The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 14, 1900, Page 1

The VOLUME LXXXVIII-NO. 14. SAN FRANCISCO, THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 1900. PRICE FIVE CENTS. CHINESE ENTRENCHED OUTSIDE PEKING TO OPPOSE ADVANCING FOREIGN COLUMN At Tientsin Guns Are Trained on the American Mission and the British Legation—Minister Conger Asks for Two Thousand United States Troops—Boxer Troubles Become Decidedly More Alarming. ONDON, June 14, 4:20 a. m.—The Chinese are entrenched outside of Peking to oppose the advance of the international column. patch from Tientsin, dated Tuesday, June 12, says: “I learn that the Chinese have guns trained on the American mission and the British legation. infantry with artillery have landed at Taku.” The Shanghai correspondent reports that United States Minister Conger, by courier, asks for 2000 United States troops. of provisioning the relief force is already difficult, and it is predicted at Shanghai that it will become acute. Spectal Dispatch to The Call ALL HEADQUARTERS WELLINGTON HOTEL, WASHINGTON, June 13.—| “No proposition on political ines ement of the been made s by any for- a to- in fif 1istration has special interest anghai rumofs decision of the powers. yose of the President to independent policy,” “is well known. been made he Empress informed dip- such "action hould she fail s for suppressing e Boxers and continue to en- only by pun- t to check them, 1a as ve man of as president men.” State Gen- the Consul inow at Shanghai urg- f-war be sent to reached from s requested vester- Mes- Martin. Iso came from nearly other consular representa- and frc several lescribing the tur- affairs m of in neighborhoods. lomatic corps was ming dispatches. imncefote, the British was informed that reached an , secretary , who avas ington several on € legati Wa years ago, and at one time en- gaged to the daughter of former Secre nap, was attacked twice Monday and escaped only after serious treatment by a mob. Two officials of the British legation serving as student in- terpreters were attacked on the same day, but cowed the mob h their revolvers and suc-| [ B4444444444 4 4444444444440 | SUMMARY OF BOXER SITUATION EW YORK, June 13. From out of the thun- der clouds.looming over the Chinese horizon there comes to-night fitful flashes, which only serve to intensify the blackness of the situation. Peking appears to be com- pletely isolated. No message from the capital has reached London or America since those which chronicled the murder of the Chancellor of the Jap- anese legation, and which were transmitted over lines that run northwest from Peking, and thence through the do- minions of the Czar. So far as is known the for- eign detachments which left Tientsin on Sunday morning and which were at first timed to reach Peking on Tussday night have not arrived yet, and according to a Tientsin dispatch the Chinese were throwing up intrenchments to bar their routes to the capital. On the other hand, it was stat- ed in Washington, with what appears to be needless mys- tery, that the representative of a certain power had been notified that the Dowager Empress had ordered the Tsung Li Yamen to notify for- eign representatives that no opposition would be made by the Chinese authorities to the entry of the relief force into Peking. Two thousand Russians, cavalry, infantry and artil- lery, had been landed at Taku, according to a Tientsin dis- patch, and St. Petersburg ad- vices of the present and recent date were alarmist in charac- ter. Various messages indica- tive of the prevailing appre- hension were received at the State Department from Ameri- can Consuls in China, but nothing to bear out the state- ment cabled from Shanghai that Minister Conger has ssked for two thousand United States troops. 00000’00‘000060“0000000000000000’0"00000000000QOOQ’000000000000;0000000000000000000 4444444444444 44444440 | ceeded in reaching the legation in safety. None of the dispatches yet re- ceived refers to the killing of Sugivama Akira, Chancellor of| the Japanese legation. Keizire | Nabeshima, Japanese Charge | d’Affaires, s id on this subject: “We have no official confirma- tion of the killing of our Chan- cellor at Peking, but there ap- 0066000}6000Qo¢¢000600'00099006‘0000{»000&9000000000009000000000000009000000¢00000000¢ .