The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-30
Suggestions as to the Pei<ing Legation
Gunrd and the Garrison To he
Maintained at Tien-Tsin.
GERMANS CAUGHT IN A TRAP
ROCKS ROLLED ON THEM WHILE
IN A MOUNTAIN PASS.
Natives More Bitter Than Ever Since
the Expedition 40 Shan-si-
Waldersee's Reports.

PEKING. April 29.-The generals of the
powers held a conference this morning. to
consider the question Of the withdrawal
OF troops and decided TO address a note
TO the ministers. informing them that. when
lump sum demanded as indemnity and the
Chinese have agreed to the principle OF
payment, arrangements will be possible
for withdrawal.
The other matters discussed were the
handing over OF the administration OF
Peking to native officials and the plan
for the command of legation guards as 10
whether this command should be GEN.
tered in one officer or each detachment
should be Independent. Regarding the gov
ernment OF Peking IL was decided TO al
low the Chinese gradually 10 assume more
control until the civil government was en-
tirely in their hands. the military only ex-
ercising passive supervision.
Some time was spent i'm considering the
reply Of the ministers 10 views recently
onunciated by the generals regarding other
questions OF a purely military character.
The ministers agree with the generals as
TO the razing Of the forts and also as
20 the points to be occupied between Pc
king and the sea, but they desire the gen
erals TO specify the numbers OF the diff
tcrent nationalities at Tien-rsin and shan
Hai-Kwan So far as concerns the gar
rison OF 1900 men which is 10 remain pro-
visonally at Tien-Tsin during the period
% actual occupation IL will be necessary
that each nations strength shall be de-
termined.
The ministers believe that the provisions
al government at Tien-Tsln should be abol-
ished as soon as the situation permits.
They agree that the forces I'm China should
be under one commandments. but they
contend that the generals should UNDER
stand that the legation guards are entirely
outside such forces and under their re-
spective ministers.
The ministers suggested that II would
be necessary for the generals TO consider
the advisability OF entrusting the police
and administration of Peking TO Chinese
officials about one month before the eyacua-
tion; but. in considering this question. they
urged that the fact must be recalled that
there had never been military administra-
ton or permanent organization in Peking.
as troops with banners could not be con-
sidered such.
Concerning the question OF military evac-
uation the ministers informed tho generals
that a proposition so conceived had been
submitted unanimously by the representa-
tives OF the powers TO their governments
that partial reduction OF troops was al
ready possible, but that evacuation proper
could not commence before the Chinese
government had fulfilled Articles and 10
OF the Joint note, and not before China had
accepted the general conditions for the pay
ment OF indemnitfes
Ii Hung Chang has received n dispatch
from the governor OF the province OF Shan
ST asserting that 800 French soldiers. ac-
companied by 1000 armed native Christians.
are within the borders OF shan-si and have
caused great distress and trouble wherever
they have passed
| The British have enlisted a number OF
Chinese at TIen-Tsin for the wei-Hia-Wei
regiment.
| Liu Kun VI has asked the throne for per-
| mission TO inaugurate a subscription fund
In order 10 assist the government I'm paying
the Chinese soldiers.
Numerous reports have been I'm circula-
ton TO the effect that the derailIng OF the
train between Li-Fa and Yang-Tsun was
not the result Of an accident. but the work
OF the Chinese. These. however. are en-
tirely without foundation. as a thorough
investigation proves that the wreck was
due 20 a defective culvert.
The Germans were virtually caught in
trap near the Ku-Kwan pass. A detach-
ment OF eighty had forty-five casualties.
while the Chinese losses arc said 10 have
been nominal. The German expedition Is
returning. leaving the country greatly dis
affected. owing 10 the hardship inflicted on
the population. Altogether. The expedition
appears TO have produced very bad ef-
feet The current Chinese gossip + that
the Germans were driven back with heavy
losses. and II j. implicitly believed by tho
bulk OF the people.