The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-08-17
CHINA'S APPEAL TOO LATE
Continued from First Page.l

be allowed to stand and they would
seem to provide for all the action re-
quired under the circumstances stated
by Earl Ii in his dispatch.
'Adee, Acting Secretary State
The appeal of China and the prompt
+ response of the American government
were the subject of supreme interest
throughout the day. Coming at mo-
ment when the allied armies were in the
shadow of the great walls of Pekin, the
circumstances in which the correspond
ence occurred were Of a peculiarly mo-
mentous character, The president had
just returned from a brief respite at
Canton mad, going to the White mouse,
found his advisors ready to present to
him the issue now advanced by China,
the appeal from Ii Hung Chang came
first to the Chinese minister, who, ear
1y in the day, conveyed it to the de-
partment of state. Although 1t was not
the regular day for a meeting of the
cabinet, word was conveyed to those
cabinet officers in the city that a spe-
cial cabinet session would be held at II
O'Clock Secretary Root was with the
president before the meeting opened,
presenting the Chinese communications
and the dispatches of instructions al
ready sent to General Chaffee. With
the presidetn at the cabinet table We're
Secretaries Root, Gag. Wilson and
Postmaster General Smith. The conclu-
Sions reached can be stated best by
reference to the succinct response OF
the United States government set forth
in the official announcement.
After the cabinet meeting the Ameri-
can reply was sent to the Chinese min
lister who, later in the day, cabled 1t to
Lii Hung Chang. Thus the issue was
framed, finally and unalteraby. The
United States declined even to consider
the proposition of Ii Hung Chang for
a halt and an armistice at Tung Chow.
Even the supreme appeal of the VEN
cradle Chinese statesman that the Chi
nese empire would be shaken by an ad-
vance Of the allies beyond Tung Chow
was not needed. The answer of the
United States is that our position is
the same now as it had been from the
outset. namely that the ministers must
be delivered at the walls of Pekin and
in such circumstances as will meet the
Judgment of the military commanders
on the spot.
The American memorandum OF reply
gives Ii Hung Chang practically moth
ing beyond a repetition of the two des-
patches heretofore sent to General Chat-
fee. The first dispatch of August IL
gives sharp responses to Earl LIS
communication, laying down the condi-
ton that the forces composing the re-
lief expedition shall be permitted to
enter Pekin unmolested." The second
dispatch Of August IA merely amplifies
General Chaffee's authority in anticipa-
ton of Chinas acceptance of the
American demand that the relief col
umn must enter Pekin. This second or
der to General Chaffee specifically
states that If the Chinese authorities
are willing to deliver the legationers
Ito relief column at Pekin' then Cen
eral Chaffee is authorized to make and
carry out an arrangement in concert
with other commanders without await
ing a reference to Washington. Wheth-
er this arrangement committed to Cen
eral Chaffee is to be an armstice,
truce or some other device of military
science is for him to decide at Pekfn.
The two dispatches to him contemplate
ection only at Pekin
Thus there can be no n1isunderstand-
ing of the issue as made up. Ii Hung
Chang's appeal for en- armistice at Tung
Chow is rejected and the continually re-
iterated demand of the United States
chat the ministers be delivered to the
allied troops at Pekin is re-enforced.
The latest dispatch from Minister
Conger brought little information be-
yond that already in hand. In one re-
epect, however. it gave the government
strong encouragement as 1t was al
most a categorical answer to the inqui-
ries of the state department. This was
the first definite knowledge that we
were in direct touch with our minister, |
for all of his dispatches, up to to-day
had conveyed information without ref
erence to the repeated inquiries of the
That the situation is des !
perate is shown by his statement that |
one of the attacks upon the legation oc-
CURED the night before the dispatch |
was sent. Mr.. Conger has sent the list
of that brave little band of American |
marines who fell in defense of the lega- |
tion and it is evident that the minister |
is informed of the approach of the allies |
as he says Nearing allied forces gives