The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-07
FIGHT WITH CHINESE
REPORT OF BATTLE NEAR TIEN
TsIN is CREDITED.
ELLIES' CASUALTIES HEAVY.
MINISTER'S STILL DETAINED IN
PEKIN AS HOSTAGES.

Lii Hung Chang's Statement That
der Guard Is Not Credited-Omcia
Report Says Advance of the Allies
Began on Saturday-Chinese VIII
Offer Strenuous Resistance All the
Way.
London, Aug. Z, 3:40 a. m.-"The ad-
vance of the allied forces commenced to-
day, cables the British consul at Tien
Tsin, under date of Aug. 4. This is the
first official information received here that
che attempt TO relieve Pekin has begun.
1t is accepted as correct.
The British consul does not mention any
fighting; but the Shanghai correspondent
OF the Daily Mail, telegraphing Sunday,
says:
The Pekin relief column is reported TO
have suffered a check. The Chinese are
said TO have adopted Tugela tactics, and
sfter several hours of fighting, to have
retreated.''
This is the only message received in
London this morning bearing out the re-
ports of Admiral Remey and Commander
Taussig regarding an engagement at Pei
Tsang The fact that the advance did
not begin until Saturday is taken to
strengthen the accounts OF a battle Sun
DAY.
In the same cablegram. which was read
in the House of Commons, the consul at
T1en Tsin says:
News from the Japanese legation ha 8
been received up 20 Aug. II
Therefore the edicts announcing the
safety of the minister's on that date are
confirmed.
still Held Els Hostages.
Yesterday the Chinese Minister commu-
nlcated to Lord Salisbury, a message
from the Tsung- dated July 30.
reiterating the statement that the minis
ters were safe on that day, and recount
ing the friendly relations existing be-
tween them and the yamen, as well us
reporting the sending of supplies to the
legations by the yamen. The message
contains this important statement:
"A successful termination of the con-
ference with the ministers for their con-
veyence under escort to Tien Tsin is ex-
pected, but on account of the recon-
meucement of hostflities at Tien Tsin,
cipher kilograms for transmission to the
representatives are considered undesira-
he'' =
This appears to confirm the statement
that the Chinese government will endea-
vor to stop the march to Pekin by using
the ministers as hostages.
The Lokal Anzeigsr of Berlin, publish
ing an interview with Ii Hung Chang
quotes him as declaring emphatically that
China must not in any circumstances
cede any more territory to any power.
In reply to a question why the rebellion
was not put down, Earl Lii is represented
as having said:
II blame Prince Tuan, the Empress
Dowager ard the whole Pekin govern
ment. But for their lack of energy the
situation would never have become so
serious"
To Prevent Partition.
The ST. Petersburg correspondent of the
Daily Mali says:
Active negotiations are proceeding be-
tween Russia and the United States, the
probable outcome of which will be a reso-
luton to uphold the integrity of China un-
conditionally.'
A Shanghai correspondent of the same
paper says that the Americans there are
urging the appointment of Gen. MacAr-
th1r as nonor,o a ndar-ip chief Of the allied
forces.
The Standards Shanghai representative,
wiring Sunday, says:
1T is clear that the march to the relief
of Pekin will be anything but walkover.
japanese SCOUTS have discovered a large
force of Chinese southwest of Tien Tsin
and another large force in the vicinity OF
Lu Tai, to the westward.
1T is learned now that the members
of the Tsun-li-Yamen who were put TO
death for their alleged pro-foreign pro.
clivities were not beheaded, but were C a
In twain, this being the severest pc "a
atty under the Manchu code. Sheng de
clares that the grand council at Pekin wa
ignorant of che orders for the execution.
Earl LII is Discredited.
a. ma Shanghai dispated, dated Aug
6, says:
Ia Hung Chang has officially inform :,
the consuls that the ministers left Pei ii
for Tien Tsin last Friday, Aug. 3, dtl
Gen. Lu in command of the escort. 1.h
consuls are by no means disposed TO Gre dl
Earl LIS statement
All other reports that have reached on
don up to this hour indicate that tn
ministers have not left Pekin
WASHINGTON CREDITS IT.