The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 25, 1900, Page 1

———— s &, § S The VOLUME LXXXVIII-NO. 25. SAN FRANCISCO, MONDAY, JUNE 25, 1900 PRICE FIVE CENTS. AMERICAN BLUEJACKE TS FALL IN BATTLE WITH THE BOXERS Admiral Kempff Reports the Killing of Four and the Wounding of Seven Men of Waller's Command in an Ambuscade Near Tientsin. : ASHINGTON, June 24.—The Secretary of the Navy has ordered Admiral Remey with the Brooklyn to go to Taku and assist the army with what troops the Brooklyn can carry. Do deo e e e @ - o . Admiral Kempff's dispatch giving the first definite news of the shedding of American blood on Chinese soil came early this was turned over to Secretary Long as soon as he at the department. With Admiral Crowninshield, the b e den ing ar & ! to relieve Tientsin to-day. . n thereupon was reached to order Admiral Remey, in com 1d of the Asiatic squadron, from Manila to Taku on g board of the armored cruiser Brooklyn. The Secretary and Admiral Crowninshield returned to the Navy Depart- ment, where the necessary orders were dispatched to Admiral Remey. The effect of this transger is tq make Taku the headquarters of the Asiatic squadron. The Brooklyn is expected to sail at once—to-day if possible—as the orders sent contemplate getting the admiral on the scene at the earliest moment. The advantage of this, it was officially stated, was not so much in adding the strength of the Brooklyn to the fleet already there, he fieet is considered by Secretary Long to be quite adequate, as it is in allowing the thorities here to deal directly with the situation in China instead of through the circuitous communications by la. If the Brooklyn started to-day, as expected, it will take her fully a week to reach Taku, as the trip is 2000 n typhoons are raging. The determination to carry some of General MacArthur’s troops on a flagship was the emergency of the situation. The troops are believed to be ready to move, but some delay may be caused in getting on board sufficient supplies for a large body of men for a week. ; ! : Admiral Kempff's report that four Americans were killed and seven wounded in the ambuscade of Waller's sed the gravest concern among officials, but the chief fear was as to the outcome of the second attack, the admiral reported, would begin to-day. Its results may be decisive, not only to the immediate force em- ploved but in determining the fate of legations and foreign settlements at Tientsin, and also whether the issue is or is not to be war with China. Word reached the Navy Department to-day that the battleship Oregon got away from Hongkong last night bound for Taku. This is two days ahead of her expected start. She took on 164 sailors and marines, brought way of Mani e aa e et e e e e R e e e e e e e aa e ASHINGTON, D. C., June 24.—The Navy Department’ to-day gives out this bulletin : “This tzlegram from Admiral Kempif, dated Che- fu, June 24, says: ‘In ambuscade near Tientsin on the 2lst, four of Waller's command killed and seven wounded. Names will be furnished as soon asreceived. Force of 2000 going .Q—H—Q—O—O*Q—Q—Q%—Q—Q—H‘—@*—O*H.‘""“’me»MvQ—Q-HM-O—Q*—O-O-Q*O-“OQ'g The big ship may now have a chance to repeat her cele- brated performance “around the Horn,” as she is being crowded for a fast run to the scene of action. The distance is about 1500 miles, and if she makes her record time she will be at Taku in six days, about the same time that the Brooklyr. arrives from Ma- nila. These ships are the only ones going to China. Admiral Crowninshield pronounces as untrue the report that the gun- boats Marietta, Princeton and several other ships at Manila have been ordered to Taku. There is felt to be no need for them, and, moreover, with the ships now under orders to sail, Admiral Re- mey- will have a force which is considered able to meet any pos- sible requirement. The war branch of the Government is preparing for any eventuality that may arise out of the Chi- nese situation. It was stated by one of the highest officers of the army that the scale of preparation is of a mag- nitude which would both interest and surprise the public. But, he added, the information would be of even greater interest and service to any foreign foe which the United States may be called upon to face within the next few weeks or mopths, and for that reason there is no purpose to make public the full preparations making to meet whatever issue arises. All that the officials will say is that both the army and the navy, if the occasion arise, will give a good account of themselves. ¢ Adjutant General Corbin was at his desk during the morning, and after going over the dispatches went to the White House. The President was about to start for church, so that there was time