TROUBLE IN CHINA.

Evening Star, Issue 11318, 13 August 1900, Page 2

TROUBLE IN CHINA.

IWS FROM THE LEGATIONS. ■:■;' LATEST MESSAGES CONFIRMED. DEFENCE OF KANGTSUN. CHINESE DRIVEN OUT. NEUCHWANG ALSO FALLS. LOSSES OF THE ALLIES. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. HONGKONG.August.iI. Sir Claude MacDonald'a cipher message dated the" 4th confirms M. Pichou's message with reference to the negotiations for Ministers leaving Pekin. Mr Conger's cipher message states that seven American marines were killed and sixteen wounded in the attacks on the Legation's. The British and Americans led the attack on Kangtsifn. The Chinese occupied seven lines of splendidly fortified entrenchments 200 yards . apart. They retreated steadily, volleying continuously until ejected' from the last line. Thoy were completely routed, and fled towards Pekin. The British had 200 killed and wounded, the Americans 250. Prisoners say that tke British poured poison into their trenches, meaning lyddite fumes from shells. The Japanese sailors landed and assisted the Russians in successfully defending the Neuchwang settlement against the Boxers and Chinese soldiers. The fighting lasted the entire day. The Russian gunboats in the afternoon bombarded the native city forts. The Russian soldiers then stormed and captured Neuchwang. A Russian Administration has been established. Li Ping Heng's army of 15,000 are marching to Yangtsun. The Chinese are sinking laden barges along the Peiho River. General Chang Chi lun, with 12,000 troops raised in the Honan and Hupei provinces, is marching from Pekin to Tientsin. ' LONDON, August 11. The ' Daily Express' Yokohama correspondent states that a strong RussoJapanese force is secretly advancing on Pekin northward. HONGKONG, August 11. There are eighty-two warships in the Gulf of Pechili and twenty-two at the entrance of the Jang-tse-Kiang (sixteen of which are British). 4 Thirty-eight thousand Allies are in the vicinity of Tientsin, including 16,000 Japanese, 10,000 Russians, 6,000 English, It is expected that by the end of September 78,000 troops, with 289 guns, will be assembled in the province of Chili. Russia on the same dale will have massed 142,000, with 242 guns, in Manchuria. THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. LONDON, August, 11. Count Waldersee, the commander of the Allied Forces in China, will arrive &( Shanghai on September 22. THE RUSSIAN LEGATION. ST. PETERSBURG, August 12. • The Czar has authorised M. De Giers and staff to start for Tientsin conditionally on the Tsung-li-Yamen and the Emperor affording a sure guarantee that no danger will beset the members. He has wained China that the slightest infraction or inviolability will be visited by the heaviest, responsibility. RUSSIA AND CHINA ON THE AMUR. HONGKONG, August 11. The Russians in Manchuria have relieved Chartsin, retaken Haioheng, and captured a general and five officers on the right bank of the Amur River, at Aigun: LI HUNG CHANG. HONGKONG, August 10. M. Bezaure, French Consul at Shanghai, reports that an Imperial Edict has been issued appointing Li Hung Chang as peace negotiator.

MESSAGE FROM MR CONGER.

DESPERATE CONDITION OF THE LEGATIONS.

HONGKONG, August 12. (Received Augußt 13, at 8.55 a.m.) Mr Conger (United States Minister), in telegrams which were lodged at Tsinanfu on the 10th inst. (last Friday), states that the soldiery were still besieging the Legations, and that their situation was desperate.

Admiral Courrejolles reports that the attacks on the Legations have been renewed.

VICEROYS' DESIRES.

HONGKONG, August 'l2. The southern Viceroys are urging the Powers not to land troops at Shanghai*.

[By Colonei, Morris.]

It would appear that the attack on Yangtsun was a very formidable affair. The Chinese occupied seven lines of entrenchments, 200 yds ar.art This fact alone shows the vast change in the Chinese Army of late years. Instead of an undisciplined horde such as the Japanese encountered only fiv-> years ago, our troops have to meet an army taught by .European officers acquainted with modern modes of defence, armed with the best magazine rifles and the latest artillery weapons, and a knowledge of modern modes of entrenchments. The ultimate success of the small body of Allies against the vastly superior force of Chinese covered by trenches, and with all the advantages of holding entrenched positions, is therefore all the more satisfactory. The casualties of the British and Americans, who bore 'the brunt of the attack, were heavy, the British having 200 casualties and the Americans 250. The fumes of lyddite would appear to have caused consternation amongst the Chinese troops, who believed it to be poison. The Chinese are sending more troops to withstand the advance of the Allies. Li Ping Heng's army of 15,000 is marching towards Yangtsun, to reinforce the troops who have been driven out and are flying towards Pekin; whilst to prevent the advance of torpedo boats the Chinese are sinking laden barges in tie Peiho River.

