September 29, 1900.]
THE CRISIS IN CHINA.
· LOCAL MOVEMENTS.
H.M.8. Argonaut returned to the harbour from practice on the 21st inst.
The P. & O. steamer Bombay arrived on the 21st inst., bringing from home the Mounted Balloon Section for service in China, including 78 of all ranks, the officers being Lieut. Col. MacDonald, Captain Hume, and Lieut. Martin Leake; and a very large quantity of material.
The French transport Caledonien arrived on the 21st inst. with 27 officers and 1,055 rank and file on board.
The Ula left on the 21st inst. for Calcutta.
On the 22nd inst. the British transport Fultala returned from Woosung with Government stores on board.. The Upada also returned from
Taku. Both left on the 23rd for Calcutta.
The French transport Caledonien left on
the 23rd for Taku.
The Redpole returned on the 23rd inst. from Canton, where she has been relieved by the
Britomart.
On the 23rd inst. British transport Umta arriv ed from Calcutta on her second trip, bringing B squadron Jodpore Lancers (1 British and 3 Native officers, 119 N.C.O.'s and men, and 83 followers); a section of the 53rd Native Field Hospital (1 British officer, 5 men, and 65 followers); 4 British Staff officers, with followers; and a num- ber of horses and mules.
The Novasa also arrived on the 23rd inst. from Calcutta on her second trip, bringing nine British officers, and details of the Advance Depôt, Ordnance Field Park, Medical and Military Store Depots, British General Hospital, 15th, 51st, and 62nd Native Field Hospitals.
The British transport Rajah arrived on the 24th inst. from Calcutta, bringing the following British officers-Capts. Jackson, Quin, and Oakes, Lieuts. Branson, Colson, and Beasley, and 2nd Lieut. Manson; and a number of siege train bullocks.
The French cruiser Chasseloup Laubat also arrived on the 24th inst., having left Saigon
on the 21st inst.
H.M. gunboat Redpole went out on the 24th for practice.
The German transport Gera arrived from the South on the 24th instant accompanied by three German torpedo-boats from Singapore.
H. M. S. Redpole returned on the 25th inst. from practice.
The British transport Vadala arrived on the 26th inst. from Calcutta, bringing 7 R. E. officers, 1 British and 6 native officers, 155 N. C. O.'s and men, with 66 followers, of the Maler Kotat Sappers and Miners, and details of the 53rd Native Field Hospital, the Engineer Field Park, and Orderlies of the 4th Brigade.
Two river gunboats which have been con- structed recently for the French Government to be used on the West River left the harbour on the 26th inst, on a firing trial.
THE RUSSO-GERMAN MOVE ON PEITANG.
8
An explanation has been given us by a recent arrival from the north of the late Russo- German move
on Peitang, on the Tonku- Shanhaikwan line. When the Peking line had passed entirely into Russsian hands, it appears, the British Admiral was urged to secure Tong- shang on the Shanhaikwan line, between Peitang and Lutai. At Tongshang are number of repairing-sheds, the materials from which are required for the repair of the railway. The Admiral, however, did not see his way to do this, and consequently the Russians and Germans have undertaken the task, beginning by capturing the Peitang Forts and town. The importance of this move lies in the fact that Shankaikwan is an ice-free port, whereas Taku in winter is ice-bound. The holders of Shan- haikwan and the coast railway from it to Tonku will therefore be at a great advantage.
ALLEGED RUSSO-GERMAN
UNDERSTANDING. The Jiji's correspondent wires from Taku to his paper, under date 9th September, that Russia contemplates the annexation of the whole of the districts lying north of the Peking walls, and that Germany desires to absorb
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE RÈPORT.
249
Shantung and Kiangsu. The Tokyo papered. We branched off to the right and got into editorially comments on this piece of intelli- a terrible plight, having to wade through salt gence in the most guarded manner, but hints | ponds and mud until our clothes were only fit that there is some foundation in it, and thinks to be thrown away. Finally we extricated that is also entertained among diplomatic ourselves and hearing firing all around thought circles in Peking. The same correspondent it wisest to get with the troops so joined the reports that Russia, instead of diminishing her Germans. troops, will reinforce the 12.000 already station- ed in Peking. Another equally sensational item of nows in the same journal is that a consider able force of Gorman troops will march over- land to certain points along the Yangtzekiang. by way of Haichow and Su-chow.
AN "IMPERIAL" DECREE. The following alleged Imperial decree was
issued on the 7th inst. at Taiyuanfu the pro- vincial capital of Shansi :-
“We have successfully escorted the Empress Dowager to take temporary refuge here in Taiyuanfu while, in the meantime, we had already commanded the Grand Secretaries, Yang Lu, Hsu Tung, and K'un Kang, the High Ministers Ch'ung Li (Commander of the Peking Gendarmerie), Yu Tê Chin Sing, Pu Shan, A K'ê-tan, Na Tung and Ch'ên K'nei- lung, to remain in Peking to conduct the Government and we have now again sent Prince Chang, 1st Order, to Peking to meet Li Hung- chang and in conjunction with him to negotiate matters with the various Powers. Now the present difficulties first arose through the Iho- chuan (Boxers) commencing trouble and it is therefore necessary to root them out and stop up the fountain of their origin. We cannot restore order unless We and suppress them.
earnestly attack The Boxers (they are not termed Outlaws as should be the case if the Empress Dowager's advisers were truly earnest about it) are like rank grass and flourish in Chihli more than anywhere else. Before Li Hung-chang arrives in Chihli, there fore, we command Ting Yung, acting Viceroy of said province, to begin at once to obey our orders and to transmit them to the civil and military officers under him to make strict search for and assist to the best of their ability to root out and utterly destroy these Boxers. Should it hereafter appear that these Boxers still continue to march about in bands creating disorder in the country and denying the Government authorities, we look to the said acting Viceroy to lead his troops and exert himself to destroy them in order to clear the country of those pests and give the masses peace."
