WAR IN CHINA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 196, 19 September 1900, Page 3

WAR IN CHINA

I CHINESE METHOD OF AVOIDIN3 PUNISHMENT. BRITISH COMMANDANTS AT PEKING AW TIENTSIN. PUB PBESS ASSOCIATION. Reoeived 18,10.28 a.m. Hong Kong, September 18. Two hundred Peking officials and their families committed suicide during the anti-foreiga trouble. Colonel Dorward has been appointed to command the British troops at Peking. Lieut-Colonel Lorn R. H. D, Campbell, of the Indian Staff Corps, succeeds Colonel Dorward at Tientsin. [Colonel A, R. F, Dorward, D.5.0., joined the army in 1868, as lieutenant in the Royal Engineers, and attained his present rank in 1898. In August, 1899, he was appointed Civil and Military Commission and Colonel on the staff at Wci-hai-wai. He served in the Afghan War of 1879 80, for which he received a medal, and with the Burmese I expedition, 1885-8. In tho latter ho commanded the Queen's Own Sappers and Miners as Commanding Royal Royal Engineer, being mentioned in <is-spatcnes and receiving the Disti"guished Service Order. LiHut.-Oolonel C&aipbell entered the >n»y 1803, and attained his present ;\ick 1889. He served as orderly to M"j >r-G«ueral Wilde, commanding the Stazira field force in 1868, also iu the Doar. Valley Expedition of 1892, in the Afghan War of 1898-9, and in the expedition against the Marsood Waizeeres in 1831 being several times mentioned in despatches.]

PRINCE CHING HAVOURS AN INDEMNITY ONLY. RUSSIANS SEIZE LAND AT TIENTSIN FOR SETTLEMENT. COLONEL DORWARD PROTESTS. AMERICAN COMMANDER HAS A FREE HAND. CONVERTS TO BE PROTECTED. Received 18, 6.40 p.m. Hong Kong, September 17. It is apparent that Prince Ching does not realise the true position, and thioks that an indemnity will settle everything. The Russians have seized railway property consistingg of the river frontage at Tientsin, intending to form a Russian settlement. Colonel Dorward protested against this action. Admiral Chaffeß has been left free to decide when to withdraw his troop?, and how many he may withdraw. He has also been instructed to reject any arrangement which does not provide for the protection of converts. DESTROYING A POWDER FACTORY. SAD LOSS QV LIFE. (Received J9, 0.30 a.m.) Hong Kong, September 18. Sixteen British, Chinese, and Indian soldiers were killed and 22 injured while destroying a powder factory at Nungehau. NEWS BY THE MAIL. Received 19, 0.50 a.m. Port Dahwin, Ssptembar 18. The following are tho details of the capture of Peking: —The Allies agreed to make a grand attack early in the morning of August 15th, the Russians filing to keap the agreement, Thinkii g to bo the first to enter tho city they •vimmeneed the attack at midnigL", but tcund !h>j enemy too strong and had to < ;i:<i for Japanese support. Tho British i-.tecto-d the south-ws 1 -. gftto of the Ciiiaeea ci'y, *«l«> 7i.ii Bengal and the 24th Pu.'j .ub Infantry carrying it with a great rush. The opposition was comparatively feeble, the Chin; s > regarding the road the troops took as impassable. In the meantime the Amei icans and Russians captured the central gate of the Tartar City, while the remainder of the British troops wert , sent to the Temple of Heaven, defeat , ing a large bedy of Chinese t> oopj wit! heavy loss,aud eventually they capturu [ the south gate of the Chiresa city . The Americans stormed one of thi J gates of the Imperial city,losing hoavilj . in the attack. Severe street fightinj ) followed the entrance to the city, dur r ing which the Allies lost a good mw ' men. The inmates of the Legation received their deliverers with grea enthusiasm, j The defence of the Legations con , sisted of an elaborate system of loop ! holed walls and deep trenches, designei B jto prevent the enemy from mining I They were reduced to eating horseflesh

and had little of that, but the store o champagne and whisky was not ex hausted. So far as known 59 mie s'onsu'ies have been killed since Jun Ist, and 88 are missing. Sixty other are in the n.>ith-wesi; provinces, abou whom much anxiety exists.