for only a brief consul- tation. General Corbin said nothing had been received up to that hour from MacArthur as to the Philippines or the Chinese. As to the preparations for China, General Corbin refused to say anything except that the report of a brigade being ordered there was purely speculative. While the Berlin reports as to the safety of Baron von Ketteler and the legations at Peking appear to dispose of one of the most alarming stories of the crisis, Minister Conger at Peking is still cut off from mmmunim-tion there, and there is no direct and official assurance of the safety of the Ministers and legations, nor is there a word of the relief force, including the Americans who sought to break through to Peking. 3 Secretary Long returned from an outing at Pingha last night and to-day resumed charge of affairs, relieving Assistant Secretary Hackett. The Secretary looked greatly refreshed. About the first news that reached him e e S ~ KEMPFF.” ” to Hongkong by the Zafiro. on his arrival was the fighting and bloodshed of the American marine forces near Tientsin. DIRE PERIL OF RELIEF FORCE Internationals Were Fighting for Life on Thursday and Have Not Been Heard From Since. Foreign Commanders Now Learn That They Have Woefully Underestimated the Hordes Confronting Them. ONDON, June 2%, 3 2. m.—The posi- tion of the international forces in the section of where 100 men are s a footing and to Seymour’s rd from tw as surrounded mid- and Tientsin. Possi- Peking Is at Tientsin were ing for their lives g force of less peaten back to vers on the spot At the time it tween Pekin think that 100 many to grasp China firmly e Admiralty has rec the British rear a¢ FU, June 28.—Onl gh from Tientsin ation could be ob eign settlement for 1 except sed with some loss. o said “The allied ad- miral: g in perfect accord, with the Russian vice admiral as senjor of- Sicer.” Defeat of the Allied Forces. A press message from Shanghai dated m. embodies some later anese telegrams confirm the f a defeat of the allied forces at The foreigners there are now 4 in & most desperate situation. The Russian admirs Hillebrad, vyesterday t a mixed force of 4000 from Taku to at- t the relief of Tientsin. Nearly half e force consisted of Japanese. The S. { day. by the British cruiser Orlando from Che- { remainder was made up of contingents representing the other nations. “The guns of the Chinese around Tien- tsin are superior to anything the gefend- ing European force has or is likely to have for some time. The bombardment of Tien- ontinued Friday. Bombsheds were hastily erected by the foreign troops, con- structed of wetted plece goods. The food is insufficlent and the continued ing is reported to be telling terribly. “Among those killed of the reliet force Friday was the commander of H. M. 8. Burfleur. The foreign casualties were 300. “Japan is making every effort. Her troops are now arriving at Taku in large | numbers. The Chinese troops in the prov- ince Qf Chi-Li include 60,000 auxillaries who have been drilled by Russian and German officers.” Captaln Beatty and Lieutenant Wright, British, have been severely wounded at Tientsin, according to a Shanghal dis- patch to the Daily Express-dated Satur- The information was brought there fu. The losses of the Russians have been heavy Thousands of Chiness Slain. It was reported from Shanghal last vening that the allled forces had blown he Taku forts and that every avail- man had been sent to the relief of Tientsin. Two thousand three hundred Chinese bodies are alleged to have been ted at Taku, and more than 4000 e are said to have been killed at Chinese runners who have arrived at Taku report that a forelgn force was engaged several days ago with an over- whelming body of Chinese forty miles west of Tients At Shanghal it is as- sumed that this force was Admiral Sey- mour's. The Shanghai correspondent of the Daily Express says: “I learn from a mandarin who stealth- ily left Peking on June 16, and who suc- | B R et S S S e o 1 The United States Gunboat charge of her. Carrying Dispatches Between Taku and Chefu. As there is no cable line to Taku and the land lines are in the hands of the Chinese all news from our people at Tientsin and Taku me st be sent by sea to Consul Fowler at Chefu, whence it is wired to Shanghai and thence cabled to Washington. The dis- tance from Taku to Chefu is about 230 miles. The Yorktown has --poedofdxtecflknob. Commander E. D. Taussig lately took Yorktown, Now Engaged in | | | | B R R | | ’ I d S N, | ceeded at great hazard In getting clear, that the Boxers are massed around Pek- { ing and that more than half of the north- | ern and western portions of the city, in- cluding the foreign settlement, were | aflame when the mandarin left. He