THE CRISIS IN CHINA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2436, 21 November 1900, Page 23

THE CRISIS IN CHINA.

RUSSIA SECURES MUCH LOOT.

THE EXPENSES OF THE CAMPAIGN DEFRAYED.

THE CHINESE EMPEROR A PRISONER.

A BASIS FOU A PEACE TKEATY. PEACE NEGOTIATIONS COMMENCE.

RUSSIAN AKRQGAXCE AT TO^GKU,

TELEGRAPHISTS BEHEADED.— HOW MISSIONARIES "VVEKE TORTURED.

ALLEGED DUPLICITF OF CHINA. CHINESE PREPARING RESISTANCE.

THE FOKEJGW MINISTERS WEAKENING. — A REDUCED DEMAND.

HONGKONG, November 12. The treasure which the Russians captured in Manchuria has covered the expenses of the campaign. Russia has invited China to resume the civil government of Manchuria, and .submit the naanes of officials for the Czar's approval, Russia maintaining 40,000 troops to protect the railway and other interests in Manchuria. The executions at Pao-ting-fu included 13 petty officials. , November 13. The execution of the Viceroy of Chi-Li in connection with the Pao-ting-fu massacres has greatly excited the Peking officials,, who protested against it as unjustifiable, since the "Viceroy did not oppose the Allies' advance. Dr Morrison, the Peking correspondent of The Times, reports that the Ministers of the Powers have finally agreed to the following as a basis for a treaty of peace : — An Italian and German force is marching on Kalgan. - November 14. A small Russian company, after rescuing a number of French missionaries under Bisho23 Abelson, was surrounded north of Shan-hai-kwan by 6000 Boxers. General Zerpitzki, Avith Wo columns, rescued his beleaguered countrymen from their perilous position. The surrounded party lost two killed and 60 wounded. * The Japanese troops have been largely withdrawn from Peking and Tientsin. They will not embark to Japan, but be kept in China to operate secretly. The Russians have ordered all- the foreign officials to vacate the houses now occupied by them at Tongku, on the line of the Tientsin railway. The British sent a body of infantry and cavalry to protect their own official. Another small German expedition "which was on the point of starting for the MingKings' tombs, report (? that French or Russian troops have been) forbidden to accompany it: November 15. China has commenced to negotiate a peace on the basis of the Ministers' demands. A force / of Germans, Austrians, and Italians has been despatched against the troops which recently garrisoned Peking, who are encamped 76 miles north-west of Peking. The Empress Dowager has appointed Sir Robert Hart to arrange for the amount of indemnity China has to pay, and the method by which the payment has to be made. Reports from Shanghai are to the effect that Prince Tuan and General Tung Fuh Siang are raising a rebellion in the Kansi province. The Dowager Empress beheaded two telegraphists for forwarding the Emperor's telegram to Peking expressing his desire to return there. November 16. The Dowager-Empress has censured Li Hung Chang and Prince Ching for not preventing the allied punitive expedition from penetrating to the interior. In response to Russia's invitation, China has appointed two military commanders — Zesch and Yuan — to preside over the civil administration of Manchuria. Russia is transferring 100 tons of railway material belonging to the Shan-hai-kwan railway to the Russian Manchuria, railway. The Allies are discussing the Chinese taxation reform, being convinced that secret sums were levied by the mandarins as perquisites sufficient to cover the indemnity. November 17. General yon Waldersee, Commander of the allied forces, complains that the Russians relinquished their patrol of the Taku Tongku railway; without notifying him.

