NO CONTINGENT FROM QUEENSLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11433, 25 July 1900, Page 5

NO CONTINGENT FROM QUEENSLAND.

Brisbane, July 24, Tho Premier states that the Government will not send a contingent to CKuia, ADMIRAL SEYMOUR'S RELIEF FORCE. This force, which consisted of 2300 men, 900 being British, was despatched from Tientsin to Pekiu to protect tho Legations and Europeans in tho capital, but, unfortunatoly, was compelled to return, being unable to reach its destination. A Router correspondent who accompanied tho expedition, writing on June 13, thus describes its progress up to that dato:—

I left Tienstin yesterday morning with the mixed force of over 2000 men, principally British, which, under tho command of Admiral Sir Edward Seymour, has advanced along tho railway for tho purpose of reopening communication with Pekin. After passing Yang-tsun wo found that attempts had been made to destroy the bridges and toar up tho lino, but the damage done between Yang-tsun and La-fa was not very oxtensivo.

At Lo-fa wo found evidonco3 of General Nieh's operations in the shape of headless bodies lying alongside tho lino, and of empty catridgo caso3 scattered on every side. Tho whole country woro a deserted aspect. Most of the villages had apparently bofen abandoned by their inhabitants, and there wcro no signs beyond the damage which thoy had dono of tho presence of tho " Boxers."

Owing to tho labour involved in repairing tho bridges and tho track, wo did not reach Lo-fa until lato yesterday ovoning. Wo remained there until this morning, when the advance was continued.

After Lo-fa was loft behind the indications of tho activity of the "Boxers" began to bo much moro apparent than they had been nearer Tientsin. . Their operations hero had oyidently been conducted on. a more oxtensivo scale. In somo places several hundred feel of the line had been torn up, tho Bloopers had boon burned, and the telegraph poles had been cut down and tho wire romovod for a distance of sovoral miles. Small bands of "Boxers" were visible at intervals, but thoy ran away when wo appeared. In tho afternoon, whilo working parties wero ongagod in repairing tho lino, I accompanied a patrol of 16 British marines which had boon sont ahead undor tho command of Major Johnstone, of tho battleship Conturion, to examine tho line. Eight milos above Lo-fa Wo saw small parties of "Boxers" engaged in destroying tho line. They moved off bofore our advanco, and apparently dispersed in tho surrounding country, leaving. behind them tho rails which they had torn up and the Bloopers which they had set on fire.

The patrol was two miles in front of tho leading train and proceeding towards Langfang whon a largo body of "Boxers" was suddenly observed streaming from a, village on our loft. Thoy numbored about 2000, and some of them wero mounted. _ From the direction in whioh they wero going it was ovidont that they intended to cut us off. Their mounted mon crossed the railway and attempted to intercept us on that side, whilo tho men on foot mado for a partially burnt bridgo and village commanding tho lino. They wero mostly armed with spears and swords, but a fow of them had firearms, which did not, however, provo very effective.

Our marines kept up a running fight for over a mile, killing between 20 and 30 of tho enemy. Notwithstanding thoir losses tho "Boxers" porsovored in thoir intention of cutting us off, and pursued tho marinos for a considerable distance.

Finding that reinforcements of bluejackets and marines wore coming to their assistanco tho patrol halted and oponod a heavy firo against tho "Boxers," driving them across tho front of tho bluojackot3, who punished them severely with Maxim and rifle fire. Tiffs timo tho "Boxors" had enough of it and began to retreat, pursued by tho Europoan troops, who carried two villages, from which they olearod tho " Boxers." Tho loss of tho latter is estimated at about 40 killod iand wounded. Seven of their wounded are- being attended to by British surgeons. Our casualties wore nil. Tlio whole country appears to bo infoslod with " Boxers," and it seems probable- that unless tho lesson I'hoy received this afternoon causos them to lose heart muok troublo must be oncountoiod boforo wo roach Pekin.

Tho railway is so badly cut up that wo havo covorod only 34 milos in two days. Thoro is reason to fear, moreover, that from this point onwards tho lino has boon even inoro seriously damaged than tho portion wo havo already passed. ■: ./'*' ',' • Writing from Lang-fang, ; half-way to Pekin, on Juno 13, tho snrao correspondent says;—. , . Tho expedition has now, reached this place, where wo found all ': tho station buildings destroyed and 300 yds of tho track torn up. 4 On approaching tlio station,wo found i;omo Boxors still;ongagod,in:tho work of destruction, They boltod into tho villago on tho approach of our advanced party, who dropped a 6-pounder eholl into tho village. The Boxers then fled up ' tlio lino.; "■', Further ;up ?motlior small < party was engaged ;in tearing .up the track, but. a few long-rspgo, drcjvo them 2ffi:

A patrol which returned this morning reports that a mile- and a-quartev of tho track has been destroyed. ' A courier arrival hero to-day from Pekin. Ho brought a letter from the Amoric'an Legation stating that General Tungfuhsiang intends to oppose our entry into Pokin, and is guarding tho south gafco with 10,000 troops. Ho also reported having seen at least 2000 Boxers not far from here. A FOREIGN BISHOP OF THE RISING. Monsignor Anzer, tho Bishop of South Shan-tung, in conversation with a reprcsontativo of the Now Ereio Presse, said it was difficult to estimate She number of Christians in Pekin, but that tho Roman Catholics mustered 10,000. They wore almost all of them Chinese. Tho European Roman Catholics were the missionaries themselves, the members of some of tho Legations, and a few others. Bishop Anzer know Pekin well, having been 20 years in China. Only some nine months ago ho had been on important business to Pokin. Tho "Boxers" ■ Had made great havoo within his own diocese in South Shan-tung. Tho Viceroy, to whom he addressed a complaint, had promised him personally satisfaction and compensation. Ho nevertheless wont to Pekin. Ho had known Li Hung Chang for a long time. Li now lives at Canton, but at that time ho resided in Pokin, although ho was no longer in office. Tho Bishop talked over tho matter with him as ho is a man of enlightenment. Li Hung Chang said that ho should bring his complaint against tho "Boxers" before the Tsung-li-Yamon, but warned him against appearing before that high body unless Prince Clung, whom tho Empioss Dowager has just doposed, happened to preside. Li Hung Chang said ho was tho only man in tho Tsung-li-Yamen who possessed any understanding of affairs. All tho others wero blockheads. It was an event of illomenthat tho DowageJ Empress should have dismissed Princo Clung. Bishop Anzer had ropeatedly called attention in Pokin to the threatening danger for tho Empire in general, and tho Christians in particular, resulting from tho movement of tho "Boxers." Referring to tho latter he said:

" I havo known them from closo acquaintance. It was they unquestionably who, throe years ago, murdered my two missionaries and thus led to the intervention of Germany, and as a consequence to tho seizure of Kiao-chau. Many erroneous details are given about tho 'Boxers.' I read in tho nowspapers that this sect is recruited from tho dregs of tho population. That is entirely wrong. They doubtless include much of the riff-raff element, but I know for a fact that tho best classes aro represented among them, such as savants, mandarins, and high officials. I know tho chief of tho sect. His namo is Chan, and lie is a savant. Ho declares that tho reigning house, tho Dynasty of the Manchus, aro foreigners and' must bo driven out. Thus tho ' Boxer' movement is directed against tho Dynasty itself. Tho leader, Chan, wants to bo Emperor and makes no secret of it. He has repeatedly appeared in public attired in yellow costume, which is tho mark of tho highest office. It is only tho Emperor who drosses in yellow. Tho Court at Pekin is consequently infatuated when it secretly supports tho 'Boxers' under tho impression that they merely aim at the expulsion of foreigners and have exclusively national and patriotic ends in view." Tho Bishop said ho considered the decree issued by tho Empress threatening the "Boxers" with tho penalty of death as a mero comedy. It was to ho hoped that the European Powers would not bo led astray by such manoeuvres of the Imperial Court. Ho continued thus:

"The Oourt was never sincere with regard to the repression of tho 'Boxers.' Ono of its minions named Juo is to bo regarded as tho founder of the sect. He was Prefect of Shantung during the Clu'no-Japanose war. It already appeared as if tho victorious Japanese would settle in China. The ' Sect of tho Long Knife' was thereupon organised with tho programme of keeping foreigners —and in this particular case tho Japanese— out of China. That, at all events, was patriotic. Tho now sect extended their mission to the repression of brigandage, which was commendable Yet very soon they began to murder foreigners. I made representations in Pekin. The official Juo was sont to deal with them, although he was the secret promoter and protestor of tiro sect. First of all ho announced that it existed no longer, but the fact was that it merely changed its namo for that of the ' Rod Fist.' The English at oneo called them 'Boxers.' Jue was mado Viceroy of Shan-tung. When we denounced him to tho Government in Pokin as encouraging tho 'Boxers' ho was recalled, but only to be given promotion. Tho Chinese officials in tho neighbourhood of my mission, which musters 50,000 souls, had received instructions in a secret decree from the Viceroy not to interfero with tho 'Boxers.' They could consoquonlly count upon high patronage when they murdered Christians. How often have tho Chineso officials themselves, with whom I and my people are in contact, told mo that they would willingly take up our cause if by doing so they would not bo acting contrary to their secret instructions. Tho sect continues to spread. It originated in Slian-tung and now extends to many parts of China, though it is by no means common to tho wholo country." _ Tho Bishop did not bolievo that tho partition of China was at hand. He described it as a colossal problom. Tho intorested European Powors would" have to send out enormous masses of troops. It would, therefore, bo opposed to their own interests to tolerate a general upset in China, If they woro united they would get tho upper hand of tho movomont which threatened tho Christians and Europeans. Ho spoko highly of tho assistance given him by the Gorman Minister when ho had to apply for tho intervention of tho Tsung-li-Yamon against Chinoso injustice towards his mission. Ho was glad that Austria-Hungary now had a Minister at Pekin. Referring to tho military resources of China, Bishop Anzor observed that tho raw material for the ranks was good, but that Chineso . officers woro thoroughly incapable Tho terrible events now occurring would hasten his own return to China, although his mission was not at present immediately threatened by tho "Boxers." Tho last attacks had been directed against Protestant missionaries, not against Roman Catholics. Finally, tho Bishop hoped that penco would be spoodily restored in China if tho Powers acted with promptiludo, unanimity, and cnorgy.