~¢@4~a« oo oo R A n o S | pears to be no doubt of the fact, and it presents a most serious The chief offensc but aside from that it is against the entire dip- at Peking, for condition. is against Japan, {lomatic body |any one of them is subject to same danger. I was personally well acquainted with Mr. ira, as he served under me in the Foreign Office at Tokio | while I was chief of the division of protocols. young man about very | chirographers in Japan, and this gained him the post of Chan- cellor at Peking, where he went about three years ago.” Mr. Nabeshima said that Japan had pursued the utmost reserve, not wishing to be open to any supicion, but he felt that the killing of the legation Chan- cellor would lead to energetic ac- tion. The destruction of British property and the dangerous po- if | such assault they all share in the | 2! | evitable. He was a bnght| 38 years old. | ‘Hc was one of the most expert | SENT TO SUPPRESS THE BOXERS, Detachment of Tartar Light Artillery of the Imperial Chinese Army which formed a part of Gen- eral Nieh’s force in the recent operations n« r Pao Tung sgainst the Boxers. From a Photograph by Vapereau Sons. sition of British subjects it is thought will lead to action by Great Britain. It is apparent to members of the diplomatic corps that if one power sends troops all an agreement is made before- hand a clash will be almost in- President McKinley does not intend to take the initiative in the landing of soldiers, and no in- structions to General MacArthur to send troops to China have yet been prepared. } The whole Chinese situation was described by diplomats to- day as resembling a powder mag- azine filled with explosives, its doors open and men passing and repassing carrying lighted torches in their hands. The State Department is satis- fied that up to the present all the powers have acted ‘in good faith. It is appreciated, how ever, that no nation can permit its official representative to be slaughtered without taking the powers will do so, and unless | ® - measures to obtain redress. Minister Conger and Admirals Kempff and Remey are evidently taking active measures for the protection of Americans. The Consul -at Cheefoo, be- sides reporting to \\a:hmqton‘ af- | | WASHINGTON, June 13.—Definite offl- fairs near his Consulate, has evi- the dangerous condition of dently communicated with Ad- miral Kempff, for the Yorktown left Shanghai to-day | for, Cheefoo. Southern China also seems to be disturbed, for the Don Juan| de Austria has been ordered to proceed from Canton to Swatow | and Amoy to protect American interests. Should the become graver at Chin Kiang Admiral order marines to go from Castine at Shanghai to point. A reinforcement of 100 marines left Manila for Taku| yesterday on the Solace. REFORMERS ASK JOINT ACTION BY POWERS LONDON, June 14, 4:20 a. m.—The lead- 0#94004‘0000‘##000#06006000 Aasssad gunboat | Kempff will probably | the | that | ${ MURDER OF A WOMAN MISSIONARY. NEW YORK, June 13.—News has been received In this city of the murder of Dr. Edna G. Terry. in charge of the station of the Metho- dist Episcopal Women's Forelgn Misstonary Society at Tsung-Hua, China. The tidings came in the fol- lowing message to Dr. Terry's brother-in-law: “Dr. Terry murdered. Break news gently.” This was the first indication of trouble at Tsung-Hua. Later the Methodist Episcopal Board recelved this message, dated Tientsin, June 12: Hayner safe.” s named are mission- g-Hua. There is an- other Methodist missionary at the same place, a Miss Croucher of Boston. Tsurg-Hua iIs six or seven miles north of the great wall and about 100 miles from Peking. | i o ing members of the reform party, repre- senting fifteen of the eighteen province are at Shanghai. A dispatch to the Ds Mail. dated yesterday, says they are | ing a petition to the U nited Stat s, Britain and Japan, praying those powers to take joint action against any attempt on the part of the other powers to par tion the empire, and they implore t send- | peror. A . diepatch from St. -Petersburg says | 3| that the ships of the Russian Pacific | B4+ 464440444 4444444444440 + 5 AR d i d RS R R R S RN powers thus addressed to rescue the Em- | | munication with Peking Great | | | etan OMce as A dis- Two thousand Russian cavalry and The question time to give evi nce that the Emp: Dowager is no Ic r ylelding to the a foreign clamor. Ir. official Russian quarters t resented a destgned fan sympat lement. It is point- ed out that Russia’s course has Dbeen marked by the utmost reserve, for while it would have been possible at any time to land large forces In ¢ the Rus- stan force actually landed has been com- paratively insignificant, mainly for the reason that Russia desires to be whol free from any imputation of ulterfor de- sign It was stated In diplomatic quarters to- night that the Bel Secretary of the legation at Peking who was attacked by a mob on Monday was probably Philip May. formerly with the Belgian legation in Washington and quite prominent in | social and official circles here, as his post of date has been at Peking GERMANY NOT IN SYMPATHY WITH BOXERS BERLIN. June 13.