Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-04-19
A BATTLE IMMINENT
Engagement Expected Between AL
lied Troops and China.
EXPEDITION AGAINST LlU HUILU.
The Latter. with n Force of 10000
Men, Takes Defiant Stand
New Phase Of the lndem-
nifty Question.


London, April ia dispatch to the
Reuter- Telegram company from
Picking, dated April 16. says hat Gen.
Won Gyle, in command of 5000 German
and 5000 French troops. is heading AN
expedition to attack Li,l-lluilu Qiu-
Kuan Ting?), who is within 1870 miles
of pao-ting-fu. Liu's position is inside
the territory defined by Field Marshal
Waldersee as the sphere of operations
for the allies. Iiu has 10000 men, and
has refused to retire, saying if the al
lies wished him to retire they had bet
ter come out and compel him TO do so.
A Farewell Dinner.
Picking, April 17.--Gen. Chaffee's
birthday dinner Monday was also a
sort of formal farewell by the Amer
leans to Picking. There was a notable
gathering. Field Marshal Won Wal
dersee and all the generals with their
stats We're present, as we'll as all the
ministers and their first secretaries.
In all there were so guests. The field
marshal made a speech in English, in
the course of which lie said it was an
occasion of congratulation and sor-
row-the first on the occasion of Gen.
Chatfee's birthday and the second ow-
ing to the Americans departure.
Every foreigner in China babe God
speed to Gen. Chatfee and the brave
men under him, for none had made
themselves more generally popular.
For Gen. Chatfee personally he felt adj
miration and esteem and all present
must feel the same.
The Chinese court has replied to the
recommendations of Japan on the sub
ject that it is impossible for the en-
peror to return to Picking until the
country's guests leave.
The Indemnity Question.
London, April 1.-THE Picking COR
respondent of the Daily Mail says he
thinks the aggregate of the indemn-
ties demanded by the powers will not
be reduced below e5o,oooOoO, and adds
that "it cannot be too strongly point
ed out how serious a danger would
result from too excessive a reduction
of claims. If the powers fail to re-
coup their actual OUTLAWS" he says,
they are likely to seek compensa-
ton by separate secret arrangements
with Peking which would infallibly
lead to grave complications"
Claims of the Catholics.
Washington, April 17.-In the dis
cussion of Chinese indemnities,
which is going on at Peking and also
at the various foreign capitals, it has
been developed that the French gov
eminent is DESTROYS of looking after
not only those claims of distinctly
national character, relating to
France and French subjects, but also
the extensive class of claims of Cath
Ollie institutions and missionaries. In
making known this desire, the
French authorities have made it
clear that they look upon the nom
military claims as quite as worthy of
consideration as those connected
with the equipment of military ex
petitions.
The extent of these depredations
to Catholic persons and property in
China, is said to be very large, owing
to the number of Catholic missions
maintained throughout China. 1t is
said that some 10000 persons, direct
ly and indirectly connected with the
missions, many of them native con-
verts, have been killed or injured
during the course of the disturb
ance. Beside this, much property has
been destroyed and damaged.
AS the Catholic officials have no of
fetal status in the negotiations at
Picking, they have naturally looked
to the French government as most
likely to render them such aid as
might be proper in the circum-
stances. This assistance has been
readily granted, and, as result, the
various governments have been adj
yised of the desire of the French au-
thorities to see that these non-mil-
ttary losses receive suitable atten-
ton.
AS far as possible it is desired to
separate this class of claims from
those of purely national or military
character, and to leave them for SUBJ
sequent adjustment. The claims re-
fer not only to French Catholic mis-
sions and missionaries, but include
also practically the entire range of
claims in which Catholic missions
have suffered.