The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-31
IT IS WAR.
China Made a Formal Declara-
tiOn June 20.
Fierce Assault on Foreigners
Continued &c Days
WITHOUT STOPPING.
Smelling Uninterrupted For Six
Hours, One Night.
A Truce Was Arranged Between
COmbatants July II.

London, July 31.-6:10 p. ma special
dispatch from Tien Tsin today says:
"A Pekin message dated July q. re-
ports that the first outside news reached
there July 49, The failure of the relief
expedition made the siege far more peril
Gus. On June 10 the tsung Ii yamen
broke off relations. June 20 China de-
clared war Baron Won Ketteler and
Francis James, an English professor,
We're murdered. Over 400 noncombat-
ants occupied the British legation.
| 81 understand converts are holding
the north cathedral. A thousand
refugees occupied the palace of Prince
Lu. A truce began July II, after twen-
ty-six days of fierce assault One night
the shelling was uninterrupted for six
hours.
-Four attempts were made to fire the
British legation. Two attacks resulted
in the ruin of the Han Lin college, (the
Chinese national colIege.) The cowardice
of the Chinese prevented a successful
rushing
1.-THE total killed or dead is: Germans
10; Japanese 10; French IL; British s.;
Russians 4; Americans z; Italians q;
converts 9; total, with wounded, SO.
''The correspondents, Morrison, Reid
and Temety are i'll.
.At least 1000 Chinese have been
killed.
1.-The Americans occupy a strong posi-
ton on the city wall.
provisions are still sufficient. The
hospital arrangements are excellent
Everybody is much exhausted by con-
tinuous work.
Imperial edicts have commended the
boxers and ordered missionaries to leave
the interior and command all viceroys
to help Pekin, but edict dated July
1s enjoins protection and promises COM
pensation. The report that large re-
lief force was coming produced this
change.
Foreign governments should beware
being hoodwinked
LEGATIONS DESTROYED.
Paris, July 31.-According to dls-
patches received at the foreign office to-
day the Austrian, Spanish, italian ana
Holland legations at Pekin have been
destroyed, and the French legation has
been partially wrecked. The attacks
on the legations ceased some days ago.
The emperor and empress are living In
Pekin.
ARTILLERISTS FOR CHINA
Brest, July 31.-A detachment OF
marine artillerists left this place today
for Toulon, where they will embark Tor
China
washington, July 31.-Cables from
Admiral Remey and General Chaffee,
both at Taku, bearing upon the condl-
tions in Pekin and at Tien Tsin came
to hand over night. Admiral Reney
confirmed the information that the lega-
tions were safe up to the 22nd inst
General Chaffee said that according
to a report at Taku the allied forces
were to begin the campaign loWdro
Pekin tomorrow.
Allowing for the time occupied in the
transmission of the dispatch by BOAT
from Taku to Che Foo, 1t IS pr0oanIe
began today, and the armies are a1reaoy
on the way to Pekin. That they should
start without waiting for lIiain Ghanee
The state department has had notn-
ing from China since yesterday ana
Minister Wu. who called at the state
department in search of Information,
also was without cable adviceS.
In discussing the situation today the
minister said:
II am glad that direct news has come
from Mr. Macdonald and from the Ger
man and Japanese legations to the et-
feet that all of the ministers were allVe
and we'll the 22nd of this month:
This conclusively corroborates al OF
the news coming here from the Chinese
officials and the Chinese government
BEFORE this news came many OF the pa
Ders and especially the press OF Europe
did not believe the Chinese official state
rnents but adhered to the opln-
ion that a massacre of all the
ministers had occurred IN Fekln- II Is
the general rule of evidence that man
is supposed to be innocent till he has
been proved guilty, but in this case the
Tvorld has reversed the usual rule and
insisted on holding China guilty till her
innocence had been proved. People seem
black against the Chinese The papers
who are the leaders Of public opinion in
this country and who are mainly respon-
sible for forming public opinion ought to
be very careful and cautious in so doing
They should not jump at conclusions
without positive evidence
Even those who have been to China
have expressed similar opinions, some OF
them in the public press. / was aston
ished the other day to see a letter by a
clergyman who had been for so years a
resident Of China and who said that |
was keeping back the truth as to what
had happened in Pekin and that l per-
SOraIly was responsible Tor What Oc-
Cured
"A gross injustice has been inflicted on
China as a nation and serious conse-
auences might have followed if the
great powers had acted on absurd ru-
mors and jumped at conclusions as to
what had happened think the people
and the papers who have done us this
injustice should do what they can in
fairness to acknowledge their mistake.
Ard 1 hope in the future people will not
Jump at such unwarranted conclusions
on unsupported statements alleged from