CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

Manawatu Herald, 28 June 1900, Page 2

CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

China. MORE TROOPS ASKED FOR. Major-General Sir Alfred Gaselee, X.C.8., officer commanding the Bundelkhund district, India, has been appointbd to command the Indian contingent intended for service in China. *Li Hung Chang, the famous Chinese Viceroy, asserts that be has ascertained that the garrison of the Taku forts had no authority to majce the recent attack on the allied fleets. The Chinese guns outside Tientsin were so well posted and served that the artillery of the Russian and American forces that lately fell back was unable to silence them. An armoured train which was sent along the line from Taku towards Tientsin was derailed by the Chinese. Admiral . Kemptff, of the American Squadron, has asked for the assistance of a brigade of troops. THE EMPRESS. ißeuter'3 correspondent at Pekin states that the Dowager- Empress has directed the extermination of all ! foreigners. AMERICAN REINFORCEMENTS. The United States battleship Oregon, 10,288 tons, now at Hongkong, the first-class armoured cruiser Brooklyn, 9271 tons, and the port-defence ship, Monadnock, 3990 tons, now at Manila, have been ordered to Taku. A force of 4500 American troops and a battery of artiliery baa been despatched from the Philippines. AT TIENTSIN. The British Consul at Tientsin sent a courier to Chefoo on Wednesday last (the 20th inst.) stating that reinforcements were urgently needed by the garrison, whose casualties had been heavy. They were, moreover, short of ammunition, and machine guns were required. The Russian troops were hard pressed, and the railway station was under an incessant fire from the attacking Chinese, whose heavy gun fire bad burned most of the buildings in the European concessions. NEWS FROM TIENTSIN. Rear- Admiral Bruce, second in command of the British naval station in Chinese waters, cabled to the Admiralty on Saturday that the only runner wbo had come through from Tientsin for five days reported that ihe foreign- settlement in the town was almost entirely destroyed.

Europeans, added the messenger, were fighting hard in the attempt to relieve Tientsin on Friday, but were repulsed with some losses. It is uncertain whether this refers to the repulse of the Russian and American column, which has already been reported to have fallen back, or whether the larger German, British :id Russian force of 2150 mart" which left Taku later, has also been repulsed. DESPATCH OF WARSHIPS. The Japanese Government is preparing a second army division for service in China. Sixteen American warships and five thousand troops are expected to arrive in the Gulf of Pe-chi-H within a fortnight. The battleship Victorious (14,900 tons), which arrived at Naples on a homeward trip from the China station, has been ordered to return to China. Another battleship, the G 4iath (ia,---950 tons) is also proceeding to China, and the cruiser Argonaut (11,000 tons) wih follow her. Germany and Russia are despatching additional cruisers to China. Admiral Bruce reports that two hundred men of the Anglo-Chinese regiment raised at Weihaiwei, the British port in the Gulf of Pe-chi-li, were landed at Taku, at the moutjj of the Pei-ho river, on Friday. SAFETY OF THE LEGATION. The Director of Telegraphs states that a courier from Pekin has reached Yuan-shik-kai with news that all the Legations are safe. The Ministers representing the various Powers are, however, demanding their passports, with the view of leaving the city, and the Tsung-li-men is disposed to comply with the. demand. LI HUNG CHANG. The United States Government distrusts Li Hung Chang's claim to be mediating in the interests of bringing about peace.