Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-06
An Independent Investigation Into
Them to Be Made.
STATE DEPARTMENTS DETERMINATION
British Consul Could Not Co.
operate for Some Weeks.
OTHER REASONS FOR ACTION

II Is learned at the State Department to-
DAY that the United States government has
oecioeo 10 enter forthwith upon an inde.
pendent investigation of the Cheng-tu riots,
Win the cooperation of a Chinese repre-.
sentative AS at first arranged the in
quiry was to have been in cooperation with
England. but there has been a change Of
plan within the past few days. occssioned.
partly. by the fact that the British consul
at Chung-king, who is to conduct the in
Vestigatfon on behalf of his government,
and to whom, with the concurrence of an
american missionary member, 1t was at
nrst proposed to intrust the preliminary
investigation Of the facts, has been de.
tanned at his post. and it is said will not be
eble to begin the inquiry for a month or
more.
other Reasons for This Action.
There are also understood to be other
reasons why the State Department of this
government has decided upon an inde-
pendent investigation. such as France has
already made. and such as England will
make later. 1t is not true. however, as has
been represented, that the policy of this
government has been changed by any feel
ing OF dissatisfaction or resentment caused
by whatever apparent delay has super.
vened on Englands part in proceeding with
the inquiry. The department also unques-
uenably has other reasons, which it Is not
yet prepared to make public.
China Is expected to lend her support to
the American inquiry to the extent of SUP.
plying an escort to the persons who viii
conduct 1t, but who have not yet been
designated, and will probably furnish an
official who will cooperate with the Amert-
can investigator as in the Ku Cheng in
vestigation. The investigation is expected
to be made by some official now on the
Chinese coast. 1t will probably take a
month to reach Cheng-tu, which Is the capi.
tai of the interior province of Sxechuan,
ard lies some 1,5OO miles from the nearest
ocean port
Communicating With Mr. DENLY.
For the last fortnight Acting Secretary Of
State Adee has been in communication
with Mr.. DENLY on this subject, and there
is every reason to believe that just as soon
as consul Of the United States on the
seacoast can reach Chengtu the investiga-
ton will begin. The remoteness Of this
point from any place where a consular
representative of this government is To-
Gated led the State Department to request
the British authorities, shortly after the
sular representative, whom they had or
dered to make the investigation, to take
care of American interests. This was
nearly two months ago, and although Brit
appear to be SO in the Chengtu incident.
While none of the American missionaries
met with injury in the Chengtu riots, the
missions were all destroyed. and 1t was
charged that the Chinese officials refused
protection to their occupants until after the
mob had finished it's work of destruction.
Minister DENLY cabled to the department
about the matter, and after correspondence
with the British government he was in-
structed to ask Sir N. r. OConor, the Brit
ish minister in Pekin, to direct the British
consul at Chinking. a place a short dis
tance from Chengtu, to make an investiga.
ton for the United States government az
well as for his own.
Would Wait No Longer.
The matter remained in this condition
until few days ago, when the State De-
partment was informed that the British
consul would not be able to begin his in
vestigation for several weeks. 1t was
thereupon decidedsto wait no longer for
British action, but to undertake an inde-
pendent Investigation without further de-
lay. The British government has been adj
vised accordingly, and there will be no in
terruption in the friendly cooperation OF
the two governments in the protection OF
foreign interests in the oriental kingdom.