could tell nothing as to the fate of the for- eigners and not much as to the general situation, but he had heard that the Em- | press Dowager was preparing to go to] | the province of Shan-81.” | A Chefu aispatch to the Daily Mail, dat- | ed yesterday, says: “The attack on the Tientsin relief force was made by 20,000 | Chinese using machine guns and mod- | ern field pieces. The allies were wise in retreating. Forwarding detachments in | this manner Is suicidal and the defeats | of the foreigners, even though in small |force, greatly aids the movement of the Boxers, which Is gaining enormously through the inability of the forelgners to | make head against it. | “Practically the whole of Northern China is ablaze. Hostilities are now con- ducted on an extended scale, due to di- rect orders from Peking. General Yank- | Shi-Kai, Governor of Shantung, eom- mands 11,000 foreign drilled troops, organ- ized to a high pitch of excellence and | equipped with Mausers. It was in the | plans that these troops should go to Taku, but the seizure of the forts was effected before they could get there.”” General Some of the special dispatches from Shanghai describe the great southern provinces of China as still quiet, but others assert that the news from the north s exciting the southerners to a dangerous height of feeling and that mil- lions may rise any day. United States Embassador Choate, in >, 3 SIANG - CHwWAH! IRAAG HoSs <HUNG LIANG CHEMNG PEIHO RIVER AND RAILROAD LINE FROM TAKU TO TIENTSIN. TIENTSIN I8 SEVENTY-FIVE MILES BY RIVER AND THIRTY-FIVE BY ROAD FROM TAKU, WHICH IS IN POSSESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL FORCES, AND FROM AVHICH A COLUMN OF 2000 MEN HAS BEEN DISPATCHED TO THE RELIEF OF THE AMERICANS AND EUROPEANS BESIEGED IN THE FORMER PLACE. BRIGADIER GENERAL R. H. HALL, WHOSE PORTRAIT IS GIVEN FROM MANILA TO TAKU WITH 400 MEN, AND WILL HAVE COMMAND OF ALL THE AMERICAN LAND FORCES ON THE SCENE OF ACTION. his long conference with Lord Salisbury on Saturday, is understood to have said that the governments of the United States and of Great Britain were generally in sgreement as to their views regarding the Chinese situation and the two govern- ments probably would be found following the same broad lines of policy in the Far East. Mr. Choate communicated with ‘Washington after the interview. Shanghal is quiet, but there are fears of a rising. The action of the Consuls in asking for the departure of the six Chinese cruisers was objected to by the senior naval officer, who informed them that he had at its disposal a force suf- ficient to compel them to leave if they ob- jected to the presence of the fleet. The Chinese cruisers are armed more heavily than the vessels of the allles, among whose six vessels is the United States gunboat Castine. ~ The powers are sald to have fatally un- derestimated the numbers, desperation and armament of the Chinese, who for three years have been accumulating rifles at the rate of 20,000 a month. The question here is. What are the powers going to do? Japan iIs preparing to transship this week 10,000 additional troops, Russia is sending down from Viadivostok all her available forces. estimated at from $000 to %000 men, al- though recent events have shown that the number of Russians on the Pacific Coast has been overestimated. The Indian Council held a special meeting at Simla yesterday and‘considered the feasibility of sending more troops. R Sending a Large Force. Russia, according to “a Chefu corre- spondent, has landed a force of Cossacks at Pei-Tai-Ho and another at Shan-Hai- LJ i & — ABOVE, H..8 BEEN ORDERED B R S R i T T o T S = = = Kwan to Intercept the Chinese troops marching through from Manchuria. A correspondent at Li-Kuhng-Tao, on the | Wei-Hai-Wai Bay. says the Russians are sending 30,000 troops all told. The Official | Messenger of St. Petersburg published a communication yesterday reviewing the | course of events in China and concluding as follows: “It will thus be seen that the Russian troops are pursuing no object hostile to China. On the contrary, in view of the present exciting events, the presence of the Russian troops in the friendly state can only render an essential service to the Peking Government In its struggle with the rebels.” The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, in a dispatch dated Sat- urday, sends a long statement embodying the views of the Russian Foreign Office, prepared by permission of the late Count Muravieff and embodying not only his views, but those of his successor, Count Lamsdorff. This statement holds that & state of war does not exist under interna- tional law, hence it is possible to assume that the order for active military opera- tions at Taku originated