New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-18
FRANCE AND CHINA.
VIEWS OF THE MARQUIS TsENG STATED.

THE UNITED STATES NOT ASKED TO MEDIATE
RUMoRED ACTION OF THE CHINESE CABINET.
LONDON, Jan. 1.-The Marquis Tseng the Chin
ESQ Ambassador, arrived here to-day
The Press Association publishes an interview
with leading member of the Chinese embassy.
He stated that China had not yet declared war
against France. although her memorandum to
Prime Minister Ferry, in which China declared
that an assault upon Sontay Hung-Hoa, Bac-
Mini would be casus beli. w0ud be carried out to
the letter. When Sontay was captured the Mar
quis TsenP withdrew from France to England to
await instructions from the Chinese Government.
These instructions since the Marquis Tseng arrived
at Folkestone, had been received, but their tenor
could not be divulged. The attack upon SOntay
by the French violation of the friendly re a.
tions between the two countries, but the Marquis
Tseng would not therefore make formal decara-
ton of war against France. France had attacked
both Hue and Sontay without declarnglwar against
China, and now threatens to attack Bac-Ninh,
where there were large bodies of Chinese troops
which would not be withdrawn, but which would
meet the French forces and protect Bac-Ninh with
all their power
Chang Tsao-Fou, the Chinese Minister to Spain,
had recently visited England, but the report was
not true that he had come to London to see Mr..
James Russell Lowell the United States Minister
to England, to obtain through him the mediation
Of the United States Government between France
and China. Chang Tsao-Fou might have met MIR.
Lowell, but in not for any such purpose as ask
ing for mediation. The United States Minister at
Madrid. Mr.. John W. Foster would be the proper
medium of any official communication that Chang
Tsao-Fou should wish to make with the United
States Government.
The Marquis Tseng, the attache continued, was
visiting London upon business of the Chinese Lega-
tion, but it was not unlikely that he would dis
cuss with Earl Granville, the British Foreign Sec
retary the present position of affairs between China
and France.
The attache most positively declared that the
Chinese Government would never entertain prop
posal to evacuate Bac-Ninh a basis of negotia-
tons for the settlement of the Tonquin question.
He declined to enter into any conversation rela-
tive to the Marquis Tsengs letter to Herr Flescher
Editor of the Deutsche Rerue recently published
in the Breslau Gazette but he stated that the letter
would be made the subject of full statement to
be published in the near future. The Marquis
Tseng, he added, had no intention of returning to
Paris at present
PARIS, Jan 1.-THE Figaro says that the English
Charge d'atfaires at Pekln has induced the Chinese
Cabinet to declare that China will be satisfied if
the French forces will abstain from invading the
cities of Lang-Son and Cao-Bnh The city of
Lang-Son is on the river Suo-ngan on the Northeast
boundary of Tonquin and near the boundary line
between Tonquin and Kuang-Si, while Goa Binh is
in the northern part of TOnquln, some sixty miles
north of Mini, on branch of the Red River:
Ii is stated that the Chinese Commander in
Chief, Li-Hang-Chang, has declared that the Chin
ese forces at Bac Nina have been ordered to with
draw twenty-five leagues TO the northward.
The mediation of America between China and
France upon the TonquIn question after the cap
ture of Bac-Ninh by the French is considered GER
tan