WAR IN CHINA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 182, 20 July 1900, Page 2

WAR IN CHINA

[Or ELHOTMO TKLMEA?H,-OOPrM«lt,l (mb ran imnunoi.] j. THE LIGATIONS SAID TO BE SAFE. THE REPORT DOUBTED. Rooeivea 19, 9.6 sjn, Hoiro Kosa, July 18. . A despatch, dated 16th July, and signed by the Viceroys of Wuchang and Nankin and by Prince Sheng in- : form* Europ, that the Ambamdow at Peking have been protect*, and wer« safe and well on July 9th by Greforian reckoning. * -» —• The despatch further states that the Chinese Government U protecting Europeans, American!, and all other foreigners, and begs the Power* to spare Tientsin and Yuhiien. The Governor of Shantung furnishes a similar report, based upon a runner's narrative. Lohdoh, July 18. Despite the foregoing definite aasur> ances Europe remains unmoved, refus* ingto believe the Chinese statements . owing to the silence of the members of the Legations themselves.

GREAT FIGHTING NEAR TIENTSIN. DEFEAT OF THE CHINESE. Received 19,9.18 a.m, Hono Kom, July 16. All the Allies except the defenders of the settlements began a general attack on the native city of Tientsin at daylight on Friday, the heavy Chinees guns having previously, annoyed the I left flank. The attack opened with «A artillery duel. The Allies, using 48 guns, vigorously bombarded the etty and silenced the majority of tbt Chinese artillery Large fires were caused in the city by the Allies' gnat, immense damage being done. Fifteen hundred Russians, with smaller German and French oontan* gents, awaulted the railway embankments to the east. The Chinese resisted vigorously, but were ultimately defeated with great slaughter, the sue-c-Mial force capturing eight guns. including five which were mounted fa a fort. The French force exploded the. fort.

Meanwhile a mixed force oonattiog of British, American, Japanese, Aw* trians, and the remainder of the Frenoh sortied from the settlements and at* tacked the western arsentl. Despite the most desperate effort* of the Chinese the Allies succeeded in dear* ing and occupying the arsenal after three hours' obstinate fighting. Dur» ing this* conflict the Japanese, British, and French batteries of field artillery ai.d British machine guns poured a hot fire into the enemy s position. Tbt Chinoso retaliated with a deadly rifle fußilado.

There were indications that their smokeless powder was exhausted. Towards tho close of the day the Americans, French, and Japanese troops, together with tho Welsh FusiHers nnd a mounted battety of field artillery, advanced to the foot of the city walls and encamped for the night, tho remainder of the British being held in reserve with aviowto a final atsault •On S*f urday two columns of Allied troops, consisting of British, Japanew, Americans, Russians, and Germans, determinedly stormed the native Tho Allies caried tho last completely routed tho enemy. ' Admiral Ahxiefi', who commands the Russian squadron, reports that the . Japanese troops ontered and occupied the native city, but tho Hussi«n, uerman, and French tro.ps were unable to enter. The Allies' casualties for tho three •lays' fighting were 600 killed or wounded. Other estimates point to casualties numbering 800, including 200 Americans, 40 of whom were uarines. Tho Japanese on the 11th, by a gallant charge at the station, lost all jjk their officers. Their -total casualtjjjjil a.e 80, and tho Froach 60. . •"^i Tho Allies have secured an improff. nablo base at Tieutsiu.

RUSSIA AMD MANOHURIA, WAS DECLARED BY OHIKA, RUBSU MOBILISING TROOPS. Received 10,0.80 a.m. Hosa Koko, July 18. General Tzuen, at Hailar, has officially declared war against Russia in Manchuria. Great excitement prevails in Russia and the Trans-Baikal regions of Centml Asia. The Chinese Minister at St. Peters. burg declares that General Tzuen is cont:arening the policy of the Peking Government. Tho Chinese regulars and the Boxen seized a Russian boat with munitions of war near Aigun, on the Amur River, in Manchuria, killing the majority of the escort. Two thousand Chinese, with eight guns, next bombarded Bl&gooyeihchinsk, 20 miles north of Aigun. The Chinese overwhelmed the garrison with their fire. General Greboski, who commanded the Russians, attempted to roach Aigun, but tho Chinese, with masked guns in a cutting, barred the way to him establishing a connection with the Tnus Siberian Railway. St, Pbtihsboho, July 18. Russia is mobilising 250,000 troops for Manchuria.

