WAR IN CHINA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 181, 13 July 1900, Page 3

WAR IN CHINA

THE LEGATIONS AT PEKING.

SOLDIERS AND REBELS DISPERSING. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) |PHB PRESS AB3OOIATIOK.J Received 12, 10.10 a.m. Hong Kong, July 11. Li Hung Chang at Canton on the 10th stated that the soldiers and rebels surrounding Peking are gradually dispersing.

OOLONIAL OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE.

Received 12, 9.40 a.m. Melbourne, July 12 The China naval contingent is complete. Sydney, July 12. Only 26 men and no officers of the Naval Artillery Volunteers, and three officers and no m<;n of the Naval Brigade, have voluntereed for China.

RUSSIA AT PORT ARTHUR.

I The correspondent of the Daily Mail at Nagaaki states that in March and April Russia shipped from China to Manchuria over 100,000 coolies for the construction of the railway. At Port Arthur the fortifications are being feverishly hurried on; the activity there is truly marvellous. The large supplies of coal and military stores already laid up at that port are steadily increasing, and the number of troops there stationed far exceeds what is necessary for the protection of the railway. Important naval and military manoeuvres have just taken place at Port Arthur.

The Pekin representative of the same j ournal, writing on April 2, says: lam satisfied from all 1 hear that the Chinese people are in mortal dread of and hate the Russians; but the latter have made themselves so indispensable to the Empress and her adherents that not a tinger will be raised against them. The Russians have behaved very badly to the Chinese in Manchuria; they have thrashed and even shot them down on the smallest provocation, and they have practically seized the City of Mukden, i the Holy City of the Manchu dynasty; but these barbarities do not lead to serious complications because of the personal guarantee of safety to the Empress and her adherents. Li Hung Cbang's safety was also guaranteed by the Russians, with the result that no one dared touch him while he was in disgrace at Pekin, and now he is Viceroy at Canton. The Chinese like and trust the English more than any other nationality, and English is the only foreign language used by the Chinese, but they believe that England is afraid >f Russia ; they constantly tell me so. It is a current rumor that the operations of the Pekin Syndicate have been blocked by Russian machinations.