The age-herald., 1901-04-23
TROOPS
 ID BE WITHDRAWN 10000 Soldiers rom France VIII leave hiia in Way
FEAR AMo9 t RSf0tNt
Native Converts Say Their Lives Are Daily Threatened--RebeiIio of Hsiang Is De-
 nled.

Pekin April 22.-General Voyron, the French commander in China has inform ed General Chafree that 10000 French soldiers wilI leave China in May.
 u Hung Chang believes the Chinese troops under General Liu will be with drawn over the boundary marking tho territory defined by Field Marshal Count von Waldersee as the sphere of operations for the allies. as the Governor of Shan 'Si province received telegraphic instruc- tious nearly a week ago ordering their withdrawal. The Governor should have conveyed this order to the troops in dues- tion last Friday at the latest.
 The majority of the French and Ger man newspaper correspondents accom- panying the expedition directed against General Liu who have been mobilizing at Pao Ting Flu, retired to Pekin today believing the expedition would be called off. Hsi Iiang, formerly Governor of the province of Shan st has been appointed Governor of the province of Flu Pei. The foreign consuls at Hankow. capital of the province Of Hu Pei. have protested against this appointment to Chang Shi Bun. Viceroy of Hankow. and have sent him a telegram advising him to delay proceedings In the natter of ffsi Ldang's appointment. The numerous appoint rncnts of Chinamen with pronounced anti fo-eign tendencies is causing comment at Pekin Even the foreign ministers ad nit that so many appointments of this character are ill-advised, while the mis- sionarfes and other civilians are alarmed for the future.
 It Is the opinion of Mir. Rockhil. the American special commissioner that the foreign troops may now commence leay- ing China with perfect safety: on the other hand. the announcement that lo- 600 French troops are to leave in few days caused fear among the French res- idents and this fear is greater among the French native converts to Christianity who inform the priests that they are daily threatened with what will happen to them when the foreigners leave.
 The views of the foreign ministers on the withdrawal of the troops is not shared by the great majority of the foreign res- dents. The ministers aver that some of these latter have business reasons and that others would have to vacate the fine buildings they are now occupying rent free until the troops go
 A parsonage close with Sian Flu. who is closely connected with the court denies that General Tung Flu Hsiang is in a state
 of open rebellion. The person In question | thinks that the missionaries who report | ed that he was In rebellion must have | heard accounts of his harsh treatment of 1 bandits falling into his hands. Tung Fun | Hsiang has frequently disobeyed the or | ders of the court. When foreign troops l.t- aud Inu January he should have retained their rifles and ammunition. This he failed to do Before he left for Kan Su he obtained an audience with the Dowager Empress or China. Upon this occasion Tung Flu Hsiang said to the Empress:
 Proud of Empress.
 "All that your servant has done has been to obey the orders of the court He will die upon the battlefield in your ser vice. If because of the commands of the foreigners, your servant were committed to death. he would die willingly"
 To this the Empress replied: Let your heart be at peace. I would rather lose my rivers and mountains than you. I will surely devise a plan for your pro- tection."
 The same informant says that the court advices are not in accord.
 Lu Chuan Lin, notorious reactionary and professor Of the board or traoe. ar g,ies in favor of subduing the barbarians while others advise delay in returning to Pekin. Only Weng Weng Sinai and Sun i chia Mai urge immediate acceptance of the terms offered privately. Two of the foregn powers have separately agreed to extend to the court the full protection should necessity arise and offer every sol- der they have.
 Emperor Wants to Return. At a recent meeting of the council both the Emperor and the Empress wept fre- quently. The Dowager Empress said that | each day of absence was a day when she could neither eat nor sleep in peace. The 1 Emperor said Pekin was the home of his ancestors and he could not bear to aban- | don 1t.
 l Sir Robert Hart's plan for the increase of the revenue of China would bring In 20. 100000 taels annually. but the foreigners and business me nof China object to this plan already, saying that under it the | foreign business houses will pay tho
 greater portion of the indemnity. A SAD DEATH.