Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1900 — ARMY TO QUIT PEKIN. [ARTICLE]

ARMY TO QUIT PEKIN.

UNITED STATES WILL REDUCE ITS FORCE. This Government Rejects Proposition of Germany/anl Is Unwilling to Defer Peace Negotiations Until Persons Responsible for Crimes Are Punished. The United States made a new move Friday in the game of diplomacy now being played in China, and that night President McKinley left Washington for Canton, having disposed of the proposals made by Germany, Russia, and China. Russia proposed the withdrawal of troops from Pekin. This has been disposed of by instructing Gen. Chaffee to withdraw from China, leaving a legation guard, to consist of one regiment of infantry, one squadron of cavalry, and a battery'of artillery. China urged that peace negotiations begin at Once. Without agreeing to an independent course, the President has instructed Minister Conger to arrange the preliminaries to a peace conference. He has ’also recognized Li Hung Chang and Prince Ching as peace commissioners on the part of China. Germany suggested the advisability of demanding the surrender of guilty Chinese leaders before the beginning of peace negotiations. On the general proposition that those responsible for outrages on foreigners should be punished, this government is in thorough accord with Germany, but that this should be done before opening peace negotiations does not meet with approval. Gen. Chaffee was instructed to retire from Pekin with all his troops, except one regiment of infantry, one squadron of cavalry, and a battery of artillery. It was determined that this force should be quartered in the legation compound and perform the duties ,of a legation guard during Minister Conger’s stay in Pekin. He will be accompanied by this guard should he go to any other point to continue negotiations. The legation guard will consist of about 1,800 troops. Battery F of the Fifth Artillery is the only American battery in China, and this will form a part of the guard. The order to Admiral Remey directed him to prepare to withdraw the marines from the shore to their respective vessels. They will then be transferred to Cavite in the Philippines. This reduction of the military force in China leaves on foreign soil but little less than half of Gen. Chaffee’s original expedition of 5.000 men. The withdrawal is to be made as rapidly as conditions in China will permit, the troops retiring to Tien-Tsin gradually and from there to Taku, where they will embark on the transports Indiana and Sumner, which have been held in readiness for such service. The supply ships now at Taku will take the bulk of their cargo to Manila, leaving in China a supply sufficient to meet the requirements of the legation guard for the winter. * CHINESE EXPLODE MINES. Allies Lose 300 Killed and Wounded in Storming of Peitang Forts. Five thousand Russians and Germans attacked the Peitang forts Thursday morning. After a bloody battle the forts were destroyed. Three hundred of the allies were killed and wounded by land mines exploded by the Chinese. The latter lost heavily. The attack on the forts began at 2a. m. The forts replied with a hot artillery' fire, well directed against the camp of the Russian infantry. At daybreak the allied forces advanced ami the Chinese received them with a rattling rifle fire, in addition to shells from heavy guns. The ground was mined over which the allies advanced and the explosion of the mines killed and wounded almost all the 300 men who fell.