—The Foreizn Office offictals have had no telegraphic com- during the last thirty-six hours and It has no fmportant news regardirg the Chinese e day. It is not known whether the road has been repaired. The stater made by certain Paris newspapers t Germany has made common cause with the Boxers is characterized by the For- “blood sinning” (diot since Germany !s the one power w has all along been urging action agal them. The statement in the Fnglsh press that the powers have reached an understand- situ. tch st squadron on the active list, as well as|ing In all the circumstances to maintain .MM+Q+@M%+HWWMMWMMH. those at Vladivostok, have been ordered | to proceed with all haste to Chlnese | waters. The Foreign Office confirms the report | of an engagement between troops of the | international column and the Boxers on Monday. It says that “‘about thirty-five Chinese were killed." e itond CHANGE OF FRONT OF THE DOWAGER EMPRESS clal information was received here this | afternoon from the Forelgn Office of one of the most important Continental powers stating that the Tsung If Yamen had noti- | | fled the Minister of that power at Peking that the Dowager Empress would not ob- ject to the presence of foreign troops in China’s territory. Vague unofficial rumors | to this effect had been current, ‘ information received here to-day was from | such a high official source as to leave no | doubt that the Empress Dowager, who practically constitutes the Government of ina, had made known this determina- | tion not to object to the presence of the | foreign troops. | as a distinct surprise to the officlals and situation | This change of front came diplomats, as all reports up to this time had pictured the Empress Dowager as intensely hostile to the foreigners and as the real power behind the Boxers' anti- foreign uprising. This supposed attitude of the Empress gave much concern to the authorities here and at other capitals, as it China against’ the presence of foreign troops. This would have raised a new | complication, -placing the foreign forces | now advancing on Peking in the attitude of resisting the sovereign authority of lr'hma over her own territory, instead of assisting China in a suppression of dis- 1 order. The Empress Dowager’s acquiescence in the plans of the powers is felt to remove a threatened complication and at the same but the | was feared that it would eventuate in | | an open declaration by the Government of | | | | the present Chinese dynasty and Govern. ment is officially characterized as untrue. | IMPORTANT CHANGES IN CHINESE FOREIGN OFFICE WASHINGTON. June 13.—A cablegram has been received at the State Depart- ment from Minister Conger at Peking stating that Tuan, the father of the heir apparent, has been appointed President ot the Tsung L! Yamen: also that three other new Ministers have been appointed, all affillated with t party opposed to foreigners. On the whole, Mr. Conger re- ports, the situation is not materfally im- proved. Guards are repairing the railway and as soon as they have arrived at Pe- king, it Is Mr. Conger's bellef that the safety of the foreigners at that capital will be assured. SOLACE SAILS WITH MARINES FOR CHINA MANILA. June 13.—The United States hospital ship Solace sailed at midnight last night, having on board 100 marines and five officers, Major Waller command- ing, In response to the telegraphic re- quest from Tong Ku June 11 by Rear Ad- miral Kempff. Thirty other marines left last week on the United States gunboat Nashville, bound for Tientsin. The ma- rines on the Solace have beem destined for Guam. It is believed that others will be sent there later on. It is said a supply ship will leave this week, and that the New Orleans will sail later. AN A.LLEGED SETTLEMENT. SHANGHAL June 13—Extracrdinary rumors are current here to the effect that the powers have settled the Chinese ques- tion by agreeing to forgive the Dowager Empress and her Manchu advisers. pro- vided they promise to amend their future conduct. 