I believe if an attack is made by water that the Allies would advance up the Hunho River, which would bring them to the south and western side of Pekin, whero they could create a diversion which would greatly aid the land forces advancing from the east. General Chang Chi Lun is said to be advancing from Pekin to Tientsin with 12,000 Honan nnd Hupei troops. The intention is probably to work round from the south of the route taken by the Allies and strike a blow at Tientsin in their rear. " The attempt will certainly fail, as' from the latest report there are at present 38,000.Allies in the vicinity of Tientsin, whilst fresh troops are pouring in .daily. Of these only about one-half are in the advance, so that there are ample troops to defend the town from any attack. A report from the ' Daily Express's' Yoko-" hama correspondent states that a strong Russo-Japanese force is secretly advancing on Pekin from the northward. I think that there is an error here. That a Jana-

nese force, may secretly, be advancing from Shanh'aikwan we have teason to believe, but I doubt the presence of Russians with them. Another, coble states ; that the Japanese sailors landed and assisted the Russians in defending Neuchwang against the Boxers and Chinese troops. It is probable that the 'Express' correspondent has mixed up this affair with the. Japs' advance -from Shanh'aikwan. The Russians would appealto be very successful in Manchuria. Not only have they taken Neuchwang, a port at ■the head of the-Gulf of Liaotung, introducing a Russian administration, but they have relieved Chartsin and retaken Haicheng, which is on the railway between Port Arthur and Mukden. The cable states that the allied trootis in the vicinity of Tientsin now number -38,000, of which 16,000 are Japanese, 10,000 Russian, and 6,000 British. It is expected that by the end of September 78,000 troops, with 289 guns, will be assembled in the province of Chili. At the same date Russia will have 142;000 troops, with 242 guns, in Manchuria, and as she will introduce a Russian administration in every town and district she conquers, long before a final settlement can be made with China Manchuria will be a Russian province. I think a majority of Englishmen will say " Then let her keep it," and if it comes to a question whether Great Britain should go to war to preserve the integrity Oi China, in spite of the cheers in the House of Commons when Mr Balfour declared such to be the policy of Great Britain, I believe that the people of the British Empire will decline to go to war with Russia on the matter. Yet to allow Rußsia to retain Manchuria will in-the course of a few years prove a source of great regret to Great Britain. Ab a people we are short-sighted, and fail- to look forward a few years. The British public are not likely to vote for another great war nov, after the South African struggle and the China war, and yet now is the time —and tho best time—to withstand the aggression of Russia. Briefly, if Russia obtains Manchuria now she will absorb Corea in a few years, which will be followed by the subjugation of Japan. Then Russia will become the Mistress of the Seas in the East. It will then be too late for Great Britain to objeot. The Trans-Siberian Railway will bo completed, together with a network of railways through Manchuria and Corea, and Russia's position in the East, both as a maritime and territorial Power, will be supreme. Our trade with China will be a thing of the past, and our hold on India most precarious. How long will it take for Russia to gain this prominence! This question it is impossible to answer, but at the rate with which progressive measures are now taking place in the world it would not take many yenrs. Now, however, before the completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway, and with Japan on our side, we might successfully epposo Russia's encroachments, but the British public in its blindness will never permit our Government to .fight her. So Li Hung Chang has been appointed by China as peace plenipotentiary. The French Consul at Shanghai reports that an Edict has been issued nominating this statesman as peace negotiator. I believe that his efforts will be confined to endeavoring to restrain the Allies from advancing on Pekin, or landing on other spots on the coast of China. The only terms the Allies can in honor accept now is the complete subjection of the Boxers, the execution of all known to have taken a prominent share in the murder of Europeans, and the handing over to the Allies or the Executive of men of position, such as Prince Tuan and Li Peng Heng, and of course Li Hung Chang will be unable to accede to such terms.

Russia, it. would seem, contrary to the determination of all the other Powers, has authorised M. De Giers, the Russian Minister in Pekin, to start for Tientsin, conditionally on the Tsung-li-Yamen affording a sure guarantee that no danger will beset the members of his staff. It is an absurd proposal. Of course the Chinese Government will guarantee anything, and if the Minister and his staff are slaughtered on the road they will simply say that they' could not help it! If one of the Ministers makes the attempt to reach Teintsin they must all do so, and I trust that they will hold fast to the Legations. Later. . A telegram from Mr Conger, which came through Tsinanfu, the capital of Shantung Province, states that the soldiery are still besiepfinsr the Legations, and that the situation is desperate. Admiral Courrejolles reports that attacks on the Legations have been renewed.

This is exactly what I said would be the case as soon as the news of the defeat of tho Chinese was received in Pekin. If, however, the Chinese Government are in earnest in their offer to send the Ministers to Tientsin and in their assurance that they are able to protect them on the journey, surely they could prevent the soldiery and populace from attacking the Legations. Ono of two things is certain : The Chinese Government are either incapable of restraining the army and people, and therefore could not guarantee the rafety. of the Ministers en route to Tientsin, or else they are deliberately plotting their destruction. The southern Viceroys are urging the Powers not to land troons at Shanghai. I believe the reason is that the Pekin Government have warned them that they will be personally responsible if the Allies land troops anywhere on the coast, and they fiaturally strongly object, but, I hope, without avail. - WHAT THE CHINESE HOPE FOR. CHANG'S DEEP GAME.