The Allies are sending warships to Fanking, intending to protest against provisioning Sin-gan-fu. November 18. An Imperial edict, dated the 13th inst., deprives Prince Tuan and Prince Chuang of their ranks Enid offices, and imprisons them for life when peace- is> restored. It degrades Prince I.an, Yingnien, Chao Shia, and Chiao, the last-named, however, remaining m office. Yu H<ien (viceroy), who is condemned to exile and hard laboui on a post road on the furthest boundary of the eirfpire, has fled. General Waldersee has informed Li Hung Chang that if the regular troops are withdrawn from the territory occupied by the Allies the several punitive expeditions will be discontinued. November 19. Chung Chitung hints that Tangfuh Siang is really in rebellion. The Yangtze viceroys will combine to suppress him, and rescue the Dowager-Empress. Although the viceroys and Li Hung Chang have guaranteed her safety if she would return she mistrusts them,, and believes there is a conspiracy to capture her. The French routed 300 Boxers in the direction of the Emperors' Tombs. Twenty-three thousand Chinese troops are gathering on the borders of Chih-li to resist any advance westward. The Tientsin-Shan-hai-kwan railway has been transferred to British control. LONDON, November 13. China must erect a monument -over -the site of the murder of Baron Ketteler, and send the Prince Imperial and family to Germany, there to apologise for the murder. They must, further, execute 11 persons who were guilty of instigating the ouLrages, each one of whom must be either a high official or a prince. Suspend for five years all provincial examinations in the centres where the outrages occurred, and remove all those "officials who did not make due efforts to prevent the outrages on foreigners. They must compensate all State corporations and "civilians, including the natives employed by foreigners, for any injury or loss sustained, and substitute an office for Foreign Affairs, in place of the Tsung-li-Yamen. They must permit the Ministers of the Powers rational intercourse with the Emperor personally, and they must raze the Taku -and all forts along the coasts. The importation of arms and war material into China will be forbidden, and permanent foreign guards for the Legations and foreign guards for keeping foreign communications open between Peking and the sea must be maintained. Imperial proclamations for the suppression of the Boxers must be posted throughout the empire for two years. The correspondent ,adds that no mention is made of. compensation foi the injury sustained by missionaries or native converts. November 14. Dr Morrison cables to The Times that China will willingly concede everything demanded by the Powers as a basis of peace, with the exception of the demand for the execution of the princes and officials, which is , declared to be impossible, seeing that the Imperial Court are in the hands of the men whom the Powers demand shall be punished. November 15. The Peking correspondent of The Times says that whilst the Germans were searching for treasure in the Ming tombs evidence was discovered that the Chinese had burned with incense sticks the eyes of many English missionaries from their sockets, and then taken them out and led them through the villages for the inhabitants to gaze at and deride. Several of the tortured missionaries survived their agonies for 36 hours. November 18. " Admiral Seymour's command on the China station has been extended. November 19. The Morning Post's Peking, correspondent says that the latest edict -is regarded as inadequate. Failing a settlement 'before the spring an expedition will proceed to Si-ngan-fu. The Tunes Peking correspondent wires that the Ministers are weakening, and have reduced the demand for the death of the leaders to the severest punishment under the Chinese law, forgetting that princes are not amenable to the common law. PARIS, November 15., Yu Keng, Chinese Minister at Paris, in an interview, states that the Allies are negotiating with nobody. Li Hung Chang and Prince Ching's performances are mere show. They are only temporising, in order to save their own heads. Yu Keng suggests that the Allies should dethrone the Dowager Empress, and fetch back the Emperor, who would concede everything. BERLIN, November 13. Reports received here state that the Emperor of China has secretly informed General yon Waldersee that he is willing to return to Peking only he is kept a prisoner. November 14. German}'- is mobilising 5000 reinforcements to send to China. November 15. The German Emperor opened the Reichstag in a speech characterised by great firmness and moderation of tone. He stated that since there were no signs that the anti-foreign movement in China had ceased, he was determined thai military action should continue till the safety of European life and property was, secured, and the punishment obtained of the chief actors in the recent massacres.

>ft-irj«iriWi«B-iiMii-iirw h«-iiih iih I ..ii. jg - November ic£ German soldiers, writing from China, iV* iterate the earlier stories of the frightful cruelties that were practised upon the Chinese in obedience to the Kaiser's '" no quarter " order. The latter, it will be recalled, was not meant for publication, and much surprise was expressed at the time both at the nature of the Emperor's address and the fact that it had leaked out. ST. PETERSBURG, November 14. The Russian pref-s accuse the Germans of pillaging and of using unnecessary violence in China. The Ncvoe Vremya strongly blames Fr.mcs for co-operating with General Waldersee in his. > savage seizure of the tombs of the Ming Kings. WASHINGTON, November 13. America wishes to restrict ihe punishment in connection with the outrages in China to thos>e conspicuously guilty, and limiting the amount of indemnity to 40 millions, lest China should be ruined. The American prs.ss ' disapprove of -the Pao-ting-fu punishments. SYDNEY, November 13. A cable from Taku announces the death of Dr Sleel, a leading Sydney medico, whr accompanied the_ contingent to China.