(This, of course, does not refer to the large guard of Boxers who are with the Empress Dowager, says the N. C. Daily News, from whom we take the translation and comments).
THE ATTACK ON PEITANG FORTS. Mr. J. C. Hemment, a war correspondent from Peking and Tientsin, gave theN.-Ĉ. Daily News the following account of the attack on the Peitang forts :-
on the
About 2 a.m. the Russian artillery opened fire and had fired six shots before there was any reply from the forts. Then the forts opened fire on the left (South) and soon the firing con- tinued all along the line from four different positions, towards the right. They were firing shrapnel which continually burst over and around us. The firing was very lively and the Chineso gunners made very good practice. We advanced with the infantry, leaving the artillery in the rear to cover us. The advance continued about two miles, and then at daybreak the attack began in earnest. The Chinese had got splendid range, but I could not make out what damage they were doing. Shells were pouring on to our section from the Southern fort.
We advanced steadily for about a mile and the firing continued. Suddenly a mine exploded on our left. This seemed to enrage the troops but the artillery continued firing very steadily. About five minutes afterwards another
mine exploded with & terriflo roar. It must have been about 200 yards in length and caught the Russians and Germans like an earthquake. Two mounted officers and their ponies were blown into the air and what was left of them dropped within about twenty. yards of where we were standing, ihe Russians ran pell-mell and so did we, for no one knew where the next mine might ex- plode. The explosion was followed by more firing and our troops began to collect and get in their wounded.
Up to this time the Infantry had not fired a shot. For a time all was confusion and we could see nothing, but at 7 o'clock we noticed that the shells were going right into the forts. Soon we saw volumes of smoke and this was followed by flames: the forts were on fire. Two of the Chinese guns on the right (North) of the forts had now been put out of action as had also one of our guns in the centre. Only one
gun was now firing from the forts, and this kept on pretty regularly, firing a shotin about every three minutes. The firing then gradually became less, and about 8 o'clock a heavy rain commenced and we had to move away to preserve our cameras and apparatus from the rain. As we returned we met the trains and ambulances coming up. We also learnt that an advance was to be made at once and the forts were to be occupied, The artillery were proceeding as we left. That evening two British guns came up by train. They had Lyddite ammunition and were ready to be of use wherever they were required. Two or three miles out, however, the road was com» plotely blocked and the Germans said that it was impossible to clear the way for them so they never came into action at all.
THE JAPANESE EMPEROR AND THE TROOPS. The Emperor of Japan has addressed the following message to the Army and Navy -
Fighting amid great heat in a strange land, our military and naval forces, in co-operation with those of Foreign Powers, have overcome obstacles and conquered a stout resistance, dis- charging their duty ably, and finally reaching Peking and accomplishing the object of say- ing the Ministers. We strongly applaud this achievement, and we trust that our forces will continue their zealous discharge of our com mands, and their careful observance of discipline, to the further enhancement of our Empire's military reputation.”
We arrived at Tientsin, from Yangtsun, on Wednesday, the 19th inst. At about three o'clock in the afternoon we noticed that the German troops were moving, and on asking what was taking place we were informed that an attack was to be made forts at Peitang. The German troops board. ed the train and the band played them away. A detachment of French Artillery had come down to Tientsin, but I am not certain whether they took part in the attack. We entered the train with the troops. On arrival at Chunliangcheng the greater part of the German troops disembarked. Thes were to form the centre of the attack ing party, and the Russians were to have the left position. Two companies went on to Tangku and after disembarking, assembled there and waited until 11 p.m. When we got into the station we waited there and at last we
This message was accompanied by various heard that an attack was to be made that night. presents for the troops and was conveyed by an The Germans were joined by the Russians Imperial Chamberlain to the officers command. encamped there, supplemented by some Russiansing at sea and on shore, by whom suitable from the men-of-war. At about 12 p.m. the replies were made. German Colonel and his Staff-officers had a consultation with the Russian Colonel and his Staff and a train was immediately put together, all the officers taking command of their compa nies. Knowing that two other correspondents had been seen and sent back, we hid in a fiat car at the rear of the train and managed to accompany the troops unobserved. The train proceeded about four miles and then the troops disembark-'
THE PUNISHMENT OF THE GUILTY. The following Chinese official despatch ema- nates from Shanxi :---A memorial of the 2nd inst. from Li Hung-chang, containing the requests of the various Foreign Powers before pesce negotiations would be permitted, amongst which is that of the demand for the execution of Prince Tuan and Kang-yi, elicited the following Ee
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