§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI beg to ask the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether there is any news as to events in China.
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordYes, Sir, information received to-day leaves no doubt that Admiral Seymour has been extricated, and Tientsin relieved. We have a telegram dated Tientsin, 24th June, as follows:—
News of Commander-in-Chief arrived yesterday, and party leaves to-night to succour him. He had seized a small arsenal north of Tientsin called Wu-ku, and was being bombarded by large number of guns. He was in urgent need of relief, having had about forty-killed and seventy wounded. This news was-brought by a servant of one of the members of the Legation who is fully trustworthy. Foreign settlements were shelled from 18th June to 23rd June. Damage done comparatively alight except in French concession, which has suffered greatly. British Consulate a good deal knocked about. British casualties at Tientsin up to date of relief, four killed and fifty wounded, including in latter six officers.Sir Charles Scott telegraphed from St. Petersburg at noon to-day—Further official telegram from Admiral Alexieff, Port Arthur, June 27th During 1333 night of 26th, column from Tientsin, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Shirinsky, and consisting of four Russian companies and similar number of foreigners, liberated Admiral Seymour's column, escorting it to Tientsin. 200 of Seymour's column wounded.I notice in private telegrams, which give the casualties in greater detail, that the number of wounded is placed much higher. We have no news of the Legations beyond that communicated to the press last night, namely, that Sir R. Hart stated they had orders to leave Peking on 20th June. The allied forces at Ta-ku and Tientsin have now been considerably augmented, but we are not aware what action the commanders propose to take.