The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-24
Circulation Statement.
Peace Prospects in China.

II apptal- ildl pSAlSiN'I NLS'ASC S@NN'N"'
reported that he had as many troops as
he needs for present purposes In conse-
quence of this information the War De-
partment at once ordered that the Te-en-
foreements now on their WY 10 China
should proceed to Manila instead. There
will be bitter disappointment among the Of
heers and men, on board the transports now
at sea. when they reach Nagasaki and find
that intsead OF a chance for service and
distinction in the war with China they
are K spend the next two or three years
hunting sni2ins TagaIs through the
swamps of Lazon
Chaffee ought 10 know what he is talk
ing about especially as he has the benefit
OF Minister Conger's advice and expert
ence; but the sti1 fight put up near Tien-
tsin by the Chinese troops against the
Sixth Cavalry. assisted by the japanese
troops and the British General Forwards
command, suggests the suspicion that the
war may not be as near finish as might
be thought. This is all the more probable
il view Of the disquieting news received
this morning. of a serious native outbreak
al Annoy, where American interests are
paramount. and the last place that our
authorities have looked 10 for trouble
Admiral Remey has been ordered TO send
ships, and il may be necessary to land
troops as we'll The outbreaks At Annoy
and other southern points are a disagree
able surprise to the Administration, which,
with habiLual optimism has been expect
ing an immediate restoration Of order and
speedy termination Of the war. II
is possible that the State Depart
u,ent has some means O: learning that
the Chinese Government is willing 10
restore order and ste for peace II the
St. Petersburg story. that the Empress
Dowager is near Pekin and surrounded.
be true-and it must be regarded as OF
very doubtful credibiIity-t there is no
question that the situation can be cleared
up with ease and despatch.
Apparently the allies in Pekin, except
the Russian contingent, have ceased fight
ing. The decision af General Chaffee and
all but enc of his colleagues to spare the
Forbidden City, vas no doubt the result
of conferences with the diplomatic repre-
sentatives of the several Governments in
terested in the war The dissent of the
Russian commander, on the ground that
should have been expected, and should not
occasion surprise anywhere OF course the
Gar declared war on China. So did the
Kaiser. Queen Victoria, and President Ne
Kinlsy When the Chinese Government
murdered the German Minister and at
tackled The legations with the settled puT-
pose OF massacTing every person in them,
that was declaration of war On the part
of China When the allies landed troops
and began to fight battles with the Chinese
ARMY. that was an acceptance Of the Chi
nese declaration and a counter declaration
OF war by the American Executive, and
Great Britain, Germany, Russia France,
and Japan. Il does not in the least mat
ter whether The Car went to the unnec
essaFy trouble of putting the fact III the
form of a written notice or not The dec
lsrations were made in. acts of var-in the
prosecution OF regular hostile military OF
erati0us en- both sides, including battles,
sieges bombardments. and all the rest of
the things that constitute an uuquestona-
BILE state Of war. That condition will have
to be recognized before negotiations for
peace are opened; otherwise China viii
have a great diplomatic advantage in the
Mckinley Administration more than any
thing else, most of the powers have main
tanned that what has been going on in the
Empire was not war, but something else
Adhesion to that Dretence would enable
China TO resort TO the equally gauzy fc-
tion that the Chinese Government is not
responsible for anything that has happen
ed, everything having been plotted and
done by the Boxer rebels
Probably it is in view Of this important
consideration that some OF Mr. Nj -Kinley's
advisers are now talking guardedly about
the probability that Congress is to be
called in extraordinary session. We are
going to demand d war Indemnity from
China, and that would be queer pro-
ceedtng if based upon an antecedent con-
dition Of peace.