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foreign Concessions, clearing away the Chinese troops and Boxers, and making preparations to attack the West Arsenal.
"At 3 am, on the 9th the forward movemen of the Allied forces commenced. It was ar ranged that 1,300 Japanese troops, with six guns, and 900 British, with four guns, should make a direct attack, while 400 Russians and 149 Japanese marines landed from the Suma, Kasaki and Takasago, with 100 American blue- jackets, were to advance at an opportune time and attack the Arsenal from the flank.
"Soon after the Arsenal had been taken, a conference was held by the British and Japanese commanders and the question whether the Arsenal be destroyed or not was considered. At first it was decided to preserve it, but as the building had no roof and no accommodation for quartering the troops, it was afterwards decided to burn it down. The troops were accordingly withdrawn.
"During the attack on the Arsenal, one Japanese marine named Ishizuko was severely wounded in the head by a rifle bullet.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY. PRESS AND
doing their utmost against their assailants, but ammunition had fallen short, and the danger was hourly pressing that the foreigners would be all massacred. It was earnestly desired that the relief force should soon arrive.
The messenger further stated that the Ministers and other members of the Legation of all countries were assembled in the British Legation, which was being attacked day after day by the troops under Tong Fn-shao and others. He feared that there would be no means for obtaining a supply of food after the Ist inst.”
an
The Japanese advanced from the Liangyon | Gate, the British troops forming the right wing, and after clearing out the Boxers an attack THE TROUBLE AT HOIHOW was made on the Chinese troops on the race- Our correspondent in Hoihow arrived at Hong- course, which was occupied and four guns cap- kong on the 25th inst, and brings the news that tured. The Allied forces then advanced to- trouble is brewing in Hainan. The Hainan peo- wards the West Arsenal. At 8 a.m. the Japple have the reputation of being quiet and rather anese marines entered the Arsenal, followed by timid, but lately during the troubles up North the American marines and the Japanese troops, Europeans have been looking for the possibility and a hot fire was directed on the flying hi- of disturbances in that port. Nothing, how nese. The houses in the proximity of the ever, has been noticed among the natives in Southern gate were first set on fire by the Hoihow, where the Europeans live. About the Japanese and British artillery, and a fierco 3rd or 4th moon the Chinese began preparing ouslaught was made on the Castle and the for the decennial festivities. The merchants Arsenal, which were thus captured.
subscribed liberally towards the fund and applied to the Europeans also to sub- scribe. It is said that the Consuls and Eu- ropean merchants subscribed as desired. Since the trouble up North started, there has been idea among the Europeans that this festival would interfere with the general calm of the town. The preparations, however, have been going on and are still going on up to this day. But nobody expected any disturbance so as long Li Hung-chang remained in Canton Since the news of his departure everyone has felt uneasy. On Monday, the 23rd inst., about noon, one of the Chinese literati, who is a friend of the Europeans, sent news from Kiung. chow, the capital, that he had seen a despatch from Peking to the Taotai, ordering him to supply rifles and ammunition to the members of the Triad Society, and that the regular troops should join the Triads in driving out all foreigners. The Triads number between 7,000 and 8,000 the north-east of the island, about 20 miles distant from Hoihow, and in Hoihow proper there are about 400 of the Society. Hav- At 3 a.m. on the 11th inst. the enemy ing heard this news, the British Consul called approached the vicinity of the Railway upon the German Consul and they went over to Station at Tientsin, and advanced within 50 the French representative to confer on the metres of the line of guards of the Allied question of protection of Europeans. They sent forces. The Japanese, British and French to the Taotai asking whether he could protect who were guarding the Station were exposed the Europeans in case of trouble. The reply and sustained heavy losses. One company of way that he could not give any protection at Japanese infantry lost all its officers, and more all; and it was also understood that he would than 70 of the rank and file were killed or not do so. In the circumstances the Consuls wounded. The French lost about 60 killed or strongly advised all their nationals to cloar out wounded. Hundreds of Chinese were shot as soon as possible. On the afternoon of Mon- down. About 6 a.m. the Chinese entored the day everyone who could pack-up in time manag. neighbouring dewelling-houses, and continued ed to get on board the steamer Hoihow, which firing, but did not advance. Firing stopped was leaving for Hongkong on Tuesday morn- about 8 a.m. The British losses were coming. Those who came up were:-Rev. A. E. paratively small.”
On the morning of the 10th the Chinese troops and Boxers again attacked the Foreign Concessions. During the fighting, Captain Takehisa was killed and two Japanese Cavalry Ensigns were wounded, besides a number of the
rank and file.
THE FIGHTING AT TIENTSIN STATION,
Tokyo, 16th July, The following telegrams from Chefoo, dated the 15th inst., has been received by the Naval Department:
THE CAPTURE OF THE NATIVE CITY.
Tokyo, 16th July. The following telegram from Chefoo, dated the 15th inst., has been received by the Naval Department-
According to a report from the German commodore, which is said to have been received by the Russian officers from Tientsin, at day- light on Saturday, the 14th inst., the Allied Forces of Japanese, British and Americans at- tacked the native city at Tientsin from one direction, and the Germans, Russians and French from the other. The Japanese troops captured the city.
The casualties of the Allied Forces amount to 600 killed and wounded."
DESPATCH FROM BARON NISHI.
