The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1901-03-21
BRITISH BAYONETS
CONFRONT RUSSIANS
The Dispute at Tien Tsin
Grows More OminOus.
QUESTION OF PROPERTY RIGHTS
A Pekin Dispatch Says Germans
Loot a Town---What our Rep
resentative Is Doing.

Advices from Tien Tsin, China,
state that the British and Russians
are disputing over the limits Of rail-
way property in the Russian conces-
sion, and the guards of the two ma
tons are in close proximity to each
other.
The British have been strongly re-
enforced and trouble is imminent I'M
less the Russians retire.
The Russians are now intrenching in
the disputed territory. A company OF
the Hong Kong regiment, with fixed
bayonets, is in front, while two COM
panies of the Madras Pioneers, under
the command of Major johnson, are
held in reserve.
Both the Russians and the British
are awaiting instructions from their
governments.
FRICTION AN ADMITTED FACT.
London special says: A question
in the bouse of commons Friday,i in re-
gard to the news from Tien Tsin an
nouncing friction between the Rus
slams and British there elected con-
firmation from Lord George Hamilton,
the secretary of state for India, who
said Russia had claimed the land in
dispute by virtue of a concession al
legged to have been granted by China
since the disturbances commenced.
The authorities on the spot were deal
ing with the matter. The government
had not sent special instructions, as,
throughout the Chinese operations,
the Britist officers had shown a spirit
of excessive Cancellation.
LOOTED BY GERMANS.
A cablegram from Pekin says: 1t
was reported at the United States le-
cation by Rev. W. S. Ament, Of the
local staff of the American board Of
foreign missions, that the Germans
had visited the prosperous market
town of Nau Ming, sixty miles from
Pekin, and completely looted it, and
that they had also ransacked and des-
ecrated a native Christian chapel and
despoiled women of their trinkets,
even taking rings out of their ears and
generally ill-treating the natives.
The attitude of M. de Giers regard
ing further punishments is delaying
the demand of the ministers of the
powers upon theChinese and the matter
has been referred to the home govern
ments. Mr.. Rockhill, the American
special commissioner, says that practi-
cally he is in favor of drawing clean
sheet over additional executions, but
that certain high officials throughout
the provinces are gully of most bar
barous crimes and that it is generally
recognized that these must be punish
ed if only as a warning to others.
In every case where leniency was
possible Mr. Rockhili has advocated it,
but he has felt that in few cases lem
iency was out of the question. He
said Nj. de Giers had virtually agreed
70 certain additional punishments, but
that the change in his attitude is pre-
sumably attributable to Russia's an
noyance at the interference of the
others in the Manchuria affair.
At the latest meeting of the minis
tiers, NJ. de Giers vehemently declared
that he would rather see his right
hand cut off than consent to further
decapitations.
AS regards questions of indemnity,
individual American claims, Mr.. Rock.
hill says, under the agreement agreed
upon by the ministers, will be paid in
almost every case. The arrangement
he considers satisfactory and fair to
both Chinese and foreigners.