The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-07-04

NEW YORK. July s.-The Tribune's
London special cabIegram says:
The pessimlsts have again come to
the front. and they have official dis
patches to confirm their fears. There
is no longer any reason to doubt that
the German minister was murdered in
Pekin, that the American, Italian.
Dutch and other legation houses have
been burned. and that the foreigners
have taken refuge in the German en-
bassy and are short OF supplies, hard
pressed and reduced to great extrem-
ities, while fighting still proceeds In
Tien Tsin. There has been a revolution
In Pekin, by which Prince Tran has
dethroned the empress and emperor,
and has made his son emperor. The
facts about the revolution in the palace
are still obscure. but It is evident that
there has been state Of anarchy In
the capital. with 10000 soldiers fighting
inside the walls and as many outside,
and that the legations are at the mercy
OF mobs OF armed men who are bent
upon destroying all the foreigners.
There are persistent rumors that al
lied forces have already entered the
capital, after defeating the Chinese reg
ulars and the Boxers. but these are
apparently premature and are based
upon the occupation OF Tfen Tsin.
The tidings OF the murder Of the Ger
man minister have reached every force
in England. and the gloomiest fears
are entertained in diplomatic circles re-
specting the fate Of the embassies.
Three dates are mentioned in connec-
tion with the street attack upon the
minister and each is earlier than that
Of Sir Robert Hart's dispatch. in which
no reference was made to It. The sec
retary OF the German embassy cannot
have made any mistake respecting the
assassination OF his chief, and it is ad-
mitted with great reluctance that the
position Of every embassy was critical
eight days ago.
Men well informed doubt whether as
many as thousand foreigners were in
Pekin on June "a. They assert that the
number was probably about 800 includ-
ing the naval guards. Pekin was evil
IDENTIFY in the hands of uncomfortable
mobs Of soldiers. and the deliverance OF
the legations. II it has been effected.
VIII be little less than a miracle
Details of the condition Of Pelxin, re-
lated in the press dispatches. show that
responsible government had ceased In
the capital week ago. Prince Tuan,
unless all signs fail. has become the
dictator Of China, and the viceroys
north and south are called upon either
to sanction the usurpation or to stand
out for the empress as the responsible
ruler Of China. Mondays news Great
ed a most painful impression in London.
Many of the best informed man admitt-
ed frankly that the fate Of the embas-
sizes was sealed and that the violent
and unreasoning anti foreign policy had
temporarily triumphed. The murder Of
the German minister was regarded as
an unerring sign that the emperor
would insist upon receiving a province
as compensation. since he had rated
the injuries of two missionaries at so
high price. If all the embassies had
been wiped out there would be similar
demands for damages and satisfaction,
and, unless Prince Tuan were driven
from the stronghold Of power, there
would be no practical method of as
sessing the costs and liabilities except
annexation.
All conclusions on so puzzllng and
confused a situation are premature and
indiscreet, but apparently China has
ceased to be anything more than geo
graphical expression or title on the
map, and the vast hives Of excitable
population have passed momentarily
under the sway Of Prince Tuan, the
worst enemy Of foreigners and Euro
peans and American civilization.
STEAMER FROM NOME.
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