There is now in Sydney (says the 'Telegraph') a gentleman who held an official position in China for a great number of years, and who has had an intimate acquaintance with the Chinese people and the conditions of the country. For obvious reasons he does not wish his name to- be published. " I think," he said to a representative of the Sydney paper, " I begin to see through a game which previously somewhat • puzzled and misled me, versed as I am in Chinese trickery and chicanery. Had I been in Hongkong 1 think I could have unearthed the whole plot and informed the British authorities as to what was brewing, as I have done before. I was very suspicious about Li ,Hung Chang, but when he seemed to be striking out a line of conduct.which seemed to point to independent action and antagonistic to those at Pekin who were massacring the foreigners in the North, I thought, as I said before, that he ought to be supported in that course. I think now that he was aware of the plot before he left Pekin to take up his Vice-Royalty in the South, and that he has been busy preparing the ground for the outbreak which will shortly take place there". The strengthening of the Bogue forts is a significant fact, and it is also to be noted that the order for 50,000 ' Black Flags' to-march to Pekin has been rescinded. They are to be kept in the South. Li Hung Chang undoubtedly supports Russia, and he was sent South to organise an attempt to hamper and destroy the development of British influence, and possibly an attempt to oust the British from Hongkong. He will probably, by arrangement, be safe in the North before that attempt is made. Such an attempt cannot succeed, even if backed by France and Russia. The Ifcope will hamper Catholic France in any alliance with Russia, though an attempt to form a combination against Britain will doubtless be made.. The whole business is a sequel to the South African war, and the attempt against Britain will be equally abortive. The complications are, however, multiplying, and developments are very.hard to forecast. A general war seems well in sight. Li Hung Chang and other intelligent Chinamen know this and are building on it. Li Hung Chang and his nominees, the Ministers at London and Washington Lo Feng Lc- and Wu Ting Fang, I "would like to point out, were the first and most strenuous in the statement that the members of the negation were alive and unharmed. I think that there can be no shadow of doubt that they were massacred, and, if so, these three officials have some motive in concealing the fact. They, of course, know that the truth can only be held back for a time. What can be their object? Probably, as already suggested, to allow time for the removal of the Court from Pekin to some city further inland, and to gain time for preparations to resist invasion, and in the hope that the foreign Powers will quarrel, and thus be unable,to work in unionism. They will, use every effort to bring about hostilities between the "Allies, and try to gain one or more of the Powers over to their.side—most likely Russia. That they will fail there can be little doubt, but that will not deter them from making-the attempt. It is to be hoped that Li Hung Chang will be made a prisoner, and held for

Ms trial till after China has beenthoroughly subdued. Liu Kung Yi, the; Viceroy of the three provinces Nganwihei, -Kiangsu, and Kiangsi, is the only one of the Viceroys who has shown a really friendly spirit' and a desire to suppress the anti*foreign movement. The fact that Prince Tuan gave instructions to the Governor of Shantung to attack him proves that. The fact, too; that Liu Kung Yi appointed Mr Taylor, of the Chinese Customs Statistical Department at Shanghai, to succeed Sir Robert Hart', masacred, contradicts .Li Hung Chang and his henchmen in their statement that the occupants of the foreign Legations at Pekin are safe and well. If the foreign Powers how agree to mark off their ..spheres of action in China, and each maintains order in that sphere, the subjection of China will go on in an orderly and common-sense manner, and each will be able to do much more effective work than if an allied force attempts to operate. Such a plan must end in friction and quarrels, and how can British, officers give orders to a mixed force s'uch as that assembled at Tientsin, or Russian, American, German, French, Italian, Austrian, or Japanese officers either? Do they wish to revert to the Tower of Babel episode? It is this allied force business which is responsible for the massacre at Pekin. A compact homofeneous body of several thousand men would ave got through to the relief, but had they not been well supplied with ammunition they would have hardly got back. The supply of ammunition when fighting hordes is too often overlooked. Each Power in subduing and holding their sphere should assure all frinedly native officials their posts and their support.' They will then find many of them ready to work for and with them "in restormg order and protection to the foreigner. Russia, Japan, and Germany are likely to quarrel over the North of China, but Britain can act as umpire between them, and has P°^ er to dictate their spheres, for they will abide by that dictation rather than quarrel and find Britain support the others against the aggressor. The message of the Reform party of Chinese of Australia to the Viceroys and Chinese Government asking them to preserve the lives of the foreigners in China, would have about as much effect as if I were personally to, forward my compliments and make the same request. * The Chinese who moved this resolution must be fully aware of it* abortiveness."