Tokyo, 16th July. The following message from Tientsin, dated July 15th, at 7.30 a.m., has been received at the Naval Department:--
*
A despatch from Baron Nishi, Japanese Minister at Peking, addressed to Captain Mori at Tientsin, has been brought by a hinese messenger, who left Peking on the 30th June and arrived at Tientsin on the 12th inst. This despatch states that the situation at Peking was extremely critical. The Chinese Imperial troops were besieging the foreign Legation and bombarding them continually with guns and using explosives day and night. The members of the Legations and the Legation guards were
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[July 28, 1900.
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official posts in Peking, many of very have succeeded, after innumerable escaping from the capital for their the Yellow River. The Boxer leaders are said to have made quite large sums of money from the' refugees, by issuing passes soross the Boxer lines guaranteeing immunity from trouble and delay as far south as Ch'angohou city, on the Chilli-Shantung borders, beyond which their authority cesses, being under the jurisdiction of the pro-foreign Viceroys and Governor. The prices demanded for these passes vary according to the standing and wealth of the applicant, viz.: Th. 5 to Thr: 2,000. Each pass or passport is worded in the usual style of such documents in China, only that it is headed by the naine of the Boxer Chief who issues the passport, whilst the paper is also filled on the borders and covers with various mystic signs. Accompanying esclt' passport is a red cotton-cloth bag to hold the paper, to protect the document from being frayed and from rough usage en route. It is believed that this exodus from Peking was actuated by the reckless atrocities the Boxers and Prince Tuan and Tung Fuhsiang's troops, and the receipt of news of the relentless enmity of the Russian and certain other troops against all Chinese at Tientsin and Taku. According to news so far to hand, received by the local mandarins, refugees from Peking with their passports got through Chilli province unmolested by Boxers, but that as soon as they got into Shantung they met Li Ping- hêng's advanced troops en route for Peking, at whose hands some of the refugees received rough handling, whilst others were robbed of their all. As other troops proceed north refu- gees to the south, it is feared, will find grest difficulty in travelling peaceably.
GENERAL OUTPORT NEWS. Reports from Hankow state all quiet, every- thing much the same as usual. H.M.8. Pique is moored off the Bund and a Japanese man-of-war further down the river.
H.M.S. Linnet is at Kinkiang, Snipe at Wu- hu, Hermione at Nanking. The Lee Yuen took on board a large number of Chinese soldiers at Kiukiang on the 18th and disembarked them at Nanking on the 19th inst. The British and American Consuls at Chinkiang and Nanking advised the departure of all women and children from Chinkiang and Nanking by the first steamer leaving. The following missionary ladies and gentlemen from those ports arrived at Shanghai by the Poyang on the 20th-From Nanking Miss Burke, Rev. Malone, Miss Dowe; from Chinkiang Mrs. Roche and two children, Mrs. de la Touche, Mrs, and Miss Weather- ston.
At Ningpo everything is reported quiet, and there seems no imminent prospect of trouble there. There is a large exodus of Chinese pas- sengers from the river ports to Shanghai, averag Street, Mrs. Street, and child; Rev. W. M. Camp-ing from 350 to 500, many of whom are encum. bell, Mrs. Campbell and child: Mrs. J. M. bored with their household impediments. The Lowry; Mrs. Forsaith; Mr. H. A. Atkinson coolie class, of whom a large percentage of the and child; Mrs. McCandliss and two children passengers by these boats consists, seem to have Miss Schaeffer; Master Burke, and Mr. E. P. got a scare of a most abnormal nature, and it Sequeira, the agent for Messrs Marty at Hoi- only remains for the fleets of the Foreign how. There remain on the island Dr. and Mrs. Powers to establish a sense of security among Vanderburgh and two children, Rev. and Mrs, the Chinese. Patterson and child, and Mrs. Melrose, in the south-west of the island, 93 miles distant from Hoihow, of whom for the last 13 days there has been no news, although they were warned of the possibility of troubles. To the south-east, about 40 miles away, there are Fathers Pitta-Lages and J. B. Lan, from whom nothing has been heard for the last week or ten days. In Hoihow itself there are still the Consuls, the Customs staff, and the missionaries, Dr. McCandliss, Rev. F.P. Gil
man and Dr. Lassel, who are waiting for their friends from the interior, Dr. Feray, attached to the French Consulate, Mr. Burke, British, and M. Perie, French Postal Agent, Mr. A. Otto and Mr. Puhlmann. It is to be hoped that nothing has happened to them, but in the present state of affairs it is impossible to feel sure. The Clara arrived in Hongkong harbour yesterday night bringing a further lot of refugees from Hoi- how.
THE SOUTH CHINESE REFUGEES.
News has been received by the local mandarins from the North, says the N.-C. Daily News, stat- 'ing that a large number of Southerners, holding
It is said that on hearing that the Ter rible was coming to Chefoo, the Taotai, as precautionary measure against accidental firing by the garrison, had the breeches of the guns of the fort removed to his Yamen. There are great number of missionaries at Chefoo from the outlying districts awaiting the turn of events. No trouble is anticipated, and the natives are bringing in the food stufis as usual.
MANCHURIAN AFFAIRS.
AN UNFRIENDLY, VICEROY; A correspondent of the N.-C. Daily News, writing of Mancharia, says that the present Viceroy is the first to show himself distinctly anfriendly to foreigners. He is a Manchu of the Manchua, and there is no doubt that he is carrying out in Moukden the reactionary policy of the rebel Prince Tuan. - Since his appointment as successor of the late Vicer I-ko-tang-a, a vast army has been raised and drilled in Lower Manchuria. It is known that he has been busily engaged plans for the defence of Moukden since the
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