Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-05-23
PLEADS FOR MERCY
CHINA MAKES ANSWER TO FOR.
EIGN MINISTERS.
GoUNTRY'S IMPOVERISHED
Fifteen Million Said to Be Utmost it
Can Give For Thirty Years-How-
ever, Russian Says Payment Is
Easy-France Will Shortly With
draw Many Troops.

| China to the ministers as to the losses
sustained by nations and individuals
in China has been received. 1t begins
with an appeal for mercy, saying that
| the country is impoverished, and ex-
| plains that the utmost China can offer
is 100000 taels annually for the
next thirty years. 1t is therefore re-
| quired that the foreign customs be in
creased one-third and the receipts
therefrom be given to China for the
purpose Of government.
st. Petersburg, May 16.-The Viede-
mosti publishes an article extending
over three columns, written by Prince
Ouchtomsky, who has just returned
from China. The substance of the arti-
Gle is that China can easily pay the
sum demanded of her by means of in
creased taxation on exports and i'm
ports. So great is the volume of trade
that taxation might be doubled or
trebled without commerce being at
fected.
The Novoe Vremya publishes a spe-
cial dispatch from Seoul stating that
10000 rifles and 100000 cartridges
from Japan.
London, May 16.-The official Ga
zette contains General Gaselles' (the
British commander) review of events
in China since August IA, 1900. The
communication is addressed to Lord
George Hamilton, the secretary of
state of India.
General GaSelleeS says, among other
things: "By force of circumstances
this contingent has been more in touch
with the American and Japanese
forces than with those of other pow-
ers, and in consequence of their close
cooperation with us in their march to
Pekin, have good reason for particu-
larizing these forces among our allies.
Generals Chaffee and Yamaguchi are
especially to be commended.
THE American forces and the
Japanese contingent have been most
loyal in all their relations with me. I
may say the same about Generals Viii.
son and Fukushima as of the other
two commanders.
Il desire to mention also the names
OF Messrs. Dickman, Mills, Grote,
Hutchinson, Waller and Heistand, Off
GERS of the American contingent"
Paris, May 16.-M. Delcasse has an
nounced that the government will re-
call the French expeditionary corps III
China as soon as the last clauses of
the collective note are carried out and
after the settlement of the indemn1-
ties. Two thousand troops have al
ready been repatriated.
Vancouver, May 16.-According to
papers brought yesterday by the
steamship Empress of India, Wanglu-
hsien, Chilli province, where Miss
Stonehouse was killed, has recently
been the scene of bloody conflicts with
converts. Twelve hundred boxers are
said to have ATTACKED the converts and
slaughtered native Christians by the
score. The Mercury says peace reigns
only within the range Of the rifles of
the allies, foreign hatred being as
strong as ever. There is a report from
Tientsin that 1000 insurgents as
sembled at Yanglitsing and that they
are indulging in all kinds of excuses,
violating women, rObbing houses.
plundering tax collectors and declaring
their intention of setting up a new
emperor. These insurgents are said to
include people who lost their homes
and possessions in the course of the
military operations i'm Chill
Of the 120 cases of bubonic plague at
Hongkong since January IA, 112 have
died.
Berlin, May 16.-The war affice re-
ceived the following from the German
headquarters at Pekin: Gen. Liu's
troops attacked and scattered a thou
sand boxers Observation-Disclosures south
of Paotingfu.''