MARCH OF EVENTS IN CHINA.
A DESPATCH from Canton, China, of August 15, states that all is quiet there; but a later despatch shows that the situation there has become serious, and the Boxer sentiment is spreading rapidly. At Swatow the agitation against the Christians and missionaries is said to be alarming. In view of the uncertainty of the situation at Shanghai, the United States cruiser New Orleans has gone to that port. After the capture of Yang Tsun, the foreign commanders decided to push on to Peking at once. On August 14 the allies captured the city of Chang Chi Wan, with slight loss. The Chinese fled, leaving 500 dead on the field. The city of Peking was attacked on August 15, and the gates blown open with guncotton, the allies entering from three directions. After some street fighting, the allies marched to the various legations for their protection, and established strong guards around them. The imperial Chinese army retired within the sacred walls of the “forbidden city,” where they are bombarded by the allies. Reports conflict as to the whereabouts of the empress dowager and the emperor, some stating that they are still in the “forbidden city,” and others that they have fled to the province of Shan Si. The loss to the attacking allies was considerable, and the Chinese also lost heavily, making in some places a stubborn defense. China is again making appeals through Li Hung Chang for a cessation of hostilities on the part of the powers, but it is not thought that any attention will be given to this new appeal, as the Chinese earl has no power to control his hostile countrymen. A council of the nations to determine the future of China is what is now being proposed by some of the powers interested, and it seems quite possible that this step will soon be taken. Russia continues her independent operations in Manchuria. At Medua Chi the Russians defeated the Chinese on August 12, and advanced to Yak Shi, where they captured an abundance of stores. At Aigun the Russians found a force of 9,000 infantry and cavalry, with 12 guns, in a strong position. After a stubborn resistance, the Chinese were compelled to withdraw. Another battle occurred at Chingan Pass on August 16, which is reported to have been a bloody engagement. The Chinese suffered heavily and lost a number of cannon. The day before the capture of Peking the Chinese made a final attack on the legations, which the ministers declare was carried out by the imperial Chinese troops. Minister Conger states that the Chinese Government is directly responsible for all the attacks the legations have sustained. WHEN it was first announced that Great Britain would land troops at Shanghai, the consuls of all the powers at that place protested. England prepared to withdraw, and the English at home were much displeased. The conditions at Shanghai, however, became menacing, and there was a willingness that the English troops land. Now Japan, Germany, and France are also preparing to land troops, ostensibly to protect their local interests, but really to prevent England's absorption of the commerce of the Yang-tse Valley. Thus are the foreign powers already ranging themselves against one another for the final settlement. The Japanese press is urging that, as Japan has borne the principal burdens in the operations in China, she must see to it that the future of China is not determined merely by the pleasure of the Western powers. They are pointing out that determined action on the part of Japan, England, and the United States will be able to avert the danger of the partition of China. Semi-official Japanese papers even go so far as to state that if occasion arises, Japan can send 50,000 troops on short notice, and if the powers are determined to play a selfish part, she will take special measures to prevent it. The situation grows more alarming with each new day's developments. ADVICES from South Africa state that the British garrison at Elands River has been relieved by Lord Kitchener after an engagement with the Boers. The escape of the Boer general, De Wet, when so nearly surrounded, is causing considerable anxiety in England. The tact of De Wet in eluding his 80,000 pursuers, capturing detachments of the English, breaking up their line of communication, and securing warm clothing for his whole army of about 7,000 men, is winning the admiration of the military world. A special despatch from Pretoria states that De Wet camped within five miles of that city on August 21, and conducted a brisk engagement with General Mahon. Lord Roberts has issued a proclamation to the effect that all burghers who break their oath of neutrality will be punished by imprisonment or death. THE Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions has received a cable message from Chefoo stating that all their missionaries at Pao Ting Fu have been killed. The Congregational missionaries at this place have also been killed. A number of these missionaries were from Portland, Maine. The Protestant (German) missions at Tie-chi, Chin Namon, and Luk Hang have been totally destroyed. These were in the northern and southern parts of the province of Quang Tung. A cablegram has been received at the office of the China Inland Mission, Toronto, stating that seven members of that society have been killed while trying to reach a place of safety. THE Roumanian Government, according to a special despatch from Vienna, has addressed a sharp note, almost amounting to an ultimatum, to Bulgaria, demanding the arrest of the president of a certain revolutionary committee and the suppression