New-York tribune., 1911-12-09
FOUR AMERICANS KILLED
IN CHINESE PROVINCE
First News from Sian.Fu Since
Revolutionary Outbreak Tells
of MaSSaCreS.
NAMES NOT FORTHCOMING
Incendiary Fire Reported Near
the Forbidden City-Modern
Roman Calendar Adopted
by Imperial Edict.

brought here to-day by messenger. 1t
consists Of letters to the British and
American legations and the director Of
posts. Tho letters say that eight thou
sand Manchus were slain by the Chinese
and that there was much looting. Sew
eral mission houses i'm the province were
destroyed and eight foreigners, some of
dead were Americans.
According to the letters, most OF the
foreigners in the province of Shen-Si, OF
which Sian-Fu is the capital, numbered
seyenty-five, seventeen of them being
Americans. 4 majority of these are
now in Sian-Fu, the others having Aed
TO the province Of Kan-Su, where trouble
is expected No news has come from
Kan-Su for many weeks.
I'VE apparently are safe now" says
one Of the letters, but the lawless are
in the majority. We had hoped to cs-
cape down the Han River. but the road
is dangerous. The Kan-Su missionaries
may have a hard time. twenty-five Of
then, including children, are Americans.
Money cannot be sent them, as all the
mails have been stopped and the banks
here robbed and burned"
This letter is signed by V. !. Plvmire,
of the Christian and Missionary Alliance
at Tao-Chow. province Of Kan-Su. IT is
dated November 26.
Much anxiety is felt for tn foreigners
in KanSu. The Mahometans there al
ways are ready 10 rise, and because of
their creed are more bloodthirsty than
the ordinary Chinese. \ number of reg
iments of the Sixth Division are proceed
ing from Ho-Nan into Shen-Si. where
the rebe, organization is too feeble to
protect foreigners.
The terms which the imperial delegates
will take 20 Shanghai or Marking in an
endeavor to settle the questions in dis
pute between the government and the
revolutionists are believed to provide:
First. That the Emperor shall be re-
tanned, though he will be entirely with
out power:
Second, That President and Cabinet
President shall possess the same author
ity as the President of a republic; and,
Third, II the foregoing conditions are
accepte,. the government will grant r~o-
vincial autonomy.
These terms are considered largely
bluff. Yuan Shih-kai still controls a
substantial army, but is unable to pay
the soldiers, and. desiring to save the
nation, he must accept the republican
demands Therefore, he offers auton-
omy, which the provinces already have
| assumed. His call for delegates from
! the provinces having met with no re-
| sponse, Yuan has now appointed resi-
dents of Peking and natives of the vari-
| ous provinces to accompany Tang Shao-
! II, the former Minister of Posts and
Communications, who is acting as a go.
between in an effort 70 reuuite tho coun-
t-y and disaffected provinces.
The difference between the terms Of
Yuan and those demanded several DAYS
ago by the revolutionary leaders is
slight
Most Of the legations are ready TO har-
DO. the Emperor in case OF abdication.
II is believed the court will select either
that of the United States OF japan IL
such step is necessary.
y fire. believed to he Of incendiary
origin, occurred late tonight near the
Forbidden City.
Shanghai, Dec. S.A telegram received
here from Nanking says that General
Chang-Hsu the commander OF the i'm.
perial troops, who with a force escaped
from that city when the revolutionIsts
captured II. annihiliated band Of rebels
who attempted to bar his retreat at spot
one hundred miles up the Tien-Tsin-Pu-
Kow Railway. Further northward OF the
scene Of this fight the revolutionists are
reported 10 be blowing Up bridges with dy.
Mantle.
WI Ting-fang processes ignorance Of the
decision Of the revolutionists at Wu-Chans
10 accept a constitutional monarchy. with
Yuan Shlh-kai or some other satisfactory
Chinese as ruler, under constitution and
Parliament Or. Wa declares that no nego-
tiations conducted at Wu-Chang can be re-
gard d official
San Francisco, Dec. S.-Consul General Ii
Wing-you, Of san Francisco, has received
notice of an imperial edict from Picking
doing away with the old Chinese calendar
and adopting the modern Roman calendar.
Victoria, II. C., Dec. S-Admral Sab
commander of the Chinese fleet which sur
rendered 10 the rebels reached Shanghai
after many adventures. disguised as a
coolie. according TO adylces received here
to-day. When he escaped from his flag
ship price was placed on his head. lie
reached Shanghai in the Steerage Of the
steamer Ta-tung. having boarded that YES
sci at Kiu-hians after o long walk across
country.
The Rev. r.. w. Porteous and wife. mis-.
souaries from Kiang-Si, and Miss NJ. p.
Waters. from Cheng-Tu, who arrived here
yesterday on the steamer Ava Maru told
of atrocities seen By them when going
through the war zone. AIR. Porteous said
native Red Cross men. who were carrying
wounded and dead at Nanking. were be.
headed by imperial troops because their
queues were cut of.
The rebel forces 20 augment their war
funds were melting down idols. In one
city large brass idol too large 10 move,
was hacked TO pieces 10 be melted down
and sold