The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-05-04
TO RULE CHINA.
Empress Dowager Appoints Board of
National Administration to Con.
duct Its Affairs.

Washington, April 27.-The follow
ing cablegram has been received at
the state department from Mr..
Squier, the United States charge at
Picking, dated Friday:
board Of national administration to re-
lieve her of her public functions. They en-
orace three members of the cabinet now
with the empress at Sian-fu. and Prince
Ching, viceroy Ii and Prince Kung who
are now in Picking"
This news is regarded as of impor-
lance, indicating, as 1t does, the re-
linquishment by the empress dowager
of the arbitrary powers she hereto
fore has exercised. It also is apparent
that she has placed herself in posi-
ton to avoid direct responsibility to
the foreigners, for whatever may hap
pen in the future the board will have
to bear the brunt of any complaint. 1t
Is felt that the appointment of this
board will make it much easier for the
foreign ministers to transact business
with the Chinese government.
The three members of the cabinet
now at Sian-Fu include the notorious
Jung-Lu, who was one Of the most ac-
tive in the outbreak against the for
eigners last summer. One OF the
other members of this council is 70
years old and said to be greatly debil-
itated. The third member has been
at least fukewarm toward foreign in
terests. The choice of these three 10
looked upon as likely to complicate
the good which Ii Hung Chang and the
others may accomplish.
New York, April 27.-The Christian
Herald has received . cablegram from
Il Hung Chang, dated Picking, April
Is, saying: every serious famine
spreads over the whole province OF
Shan 81. Over Il, 900 900 population are
affected. Urgent relief 10 necessary.
Conditions warrant immediate ap-
peal" The Christian Herald has an
nounced it's purpose of raising fund
to relieve the sufferers in the famine
stricken district.
Berlin, April 29,-The German war
Office has received the following ad-
vices from Count Won Waldersee:
"Peking. April 29.-Three engagements
occurred April % and a fourth April "a at
the great wall, between four columns un-
der Gen. Kettler and the Chinese troops
under Gen. Liu. The Chinese were every
where defeated, and after stubborn re-
| sistance were forced back over the wall.
being pursued as far as Ku-Kuan. Our
casualties were four officers wounded and
| three men killed and 80 wounded. The
French troops were not engaged"
Berlin, April 30.-The latest China
specials to arrive here show that the
German troops behaved with the
greatest gallantry during the engage
ments with the forces under Gen. Liu,
storming the stronghold of the enemy
even after darkness, and in spite of
the huge rocks rolled down upon them.
The Chinese artillery, although firing
splendid guns, made in 1898 at the
arsenal in Han-Yang, aimed badly.
The Germans demolished the FORTH
cations near the gates of the Great
Wall. They suffered intensely from the
heat. The French received instruc-
tions from Paris while marching to-
wards the province of Shan-Si, but
they held Ku-Kwan, which they have
since left, destroying the field tele.
graph and thus cutting off German
communication.