China.

Manawatu Herald, 21 June 1900, Page 2

China.

The Japanese Government announces the despatch of 1000 troops to Tsingtan. At the same time it affirms its intention of acting in entire concert with the other Powers. The "Boxers" have burned churches and mission buildings at Pekin.

A detachment of French troops, with artillery, has been despatched from Toriking, the French possession to the south of China. It is expected ot arrive at Tientsin on the 25th inst. SPREAD OF THE REBELLION.

The movement commenced by the " Boxers " is spreading rapidly. A correspondent of " The.Time&, M y . wiring from Tientsin, under Thursday's date, stated that the " Boxers " on Wednesday burned the Catholic Cathedral, the large buildings belonging to the London Missionary Socjety and the premises of the American Board of Missions, together with all the dwellings of the foreign employees of the Customs Department.

No Europeans were injured, but hundreds of native Christians and the servants of foreigners were massacred within a radius of two miles ofthg place.

TROOPS HURRYING FORWARD-

The Viceroys of Nanking and Suchang are taking stringent measures to maintain order. The British warship Hermione has been ordered Nanking, the Linnett to Hangkow, and the Undannted to Woosung. - The Powers are hurrying troops to Tientsin, and it is estimated that they will ultimately place thirty thousand men in the field. President McKinley, owing to the absence of news from Tientsin, has ordered the American troops from Manila to Taku. " --..-. ADMIRAL SEYMOUR'S EXPEDITION. News has been received that the position of the expeditionary forces under Vice-Admiral Seymour is precarjou3. Water supplies are scarce, and the commissariat is lacking in completeness. The Eastern Telegraph and Extension Company intimates"' that communication with Tientsin,. the river port of Pekin, is totally interrupted. Lord Salisbury announced in the House of Lords that Vice-AdmiraT Seymour's joint expeditionary force had returned to Tientsin. Tne reasons for v. this and the Admiral's intentions are unknown by the Foreign Office but later information shows that the retreat was due to lack of food supplies. ■

BOMBARDMENT OF THE TAKU FORTS.

News has been received that the Chinese laid torpedoes in the Taku river, and massed troops around tb£ forts. The Foreign Admirals thereupon sent an ultimatum to the Chinese to withdraw the troops before two o'clock on Sunday morning. At one o'clock in the morning the gnns from the forts unexpectedly opened fire. The British, French, German. Russian and Japanese gunboats vigorously responded, keeping up the bombardment for six hours. In the meantime a thousand Russian troops co-operated on shore. .- Two of the forts wete. stormed by Russian infantry, the • occupants being put to -the bayonet hundreds being Jailed. : .*«■ . < Later on a shett*f»aSAi the magazine in orife7,o£4h«?sfor|sto :4 e.xplQde. The Chinese* then surrendered; but many had previously fled .; northwards. During the bombardment the French sloop . Algerine was- damaged, two of the officers and four men being wounded. A shell from the forts exploded th* rn-igazine of the Russian gunboat Manshur, killing seven bluejackets." The commander of the German gunboat Itlis was seriously wounded The Germans lost three killed and seven wounded ; the Russians sixteen killed and forty- five wounded. Telegraph communication between Taku and Tientsin has been restored.

CONCENTRATION OF TROOPS. Japan is landing ten thousand soldiers in China, thus equalling the number of Russdanufetces^ .^ ; . Ten thousand French troops are leaving Saigon for the scene of action^ and the* Geraaa^,^l*p4f% .ss%& hundred Otf "fiesafy. £ «^*^/ - 'Five tfioiisaiid more' Russians have been ordered to the front. The British troops from Hongkong ar#expected to reach Tientsin on tfefr 2ist ' '■ Detachments of French*, Russian and Japanese-troops reached there the same day. I Sikhs will be employed to garrison Hongkong. The Seventh Bengal Infantry, stationed at Fyrerbad. has been ordered to Hongkong, and also an American regiment from Manila. SERIOUS NEWS. The German Consul-in-Chief in

China telegraphs that a Japanese gunboat has reported the capture of the foreign Legations at Pekin. The Hon. St John Brodrick, Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Office, informed the House of Commons on Tuesday night that the latest information from Sir Claude Macdonald, British Ambassador af Pekin, uas dated Tuesday last. Nothing had since been received con* firmatory of the reported attack on the Legations.

FRENCH OFFICIALS SEIZED.

M. Francois, the French ConsulGeneral Yumanju, has been taken prisoner, together with bis staff,' and taken to Yumanhsien.

Their houses were plundered and burned.

The Viceroy of the district said he would answer with his life for the safety of the French. ALLEGED RUSSIAN DUPLICITY.

The Chinese are asserting that Russia helps them, but there is . no present indication that either Russia or Japan is out of line with the 6thei Pov sirs. . . .

SPREAD OF THE PEBELLION

Troubles have broken out in the West River district — that bordering upon the $i-kiang t or West J&yerishfux flows through tb6 counWy wait -of Canton, South China.

Five thousand men who have . risen against the Chinese Government are states to be at the small town of Kweihsien. . . ,