with the pro- vincial authorities, gnd not with the im- perial Government at Peking. ‘Like other nations,” says the state- ment, “Russla Is pursuing humanitarian aims, and it can be categorically stated that Japan is following the same correct and pacific aims as the other powers. Past experience shows that the Chinese do not persist In fighting. Probably they will soon change their attitude to one of B e oo o B o 2 o ot e o o complete submission.” At Canton the Boxers are posting In- Continued on Third Page X CHINA ALREADY SEEKING PEACE ‘Has Appealed to the Powers to Re- frain From Further Military Operations. Asks for an Armistice Until Li Hung Chang Shall Have Had Time to Check the Rising of the Boxers. Special Dispatch to The Call. ALL HEADQUARTERS, LINGTON HOTEL, WASHING- TON, June 24—China has ap- pealed to the powers to refrain from further military operations until Li Hung Chang has had time to reach Peking and confer with the Dow- ager Empress and Emperor with a view to bringing ‘about a settlement of the present troubles and averting the calam- ity of war. This appeal did not come from the Tsung Li Yamen or from any authority in Peking, but it is in the form of a cable- gram to Minister Wu Ting Fang from Chang Chih Tung, Viceroy of Hunan and Hupeh provinces, with the concur- rence of all the Viceroys and Governors of the Yangtse and coast provinces, who, according to the cablegram, have as- sumed responsibility for doing all in their power to protect foreigners. Similar cablegrams have been sent to all the pow- ers. The cablegram to Miniser Wu Is dated at Wu Chang, June 23. It says that “Boxer” rioters, in disobedience of im- perial edicts, have been inflicting injury and loss of life and property upon people of various nations in the north of China, and that in Peking and in the surround- ing country Chinese subjects have lost property of great value. The killing of attaches of the Japanese Legation is re- ferred to as having been unforeseen by the imperial authorities and due to lack of proper action by Chinese officials; but WEL- | the tear is expressed that the consequent action of the foreign naval forces iIn seizing Taku forts may lead to a rup- ture. Li Hung Chang, according to this cablegram, has been summoned to Pe- king by the Empress Dowager and the the | Emperor for the purpose of a consulta~ tion and the arrangementof a satisfactory understanding with the forej oW as to avoid hostilities. gad Wish to Aveid War, It will be two weeks before L{ Hi 4 Hun, Chang can reach Peking, and it 1s pointeq. out that as the foreign troops in large numbers are now_on their way there the situation would ~ be much complicat- ed if there should be more fighting, and there would be increased opportunity for riots. The Viceroys and Governors are confident that the imperial Government has no intention of breaking friendly re- lations, as nonme of them have recetved any war decrges. The cablegram ex- presses the earnest hope that the United States will confer with other powers with 2 view to having combined Instruc- tions sent to the commanders of all the foreign troops mow in China, directing them to abstain from further hostile ac- tion untll Li Hung Chang has had time to reach Peking, when, it is predicted, he will receeive imperial instructions to en- ter into negotiations with the representa- tives of foreign powers for the purpose of bringing about a peaceful settlement the present difficulties, after which, # is promised, imperial troops will with un- divided energy suppress the rioters. It is further stated that, as the Viee- roys and Governors of Yangtse and the coast provinces have assumed the re- sponsiblity and are exerting themselves to the utmost for the protection of life and property, foreigners need feel no anxiety; but It is pointed out If there should be more fighting about Tientsi it would follow that uthern China also would become involved. In conclusion, the cablegram says the situation is critical, and it is urgent that there should be prompt issuance of in- structions to foreigm troops. : § ; % The United States War Steamer Monaecaey, Peiho River. ‘War. two—o_—«o-o—ow-fl & The Monacacy is one of the sidewheel steamers of the Mo~ hongo class that were finished just after the close of our Civil She is a double-ender and draws but nine feet of water, be- ing designed for service on the Southern rivers. Soon after the close of the war she was sent to the China station, where she has been ever since. Though out of date and for a long time practi- cally disabled, she is now apparently in a position to do good ser- vice in the shallow waters of the Chinese rivers. She is now under charge of Commander F. M. Wise. Now in the B S o o S o el B e e i e e e