more numerous and
effective fleet of gunboats adapted to service on
the Pei-Ho River as far up as Tfen-Tsn than
any of the other naval Powers there repre-
scented.
No reports were received at the State Depart
ment to-day from any of it's officials in China:
there was not even report from any official
source respecting the Sunday fight with the
forts at Taku 1t Is not known. consequentIv
whether or not our naval vessels were in the
engagement with the other foreign ships
In the absence of copy Of the orders to Ad-
miral Kempff, 1t is not possible to give pre-
else definition Of his powers. but it is learned
to-day that they are wider than was supposed
yesterday. He is not limited to the protection
of American life and property. He may do any
thing proper in his judgment to conserve Amer
lean interests of any kind in China, and that
means that he may take action to insure the
United States against loss of trade or CONNER
cial position in China. This instruction opens
up unexpected possibilities, involving even an
alignment of the United States with China in
case it may be found necessary In that manner
to prevent the usurpation or destruction by
other Powers Of such trade privileges as we