The National tribune., 1900-07-05
CHINESE TROUBLES.
German Minister Reported Killed.
Fate OF Other Foreign Repre-
sentatives in Doubt -Sey-
mour's Expedition.

|
terize the Chinese situation. 1t is we'll
demonstrated now that Chinese Imperial
| forces have taken part in the fighting
against the allies, but it is still believed
that this is without the consent of the
! Chinese Government. The various vice
roys profess friendship for the powers,
but their good wishes are nullifed by the
continuous rioting in various parts of the
! Empire, the destruction of missions, and
| the killing of missionaries and native
Christians. The Boxers, with some I'm
| perial troops, are in fiercely hostile attl-
| tude to the foreigners, and the revolt IS
| spreading. The Cinnamon under arms
now in the field are estimated at 2o,00O
at Lu Tai, 25,000 at Shank Hai Wan, 15,-
600 driven off from Tien Tsin, and 150.-
900 at Pekin.
Admiral Kempff opposed the policy of
attacking the Chinese army unless they be-
gan hostilities. Il is now admitted that the
| powers attacking the forts turned Chinese
| soldiers into allies with the Boxers. Amer
ican authorities think this might have been
| avoided. Admiral Kempff has held aioof
| from hostilities beyond movements to res
cue Americans.
| The forces ashore. at the latest reports
number 10000, of which 5000 are British,
| 300 Germans, 1000 Russians, $500
| Japanese, and the remainder American,
! French, Italian and Austrian. The 9th
| L. S. is now about to land at Taku. The
OIL lut VI Jdpuh
suggests provision against contingencies
other than the present disturbances in
| China. Large numbers of japanese have
left Taku for Tien Tsin, and Japan is pre-
pairing to send 10000 more. With Brit
ish, American and other troops ordered to
go, it is estimated that 10000 men will
| be available in a month.
FRESH OUTBREAKS.
a fresh phase of the Chinese ebullition
is the outbreaks in the southern provinces.
The wealthy Chinese are hurrying from
Canton, where only the presence of Lii
Hung Chang deters the revolters. Ii has
again been ordered to Pekin. The Boxers
are already looting towns in these south
ern provinces, and destroying missions.
Orders were issued last week 10 Brig.
Gen. Adna II. Chaffee to proceed to Pc
kin, after assuming command of the
American land forces in China. He has
been instructed to look out for the United
States interests. avoid entangling alli-
ances, act concurrently with the other
powers where it is for the general interest
to do so, and, in a word, to continue the
policy that has been adopted by the
United States so far The determination
10 send Chaffee from Washington was
made in Cabinet meeting, after the re-
ceipt of a second proposition on the part
of the six great Niceroys OF China that
foreign troops be Kept out of China until
Ii Hung Chang should reach Pekin.
While the EiceroyS spoke for the prov
inces as being Kept neutral, they could not
speak for Pehin, and it is to Pekin that
the authorities most anxiously look.
OREGON GoEs AGROUND.
The Oregon left Hong Kong for Taku
ON June %. On June y she ran aground
in dense fog after making soundings,
and finding apparently deep water. off
Il a Island n fhn f,mif NJ DpchflQ
some 30 miles from Ckefoo. Word was
sent to the Navy Department, describing
the accident, and expressing the hope that
the vessel might before long be aoated.
1t is not believed that she is seriously in
jured. The battleship will probably be
sent to the Russian dock at Port Arthur
for repairs.
FAILURE TO REACH PEKIN.
The details of the movements of the al
British Admiral, Seymour, came to the
knowledge of the civilized world a few
days4 ago. The allies returned to Tien
Tsin after reaching Anting, II miles from
Pekin, and being unable TO get there by
railway. They repulsed several fierce at
tacks by the Chinese, losing a eompara-
lively small number themselves. but, ae
cording tc Seymour's reports, intiictiDg
heavy losses ON the Chinese with whom
they were engaged. Admiral Seymour
says in part:
..Then we pushed forward to Anting
and engaged the enemy on June 13 and
June IA, ihficting loss of 179. There
were no casualties on our side. Extensive
destruction of the railway in our front
having made further advance by rail inl
possible, | decided, on June 16, to return
to Yang Tstin, where it was proposed to
organize an advance by the river to Pei1iD.
After nay departure from Langyang two
ffaf Ioft IN fnliorU IN Nyn uttac[p6 IN
June Is by Boxers and Imperial troops
from Pekin, who lost from 100 to 800
killed. Our casualties were six killed and
48 wounded. These trains joined me at
Yang Tsun the same evening. The rail
way at Yang Tsun was found entirely de-
molished, and the trains could not be
moved. The force being short Of pro
visions and hampered with wounded.
compelled us TO withdraw on Tien TsiH,
with which we had not been in comInuni-
cation for six days, and our supplies had
been cut off.
Opposition was experienced all the way,
the allied forces behaving with great gal
lantry in the face of heavy odds. Having
captured the Imperial armory above Tien
Tsin, immense stores of arms and ammu-
Bition We're foEisd. Seymour concludes:
Having found ammunition and rice, we
could have held ont for some days, but,
being hampered with large numbers of
wounded, | sent TO Tieb Tsin for a reliey-
ing force, which arrived on the morning
of June p. The armory was evacuated
and the forces arrived at Tien Tsin ON
June 26. We burned the armory.
Casualties to date (Iune 20: British
Killed, ~; wounded, 10. American
Killed, 4; wounded, %. French Killed,
i; wounded, 10. Germans-KiIIed, II;
wounded, 62; Italian-Killed, >; wounded,
g. Japanese-Killed, 2; wounded, 3 Aus
trian-Kiiied, /; wounded, /. Russian
Killed, 10; wounded. u.
Meanwhile, another force had set out
from Taku. When the Chinese attacked
Tien Tsin on June q, Maj. Walters
American marines, about 130, with 440
Russians, were ambushed three miles
frefa that place. They were compelled to
retreat. losing four killed and seven
wounded. They joined the British. the
military college having ifeen attacked
They were exposed 10 heavy thanking
fire and lost slightly. Maj. Walters bat
TALON, on June -, with Commander Grad
docks naval brigade of British. number
ing 800, were camped eight miles from
Tien Tsin.
Saturdays fighting began at daybreak.
The allied forces opened fierce fire with
the British warship Terrible's naval guns
and numerous machine guns, at long
range. Then they advanced steadily, the
Chinese artillery replying. The guns of
the allies were handled, principally, by the
British and Americans as only Anglo