The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-22
A GIGANTIC PROBLEM
FRANCE SEES MUCH TROUBLE BE-
FORE THE POWERS.
EARL Ii is MYSTERIOUS.
SPIRIT OF CHINESE PATRIOTISM
SEEMS RAMPANT.

movement OF troops Northward
From Canton Is n Grave Feature
of the Situation-Li Hung Chang
Has Ordered the Movement To-
ward Pekin-French Government
still Entertains Hope of the Safe
ty of the Legations.
Copyright, 1900. by the Associated Press)
Paris, July 21.-Is It anarchy or war?
II this question were answered to the en-
tire satisfaction of the Powers there
might be some light on the future stu
alton in China, but with the absolute lack
of trustworthy information ell are acting
in the dark. No one is willing to hazard
a guess as to what the outcome is to be.
The Powers perceive In the present ex-
tension of the anti-foreign movement the
birth OF a spirit of patriotism which they
never before met with in their dealings
with the Chinese people. In the Chino
Japanese war central and Southern China
held aloof.
western civilization" said an official
of the foreign office to a representative
of the Associated Press, sis apparently
face TO face with a gigantic problem. This
time the Powers have to deal not merely
with the defenders of the Manchu minis
try. but to all appearances. with an upris-
ing of the mass of the Chinese people
who imagine that the European Powers
for the past two years have been aiming
not to overthrow the dynasty, but 10
seize China. This seems to have given
rise to an unprecedented spirit of patriot
ism. We fear that North China will not
alone be involved in the anti-foreign out
burst, but that the Yang-tse- Kiang val
ley will ere long be caught in the vortex.
There have been indications recently
which inspire us with this apprehension.
The movement of drilled forces northward
is one of them. The departure of Ii Hung
Chang from Canton northward is. in our
minds, a very grave feature of the situa-
ton. Much will depend upon the dl-
rection In which this influence is exercised
His reucence and the absence of a pre-
else indication of his position cannot be
regarded as reassuring.
A Significant Fact.
"A significant fact In the present stu
alton is that during the Chno-Japanese
war when the japanese were INJECTING
serious defeat upon the Chinese, the vice.
roys of the cetnraI and southern provinces
in which was a great number of drilled
troops, were instructed by Ii Hung
Chang not to send these soldiers north,
but at the present moment these troops
are under orders to march toward Pc
kin"
The French government still entertains
hopes of the safety of the legations in
Pekin in view of to-day's advices to the
Associated Press. 1t also declines to be-
lieve that any discord will break out
among the Powers especially between
Russia and Japan Russia has her hands
full with affairs in Mnnchuria, where IL Is
pointed out, she has been taken as much
by surprise as have been the other Pow
ers. The invasion of Russian territory by
the Chinese astounded the Russian gov
ernment, which little suspected that the
Chinese were in such strength or so well
armed in the territory contiguous TO Rus
sia.
That no present break will occur In the
accord of the Powers is the general opin-
ion in diplomatic spheres.
The torrid weather had very unfavor-
able influence upon the attendance at the
exposition. The big drop in the number
of visitors brought about an instantaneous
slump in the price of tickets which sold
at rs centimes when the show opened.
They gradually dropped TO as centimes, at
which price they had been standing for
the past few weeks. Yesterday, however
the hawkers had difficulty in securing buy
ers at 25 centimes and some sold tickets
at 20 centimes, equal to cents in Ameri-
can money.