Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-28
LONDON GOSSIP
The Feeling There in Regard to the
Chinese Situation.
RETRIBUFION TO Be DEMANDED
Opening Meetings Of the Christian
Endeavorers.
SOME HOT W E A T H E r


| 1t would be surprising result II In spite
| of all fears to the contrary and in spite of
\ pessimistic predictions, the trouble in Chi
ma had the effect of drawing the Christian
| nations together and cause them not only
| to work in harmony In China against the
| yellow peril, but bind them in a more
| less solid alliance through a contra ternity
| of interests. 1t seems improbable, but yet
| is it impossible?
| The events of the past week have done a
| good deal to draw together the forces of
| the allies, fighting In the far east a COM
| mon foe. The Russians are showing diff
\ ferent spirit from that which they exhibited
| at first. Then they evidently thought that
| the Chinese had some Russian leanings,
| and that they stood better than other for
eigners in the flowery kingdom.
Deadly Hatred the Only Feeling.
Now they know that all foreigners are
garded alike by the celestial mind and the
| only feeling animatng the Chinese toward
| all westerners and japanese. is deadly ha
| tired and desire to exterminate them.
The Boxers and their friends. and we may
| almost count all Chinese alike now. have
! taken UP an attitude which IS a denial Of
| the idea of humanity. Humanity is the
conception that the human race forms one
community: 1t is the idea which western
civilization is founded. the conception In
which all progress recorded in history has
| its root; the spring of all hopes for bet
ter life for coming generations. The Box
| ers and their aiders and abettors reject
| this idea; they making war on its rep
resentatives; their program Is to shut out
mankind from their country. and to lead
| separate existence of their own. That is a
program in which no civilized nation can
acquiesce without admitting that it's whole
| life, its history and its hopes are based on
a falsehood. Accordingly, the civilized pow
| ers of the world are bound to make war on
| the Boxers and their supporters, and to
carry the war to the point of absolute and
4 final victory.
| that the civilized world lives for has been
challenged The civilized world must take
! up the challenge and assert itself. The
matter cannot be postponed nor compro-
missed and there can be settlement until
a government has been set up in China on
| such foundations as to render impossible
| for evermOre the repetition of what has
! happened in Pekin.
This feeling and that of vengeance ami
mates all Christian nations at present, and
| it is this very community of interests that
may effect closer drawing together.
Once the difficulty of choosing a COM
| mander has been surmOunted it is possible
that things will move more smoothly and
work collectively toward a common end.
London has received with the soberness
that is her chief characteristic the fatal
confirmation of the drest outrage since
Cawnpore and the miseries of the Black
Hole of Calcutta.
| tSIy OF the SITUATION.
There is firm determination to demand
and obtain retribution. but no feeling is
shown toward the Chinese minister, who is
| as safe in his retreat at St. Johns Wood
with his new wife. as he would be in China
| He has not even been given his passports
| and probably will not be given them OF
| course, every one realizes that the Chinese
government is non-existent, but the ugly
| feature of the situation lies in the fact that
| the officials at Chinese treaty ports who
| have always made show of friendiness
| toward foreigners have to a large measure
| thrown in their lot with the murderers who
| rule in the name of mob law.
| Indeed, the movement has now gone far
beyond the Boxers and their ilk. The real
| feelings of the Chinese are now showing
| themselves and it won't be long, If my ad
| vices from Shanghai and Hong Kong
| correct, when all the viceroys and big Of
ficials are arrayed against the foreign
| devils" Strong suspicious now point to Ii
| Hung Changes duplicity, and it is a very
grave question whether his protests in ia
yor of western ideas for China genuine
! or whether his good offices can be relied
upon at the present moment.
! 1 hear that project has been diplomat
| ically suggested to the European powers to
| seize the persons of all Chinese officials at
| treaty ports and places still accessible and
| hold them for hostages If this could be
| done without danger to the numerous Euro
| peans and Americans In mtd-China the idea
might be carried out at once.
The fever of killing is spreading fast in
| China and it Is only a question of days
when all China will be aflame. 1t might he
| a good idea to capture and hold such Off
Gals as able to make mischief.
An ugly feature of the present situation
| is the fact that quantities OF ammunition
are leaving both England and Germany, OBJ
viously intended for China. AS there Is no
actual declaration of war with China, the
expectation cannot be prohibited. although
there is a general agreement that drastic
oh he anOm-
alous position of affairs.
Hot Days in London.
We often have in London what the Eng
lish call hot days, days which make the
ton hat and frock coat uncomfortable be-
longings Americans used to real heat
would not call these days hot. but once
| in a while real scorcher comes and Wits
collars and cuffs and makes everybody
thoroughly wretched, but still the Lon
doner cannot be induced to part with the
hot long coat and shiny hat.
Yesterday was one of these scorchers.
The temperature % in the shade,
which is exceedingly hot weather in Eng
| land America The sun beat down with
| out ruth or rest. and 1t seemed to be as
hot on one side of the street the
other. The highest heat of the day
was 1856 which beats last years record by
| five degrees. II was a day to be remem-
bered by Londoners, a day of blazing sun
shine of immense heat and of thirstiness
which only comes once a year. The heat
drove thousands of people to the steam
boats in search of the cool breath of the
| river. There great scuffie to get
aboard the Margate and Harwich boats.
and hundreds of people were left behind.
Early in the afternoon ice was at famine
price. Quantities of meat and fish were
| condemned at Smithfield. Postmen, by spe-
| cial permission, walked about with their
coats open. On change the brokers used
| fans and men carried parasols In the
streets.
London paid a heavy toll for the sun
shine. Nearly 100 serious cases Of sun
stroke treated at the metropolitan
hospitals. and there were hundreds of mild
| err attacks. Seven bodies of the heat vic
| tins lie in the mortuaries awaiting inquests
and dozens tainted from heat on boats
buses and tram cars. Today is cooler.
An Electric Railway Victory
| London scored a great victory yesterday
or rather, an electric tramway company
| did, which is the same thing in this case