THE MONGOL IN ARMS.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 16, 19 July 1900, Page 6

THE MONGOL IN ARMS.

The widespread anti-foreign movement in China has &ho\\ 11 striking developments in the far north. The Chinese general commanding upon the RussoManchurian frontier has not only declared war upon Russia, but also begun hostilities. A detachment of his troops, aided by the übiquitous "Boxers," seized a Russian boat laden with munitions of war on tho Amur River, which foiins the boundary of Russian and Chinese territory. The scene of this act of aggression was the border town of Aigun, which is situated more than a thousand miles up the river, and about the same dibtance from Pekin. Blagovestchcnsk, .1 neighbouring town, the capital of one of the southern provinces of Siberia, baa been successfully bombarded by the "Chinese, and the Russian officer in command of the garrison, appears to have been driven out and cut off from connection with the railway. The railway through Manchuria to Vladivostock, which is now being buKt-, runs considerably to the south of Aigun and Blagovestchensk,' and if the Chinese hold the territory between the Amur and this Manchurian portion of the line, they will completely, isolate the Russians engaged in the work of construction. The Chinese Minister at St. Petersburg repudiates, on behalf of the Chinese Government, action of the Manchurian general, But such a disclaimer is worth very little, as the Russian Government indicates by its order for the. mobilisation of a quarter of a million troops in the disturbed region. The Russian frontier marches with that of China for hundreds of miles, and is almost everywhere open to attack. From Lake Baikal eastward the Siberian railway runs along or close to this frontier, and the Chinese, if they attack it in force, can do much damage to Russia's great enterprise in a very short time. It looks as though Russia might have enough to do to defend her own. property, without joining in tho common punitive expedition to Pekin. Even iv farthest Manchuria the Chinese forces seem to be welj armed, and spoiling for the fight. The recent struggle at Tientsin, particulars of which ,aie given in our cable columns, proved the military resource and stubborn courage of the natives, although it fortunately resulted in what now appears to be a substantial victory for the allies. There were 21,000 foreign troops at Tientsin and Taku on the 11th inst., while since then the entire Japanese force of 22,000 has been landed. f That makes over 40,000 in all, but it is not, we fear, enough to warrant a forward movement upon the capital. There is the Yaug-tse' kiang also to be defended as well as the Peiho, and from what The Times suggests it seems possible that Li Hung Chang's work in the south has been the organisation of the Black Flags for a march upon the Yang-tse provinces. The rising against the foreigners appears to be universal, ond every da3 r the evidence of premeditation and preparation increases.