'STATEMENT BT LI HUNG CHANG. w~ HE WISHES TO SATS THE *"s LEGATIONS. M Received 19,9.60 ajn. vT Hoiia Koto, July 18. Id Hung .Chang is still at Canton. On Monday he asked the foreign ' Consul there to .ensure him safe con- : duct to Peking, -with a view to saving the Legations. ' In the course of an interview, he ' stated he had transmitted to the Em- ' press Lord Salisbury'sandM.Delcasse's 1 recent warning that the China officials at Peking would he held responsible if ' harm befel the Legations. ' There were 21,000 Allies at Tientsin ' and Taku On July 11th, and it is cal- ■ colated that at the end of August they ] will number 80,000. ' Forty foreigners and 100 converts ' Were killed at Taiyenfa, in the province l of ( Shansi. ' BEBim, July 18. ' The Emperor has promised the . Germans at Hankow German warships toprotect the Yang-tse Valley. India is sending an additional 6000 troops to China, The entire Japan force of 22,000 has been landed. London, July 18. c 5% 7ww«, commenting on the in- ( of Siberia, refers to the alarming f spread of the Boxers, and declares that \ the object of LiHung's exile to Canton was the organisation of 'the Black 'vEUgs,,whose .overland journey is intended to set the Yang-tse in ablaze, c The. Tinea insists that the protelstion of t Yang-tse is the first British inteiest. a lh» Times publishes a laudatory : biography of the late Dr. Morrison, AN*APPOINTMENT FOB LI HUNG t CHANG. A GREAT FOROB OF CHINEBE NEAR SHANGHAI. . THEY MAKE THREATS. t (Beoelved 19, 4 p.m.) fc- '• Honq Kobo, July 19. 'ftjg.r Li Hung Chang has been appointed .s§|iViceroy of the province of Cki-li, and k WJbXtB left Canton. Prior to his departure c declared himself responsible for any ( which might occur during J j§lps absence. He carried away with l .-iflimm. the vice-regal seal lest Tunching- c *Wzb&, tto new Viceroy, whom Lin Yee, * r'flipder of the "Black Flags," intimi- J ~ should igrae a proclamation. [ . y lin Yee has been se at overland with c * ;troops to Peking. l Li Hung interviews Sir H. A. Blake, s ' Governor of Hong KoDg, to-day. * •The Chinese are preparing to camp r behind the Bogue forts commanding the 1 intrance to Canton! 1 ! A force of 100,000 Chinese, armed A \ r _ with. Mausers, but not having modern % artillery, is within thirty mihs of ' % Shanghai, and threaten to seize Shang- f t*i hsi if the Woosung forts commanding ' |t the entrance of the river are attacked. ] The Chinese in the provinces of ~ Chi-li, Shantung, and Shansi are ap--j&afently massing with a view to iMßefending Peking from attack. ] "S»KJtoBILISATION OP CHINESE TROOPS. ; / - AN ENORMOUS FORCE. Received 20,1.33 am. Hoso Kong, July 18. jS^rceTuanhas mobilised a million troops, and has ordered the northern ! '',•>* corps to expel foreigners from Amur. ' The first section of the PekiDg army ! operating sgainst Mookden advances . \ ' towards Thanhaikwan, the second sec- ■ tkn has been ordered to concentrate at J \ ,3sontain, while the third section will be 1 centred at Peking. He also sends . *" .-I forty thousand "to Wei-hai-wei and '' • Thintan, while a fourth division goes • toNanknv , ' The Chinese fleet is concentrating in h^v, thr Chinese Sea in anticipation of powerless to repress and disclaim any responK'' 1 ADMIRAL BETMOUB REJOINS HIS 1 MORE OHINESE ATBOCITIES. 1 Hong Kong, July 18. _ , ! Admiral Seymour has rejoined his jl, lip in order to fuDy recover from his •' )unds. •An Anglo-American caravan of engi- ( ars and missionaries journeying from mgkang to Hankow were attacked, ' i many wounded. B , oreigners_at Chouanchou, Ningpo, i Inchan fled panic-stricken owing the outrages, phina is strengthening Woosung «*• !!he Powers are sending additional wjships to watch and protect the cable, jtnssian tea and silk warehouses at "... .EJgan were burned. They were valued : Russian residents at Kalgau are now aurneying towards Kiatchu, THE ATTACK ON TIENTSIN, GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT, / Berlin, July 19. A German official report of the attack on Tientsin states that on the 4ft morning of the 13th, twelve Russian and two German companies, two field batteries, and a-French mountain battery, outflanking the enemy to the eastward, carried the Chinese north-eastern position and a JL- pisition southward of Luitai Canal. Twelve guns were captured and two imgazincs blown up. ' , ** The Russian General ascribes the ciptureofiheguns and the explosion of the magazines to the Germans, who greatly distinguished themselves. Meanwhile the vanguard, compased of three American battalions, 7CO • and 50 Austrians, on the west, attacked the arsenal and the Chinese city. An obstinate resistance was offered, % Jpiffnccess was inconclusive. T The Allies retired at night, ex's., hausted, two Germtn companies re inferring thorn during the night. i' BThe total cisualtus were 775. H- wS Th6 wVoI9 ci tho mlltd town and 4he eitadil were captured. -\ %On Satusday 62 guns were taken. \ The railway between Taku and jCi«ft|»ff|lßTO4vuttiel§tij ( { h' '-'''"' /■'■■- ,■'■

THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE. LARGE PRICE FOR A CHINAMAN'S HEAD. (Received 19, 9 p.m.) Sidney, July 19. At a meeting of the Sydney Branch of the Chinese Reform Association a letter was received from Kang-yu-wai, leader of the Reformers, dated from Singapore, stating that he received cables from several Reform friends in China to the effect that the present trouble was caused by the EmpressDowager assisting directly and indirectly the Boxers. At the first suitable and safe opportunity he intended returning to China, but as the EmpressDowager offered a hundred thousand taels (equivalent to £14,000) for his head he had to be very cautious. In Singapore the Governor had given him a special guard, and up to the time of writing he had escaped capture. A copy of the petition received from the Reformers in China for submission to the Powers was read. THE AUSTRALIAN CONTINGENTS. (Received 19,11.30 p.m.) Melbourne, July 19, The Contingent for China will receive the Imperial rate of pay, but the Colonial Government provide the difference between the Colonial and English rates. Received 20,1.33 a.m. Sydney, July 19. The steamer Salamis has been chartered to convey the colonial contingents to China, and is now fitting up accommodation for 500 men,