of that organization. Bulgaria's reply was couched in most aggressive terms, and she is moving her troops toward the Roumanian frontier. Roumania is also mobilizing her army, and the king has warned his officers to be ready for war, which might come at any moment. The report states that Roumania's minister to Bulgaria will be recalled immediately. FRANCE has taken alarm at England's gigantic fort and harbor preparations at Dover, only twenty-one miles from the French coast, and is planning for equally massive fortifications at Calais, and an equally commodious harbor for war ships at Bologne, and is planting guns that will dispute with England for the command of the entrance to the Channel. When war comes, as both powers expect sooner or later, there will be a terrible clash in the narrow Strait of Dover. THE capacity of the great electric power plant established on the American side of Niagara Falls is to be doubled. The work is now in progress. Possibly an enlargement of the plan on the Canadian side will follow. It is certainly within the range of the possibilities of the next ten years that the entire volume of the waterfall will be diverted for the transformation of its energy into electricity. If so, one of the world's greatest natural wonders will thus become extinguished, in obedience to the demands of this utilitarian age.—S. F. Chronicle. FOR a number of days the city of Kalamazoo, Mich., has been experiencing a plague of grasshoppers and crickets. At the twilight hour swarms of them invade the business districts, and these and other insects fill up the arc-light globes and smother the lights. Residences and stores have been invaded by them, and restaurants have been compelled to close while the insects were driven out. The pests are of an extraordinarily large size, and the noise they make at night is said to be deafening. In the trials connected with the murder of William Goebel, the contestant for the governorship of Kentucky, former Secretary of State Caleb Powers has been found guilty as an accessory before the fact, and condemned to life imprisonment in the State penitentiary. Powers still maintains that he was never guilty of connection with the conspiracy to kill Goebel. The attorneys for Powers will move a new trial, and, failing that, will take an appeal. AT the meeting of the International Typographical Union, held at Milwaukee, August 16, it was voted, 131 to 19, to so amend their constitution as to provide for a censorship of all labor papers or pamphlets. This was for the purpose of preventing the printing of matter reflecting on the standing or character of members of the union in union publications. The labor editors, however, have promised to ignore the legislation. FOURTEEN hundred Cuban school-teachers have been visiting America to observe American school methods. That few of these were Protestants may be guessed from the fact that the whole 1,400, according to report from Washington, attended a requiem mass at St. Patrick's Church before their departure from the capital. A YOUNG inventor of Amherst, Mass., has succeeded in perfecting a process for waterproofing or parchmentizing any kind of paper. Heretofore this has only been possible with certain rag or cotton paper. It is regarded as a very valuable discovery, as paper thus treated is impervious to water or grease. MEMORIAL services for the late King Humbert, of Italy, were held in St. Mary's Catholic Church, at Washington, on August 19. The service was attended by the President and his cabinet, officers of the army and navy, the ambassadors and ministers of foreign countries, and many in civil life. THE population of the city of Chicago, according to the returns of the twelfth census, is 1,698,575. Altho this is an increase of over fifty per cent., Chicago is disappointed, and claims that the returns should have shown a population of over two million. ENGLAND is much worried at the present time over the unfitness of her militia for service, as shown in Lord Wolseley's verdict, which applied to some 30,000 men whom he was reviewing, a whole army corps. THE army transport Warren sailed from San Francisco August 16 with 762 members of the Ninth Cavalry and a large quantity of ammunition. These troops and the ammunition are for service in China. The list of awards to American exhibitors at the Paris Exposition was made public August 17. American exhibitors secured in all 1,981 prizes, nearly every form of art and industry being exhibited. THE buildings of the Kelly Ax Manufacturing Company, at Alexandria, Indiana, were burned on August 19. The property loss is placed at about $800,000, besides $150,000 worth of finished stock. ON the 15th and 16th of August serious anti-negro riots occurred in different parts of the city of New York, and many negroes were injured. Several attempts at lynching were barely frustrated. A SEVERE wind-storm struck the city of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on August 20, destroying more than 200 buildings. Altho the property loss was more than $300,000, no fatalities are reported. A WIND and hailstorm visited North Dakota on August 16, and, according to the report, destroyed 40,000 acres of the finest wheat in the State. A YOUTH of twenty was arrested at Leipsic on August 16, who admits having been appointed by lot to kill King Albert, of Saxony. RECENT floods in Japan are said to have destroyed much railway and other property, and caused a loss of life aggregating 200. THE population of the city of New York, with all that is now included in that name, is 3,437,202.