1 OE 0 HOHD G O Ok 040 04 00 100 040 010 100+ 040 404 01O 40 HO DO 10k Ok Gl 01D 400k OO 10 D40 040 OO G40 +04 040 40 AOHOHO G O O 040 0+ OO0 0+ OO0 010 #0404+ 040 HHOEOFOHOHOe THE BRITISH CLAIM A VICTORY OVER THE BOERS Lord Roberts Reports That Generals Methuen and Kitchener Routed De Wet’s Forces, but Details of the Fierce Encounter Have Not Been Received. ONDON, June 14—3:40 a. m.—After a week's silence Lord Roberts has ¥ heard from, his 13e of com- m ns having been practically rest by means of a complete wvictory gained by Generals Methuen and Kitchener over General de Wet at the Rhenosty River Tuesday. The Boer camp was captur nd the burghers, it is add-| ed, were scattered in all directions. Lord Roberts, on being notified of the cutting of his line of communications, sent Gen- eral Kitchener in all haste to join Gen- | eral Methuen. June 11._Lord Roberts at- tacked General Botha, who was In strong force fifteen miles southeast of Pretoria. ition the British | sle ground, but a, when Lord Roberts Jeft | was still undef-ated. Al is quiet at Pretoriz and Johannes- burg, and Lord Roberts says the Govern- ment need have mo apprehension about | the security of the army in South Africa, | as it will not take long to remedy the re- | verses and repair the rallrozd. { The result of the battle Letween Lord | forces and those of Generall cileved the Boer commander will only have already commenced, though there i« some hope in London that Lord Rob- | , decisive victory scored by Generals Me- thuen and Kitchener is regarded as likely to have a more far-reaching effect than ¥ recent action in the Orange River General Kitchene: operations south must have been almost unequaled by the records of all forced marches. His chment from headquarters was a merely routine procedure, as the chief of | staff is responsible for the line of commu- nication: Military observers, noting that no men- tion is made of prisoners, assume that General de Wet got away with his forces practically, intact. Geneéral Buller - entered Volksrust Wednesday, pushed through Charleston | and encamped near Laings Nek. The tun- | nel was not much damaged. Both ends were blown up. but the engineers think that the repairs can be effected in about four days. The advance troops of General Buller saw the Boer rear guard four miles dis- tant yesterday. ‘It was estimated that 8000 Boers were withdrawn. The towns- people at Ermelo counted fifteen guns. Three hundred Free Staters, released ony. General Rundle has sent notice to the Free Staters that unless they surren- erts will be able to surround him. The [der by June 15 their farms and other pos- sessions will be confiscated, President Kruger, according to a dis- patch from Lourenzo- Marques, keeps a locomotive with steam up attached to the | car 1n which he concentrates the execu- tive offices of the government, and it is sald that he intends to leave Machadodorp soon and establish the Transvaal capital at Nel Spruit, in the mountains, a fine | defensive region. | The State printing press is operating at | Machadodorp, producing the leaflets con- | taining war news for distribution among | the Boers. | 1t 1s agatn reported at Lourenzo Mar- ques that the British are advancing through Swaziland. Lord Roberts, it ap- pears, however, countermanded the order given to Strathcona’s Horse to land on the coast and to penetrate to the Trans- vaal through the Swazi country. Mr. Schreiner, the Cape Premler, and his colleagues resigned last evening, Sir | Alfred Milner accepting thelr resigna- | tions. - The London papers only recently abused Mr. Schreiner for not making war | preparations. Now they are compliment- s Iy awaited here, but it is | from guarding Van Reenan’s Pass, have | ing his refusal to follow the majority of . s gone to join President Steyn's command the Afrikander bund in oppesition to the Jete his retirement, which he seems | in the eastern part of Orange River Col- | British military policy. General Buller's casualties on June 10 | have been issued by the War Office. They were 26 killed. 126 wounded and 2 missing. A meeting of women who object to the war was held at Qaeen’s Hall last even- ing. Mrs. Howard Courtney presided and Mrs. James Bryce moved a resolution de- claring that.the war resuited from the “bad policy of the Government.” -This and other anti-war resolutions = were adopted. The meeting hissed Mr. Chl.m- berlain’s name vigorously. M. H. Donahue, the Dally Mall's corre- spondent at Pretoria, insists that Presi- dent Kruger took £3500,00 gold in his fiight. _— ROBERTS' GEWZRALS ' BATTLE WITH BOERS LONDON, June 13.