The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1911-09-14
Not Known Whether Mission
aries Have Provided Suffi-
cient Supply of Food
FOREIGNERS ARE WITHIN
THE WALLS OF CFiENG Flu
Garrison of 1900 Troops Clash
With Natives, Each Side
Losing Fighters
FOUR WEEKS NEEDED TO
GET REINFORCEMENTS

]" EKING, Sept 13.-Latest ad-
1vices received by the Chinese
i foreign board and the foreign
legations indicate that Chengtu,
capital of Szechuen province, IS under
siege: that most, if not all, the mis-
sionaries are inside the walls, and that
the city is garrisoned by 1900 troops.
who have had several engagements
with the besieging forces Reinforce
ments 70 rthe garrison can not arrive
inside of four weeks.
A dispatch from the prefect of Tsu-
chau, dated September II, says that
the troops were firing upon the rebels
from the Chengtu walls and that the
besiegers had lost many men. The
belief is held there that the garrison
is capable Of resisting the attacks of
any number of organized rebels from
the outside. Tsuchaa is rs miles from
Chengtu.
Missionaries Seek Refuge
The Canadian Methodist compound
within the city has open spaces around
its own walls. 1t is believed that the
foreigners have taken refuge within
this compound. which is considered
the strongest and the most easily de-
Tended. Peking missionaries who
have been in former riots in Chengtu
say that whatever Chinese troops were
dispatched to guard the mission would
be stationed outside the compound
and would not be permitted to get
within the gates.
Whcthe rthe foreigners and the
natives inside the walls are prepared
to endure the siege is not known
The question of supplies is all inn
portant, and it is probable, from past
experiences, that the missionaries
have taken precautions against such
contingency. The missionaries have
no weapons, unless they have been
supplied by the viceroy. Every effort
is being made to communicate with
Chengtu, but so far there has been no
movement to relieve the city.
Gunboats Held Up
the ability of the viceroy to suppress
the rising. The southern section of
Szechuen continues tranquil, although
the natives sympathize with the op
ponents of railway construction. All
gatherings in Peking are in sympathy
Szechuen have been dispersed by the
police
A despatch from Kia Ting Flu. south
of Cheng Tu. says that foreign mis-
sionaries stationed there have left for
Yangtse. These include three men and
their wives and a woman doctor. The
foreign gunboats have been unable to
proceed above Sui Flu.
Communication Cut Off
LONDON. Sept. ia news dispatch
received here today from Tauchau says
that the prefect of police there has at
tempted to communicate with Chengtu
by uSoSCuSCIS, udt that thc idtLcF WcIS
unable to get through the lines of
rioters. who are attacking the city at
four points. Troops, the dispatch adds,
line the walls of Chengtu. defending
the city.
The foreign Office received advices
from the British consul at Chengtu this
afternoon. dispatched under date of
September g. They state that there
was fighting within the walls of
Chengtu on September 7. when some
persons were killed and others wound
ed. both among the populace and the
soldiers. who engaged each other in
the streets. The rebels were easily re-
pulsed and the gates of the city closed
The shops were shut up. On the fol-
lowing day roughs from the suburbs
attacked the city gates. but were
driven back.
The advices add that the American
and British residents of Chengtu who
did not leave the city on September
still remained in the capital when the
dispatch was sent. as the governor gem
eral refused to permit them to leave on
September 8, owing to the presence of
the rabble outside the walls.
The French missionaries had decided
TO remain in the city The mail service
to an5 from chengtu has been iftss-
rupted.