The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 18, 1900, Page 1

VOLUME SAN FRANCISCO, WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1900. PRICE FIVE CENTS, MLIES RUUT THE CHINESE AFTER DESPERATE FIGHTING AND TAKE POSSESSION OF THE TIENTSIN DEFENSES ONDON, Ju|y 17 .—The Shanghan correspondent of the Daily Mail sends the following, under date of July 17' “The allied troops resumed the attack upon the Chinese walled city of Tientsin on the morning of July 14 and succeeded in breaching the walls and captured all the forts. “The Chinese were completely routed and the allies took possession of the native city and its dgfenses. “The total iosses of the allies in the engagement of Thursday. Friday and Saturday were about 800 killed and wounded. The casualties were greatest among the Russians and Japanese. “The guns of the allies did immense damage to the native city, causing many large conflagrations and finally silenced the majority of the enemy’s guns simultaneously. Then 1500 Russians. assisted hy small parties of Germans and French, assaulted and captured eight guns that were in position on the railway embankment and the fort, the magazine of which the French subsequently blew up. A body of American, British, Japanese and Austrian troops then made a sortie and attacked the west arsenal, which the Chinese had reoccupied. After four hours of the hardest fighting yet experienced, the Chinese fled. “When the arsenal had been evacuated by the Chinese the Americans, French and Japanese and Welsh Fusiliers advanced toward the native city and joined with the other attacking forces. The Japanese infantry and mounted battery advanced to the foot of the walls. supported by the Americans and French. Despite valiant attacks, the allies were only able to hold the pesitions gained outside the walls preparatory to renewing the assault in the morning. “The casualties sustained by the allies were exceedingly heavy, especially those to Americans, French and Japanese. Several explosions in the native city were caused by the bombardment. The Chinese appear to have ex- hausted their supply of smokeless powder, as they are now using black powder Admiral Remey Confirms the News of the Tientsin Victory and Reports Heavy Loss: Sustained by American Soldiers and: Marines in the Attack. GTON, morning cabled the Navy Department that the city and forts of Tien- nded is somewhat fuller than yesterday’s report, but still i and wou nded from Tientsin either in hospitals at Taku or aboard Soiace. Com- ; confirmed: s Butler and Leonard wounded. Noyes, Brewster and 1 and wounded reported, Russians and Japanese lost ber believed to be exaggerated. Have officer on shore omptly telegrapl City and forts now in hands of allies. Admiral 1 at Tier REMEY.” the Navy Department early this morning and was copied for distribution about 9 o’clock. the nature of which was not disclosed, and the fore- 1itenar Captains Jookmiller, Lieuten~ JL D 1ed. 1tsin. decided to make some change in the copy, en to ‘.?‘.c put ‘:c Minister Wu Receives a Cablegram S1gned by Director Sheng and Two Viceroys De- claring That Foreigners in Peking Were St111 Safe on the Ninth of July. as received a dispatch from the Chinese Minister at London, autheu- 1d Posts at Shanghai, and by two Viceroys, declaring that the This is two days after the b < and were ing the protection of the Government. i wcre. Minister Wau has laid the message before Secretary Hay. It is as follows: “The utmost efforts have been made to protect foreign Ministers, who were well on the 13th (Chinese calendar, corresponding to our July 9). If the city of Tientsin should be destroyed it would be difficult to restore the same in 100 years. Requestthe powzrs to preserve it, as the consequences would affect Chinese and foreign com- merce. EarlLi Hung Changis transferred to North China as Viceroy to Chi Li. Please ‘ransmxt thlS dl:patcn to the Ministers at other capitals.’ h, i ted July 16, was signed by Viceroys Liu Kun Yi and Ct tor of posts and telegraphs at Shanghai. ter Wu under to-day’s date. 9. rang Chih Tung of Nanking and Wu It was addressed to the Chinese Minis- about 11 o'clock rlm morning, and was greatly pleased at the satisfactory turn of ment, whe >d with Besides pre- Minister \ ally executed the direction for an appeal to the powers r as the United States is concerned, there has been no purpose to wantonly de- rem Hay for some time. Secretary SO O of the city destroved. Mr. Wu said afterward that he feared the destryctiop of the city was little * most complete confidence in the accuracy of the message showing that the foreign Minis- a bystander expressed some doubt on this subject, Mr. Wu inquired with some warmth: exaggerated reports coming from unknown sources and yet you choose to doubt this report, containing inherent evidence of accuracy?” i how that this dispatch contained three distinct statements. One of them, the appointment of i Li, had been confirmed already by the State Department. Moreover, he said, all three state- ted at Peking, including that as to Li Hung Chang, whose appointment necessarily must bore e\M(!’ce of T vith the Gov The State Depar s are anxious to accept Wu's message as accurate, but there are some clouds of doubt as it has many times in the past two weeks, If the Chinese Government can communi- road, why can it not permit the foreign Ministers represented to be under its protectlon ? In answer to another question as to what purpose would be served by a misrepre- nted out that one result desired by the Chinese would be the preservation of Tientsin, nt of the popular resentment against the Chinese—temporarily at least. Li-Hung Chang will rovince of Chi Li a man who has been notoriously anti-foreign in his sentiments and actions. a hopeful The question v with 1ts re nicate with ns of Li is regarded FORTY FOREIGNERS REPORTED KILLED IN A LATE MASSACRE AT TAI YUEN-FU LONDON, July 18-—According to a dispatch from Shanghai to the Daily Mail, dated yesterday, a massacre occurred 1 July g at Tai Yuen-Fu, capital of the province of Shansi, forty foreigners and a hundred native converts being killed. SHENG DENIES THAT HE RECEIVED CONFIRMATION OF PEKING HORROR Special Cable to 1he Call and New York Herald. Copyright, 1900, by the Herald Publishing Company. SHANGHAL July 17.—Taotai Sheng, director of telegraphs, denies that he has received confirmation of the reports of a massacre in Peking. °5M+VM0@+>0?¢‘o?v.e D R S R S B S e e e R > veoee e @ bevePebedee e teved e P Sl S U O SO B S A S S S S SO S S S S P W D ‘) o FRENYCH OFFICERS TORTURED BY CHINESE IN YUNNAN From Le Petit J: VPt P00 00000000000 0000000000400 00000 3000000000 N\ OF ONE OF PRA BY T OP-OF A ® TWISTI ED AROUND THE POST WITH A LEVER 4 MENTORS, ® oo e e PSP CIRPS D CHINA HAS DECLARED WAR AGAINST RUSSIA Town on the Siberian Border Bombarded and Its Garrison Annihilated After a Brave Defense. Special Cable to The Call and New York Herald. Copyright, 1900, by the Herald Publishing Company. T. PETERSBURG, July 17 now that China has declared war against Russia. which it is impossible to see. Probably it will require a long time for the truth to filter through to Europe, but the sit- uation in Eastern Siberia is extremely grave—as critical, indeed. as it well can be. The Boxers —or, rather, the regular Chinese troops (for these are doing the real fighting)—have seized a ith munitions, near Aigun, on the River Amur, and fired on and n escort. They next made a sudden attack upon Blagoveschensk, Russian Government).—There is no doubt Hostilities are beginning, the end of (Censored by Russian transport boat, laden killed almost the entire Russ bombarding the town. The garrison held out bravely, but was overwhelmed, and nearly all per- ished. The town was burned. It was on July 1 that the news reached the general staff that this declaration of war had been made by China at the town of Aigun, on the Amur. In consequence of this General Gri- bovski attempted to push his way through to Aigun on the steamer Gelenga, but found at that point, twelve miles from Aigun, further progress barred by the Chinese, who had thrown up fortifications, in which had been placed forty guns. Consequently he had to relinquish the at- tempt to reach Aigun. The situation in Manchuria has become very critical since the bombardment of Blagoves- | chensk and the holding up of the Russian transport with munitions. On the Eastern Siberian | Railway almost ali the stations have been burned to'the ground. bridges destroyed and tracks torn up. The Russian Consul at Kuldsha has telegraphed urgently for reinforcements. NEW YORK, July 17.—The Journal has this froni St. Petersburg: China’s acts of hostil- ity in Manchuria are considered tantamount to a declaration of war against Russia, even if the for- mal declaration has not already been made. Leading firms of Moscow received news that their warehouses filled with tea and silk at Kalgan had been plundered and burned by the Chinese. The goods destroyed were valued -at $5,000,000.