—The following dis- patch has been received at the War Of- fice from Lord Roberts: "KATSBOSCK Jurie 12.—In yutera.y'. engagement Methuen had one killed and eighteen wounded. Among the latter is Licutenant C. Earle of the Twelfth Bat- talfon of Yeomanry. On Jume T the Der- byshire Militia lost twenty-six killed and 104 wounded, all of whom were In the Yeomanry hospital, which was captured P engty dipaten Torwarded by Major A lengthy dispaf Generai Knox from Kroonstad, presuma- bly sent there by messenger, reads as fol- lows: “KROONSTAD, June 12—We have been requested-to forward you from Lord Rob- erts the following dispatch from the Pre- toria Presidency at 8:08 a. m. to-day: ‘ ‘PRETORIA, - June 12.—Pretoria and Johannesburg are perfectly quiet and sev- eral of the inhabitants have expressed gratitude for the peace and order which prevail. ‘* ‘After surrendering the city, Botha re- tired to a place about fifteen miles east on the Middlesburg road. He had a small force, but during the last few days his rumbers increased, and his being o near the town kept up the excitement in the country, prevented the burghers from lay- ing down their arms and interfered with the collection of supplies. Tt therefore became necessary to attack him. This I did yesterday. He held a very strong po- sition, practically unassallable in front, ‘which enabled him to place the main por- tion of his troops on his flanks, which he knew from former experience were his vulnerable parts. I sent French with Porter's and Dixon’s cavalry brigades and Hutton’s mounted infantry around by our left, and Jan Hamilton, with Broad: and Gordon’s cavalry brigade, Ridle; mounted infantry and Bruce Hamilton’s infantry brigade around by our right. Both columns met with great opposition. At about 3 in the afternoon I saw two o1 Hamilton's infantry battalions advancing | to what appeared to be the key of the | enemy's defense, on their left flank. This | was almost gained before dark, and I or- dered the force to bivouac on the ground they had won. ‘* ‘Pole-Carew, with his division, occu- pied our center. As I have explained, he could not attack, but he gradually ad- vanced so as to support Ian Hamilton, and when I left the fleld he was on the | line held by the enemy’s outposts in the morning. “‘I hurried back to get news of Me- thuen's movement. On hearing that the Free Staters had taken advantage of our crossing the Vaal to interrupt our line of communication, I sent Kitchener with such troops as I could then spare to Vredefort with orders to push south and communicate with Methuen, who I knew had a very compact force in the vicinity of Heflbron. I also dispatched a special messenger to Methuen, instructing him to push on at all speed to the main line of raflway. These two officers met at Vrede- fort road station in the evening of June 10, They marched yesterday to Rhenoster | River, where Methuen gained a complete victory over Dewet and took possession of his camp and scattered his troops in all directions. He and Kitchener marched to-day toward Kroonstad. * ‘Her Majesty’s Government need have no apprehension as to the security of the army in South Africa. The enemy galined a slight success. which was unfortunate, but whi¢ch will be remedied very shortly, and it will not take long to repair the damage done to the railway. As these diversions are all in existence I am now able to hold the line between this and Rhenoster In strength. Methuen will ar- range to guard it on Wednesday as he advances. * ‘Hunter should be at Poatchefstroom to-day. He will then move on Johannes- bur, . e have communicated with Buller, who will no doubt soon make the pres- ence of his force in the fleld felt. * *Our losses yesterday were not, I trust, serious, but I deplore the death of that gallant soldier, the Earl of Airlle. The only other casualties reported as yet are: Seventeenth Lancers, Major the Hon. Lionel Fortesque and Lleutenant the Hon, C. Cavendish, both killed." " General Knox adds that Kroonstad is quiet and safe. Lord Roberts’ dispatch is regarded as eminently satisfactory. It ends a perfod of suspense caused by the cutting of his line of communications and indicates what a strong grip be has on the aftua- tion