The Washington weekly post., 1900-08-28
REARATTACK ON ALLIES
Chinese Moving to Cut Off the
Force Holding Pekin.
C0NGER AND CHAFFEE ARE SILENT
Absolute Absence of 0ffciai New. from the
Front, Except japanese Dispatch Tell
ins Of Renewed activity On the Part Of
the Euemy-Ne Uneasiuess Felt as TO the
KesuIi-DeBiaf Of Rumsr that Three OF
the Powers Have Declared War.


ResuIt-Deniaf Of Rumsr that Three OF
the Powers Have Declared War.
Officials OF the State, War. and Navy
Departments were at their desks early
yesterday: but up 10 the hour Of closing
for the day not a word had been heard
from Minister Conger, Cen Chaffee, or
Admiral Remey. Since the dispatch from
Consul Fowler was received late last
Thursday night, the Department OF State
has received no adyices from any source
in China. except a brief cabiegram from
Minister Conger inquiring how he should
route his messages. The text of the dis
patch, which, Il was explained, was very
brief and purely administrative in char
acter. was not made public.
The War Department has received no
dspatcf. from Gen. Chanee, known to
have come directly from him, for about
week Cablegrams signed "Chaffee" nave
been received. but as they contained only
lists of casualties it is assumed they
were sent by some subordinate officer in
Gen. Chaffee's name. From no official
source has the department learned of the
departure u AOlAE <tllltiiNdl-S AAbil tAl-A
for Tientsin, as reported in special dis
patch to London newspaper under date
Of August l9 Advices from Gen. Chahee
are expected hourly. as the military tele-
graph line between Tientsin and Pekin,
which has been interrupted, presumably
is being or has been repaired. Imperative
instructions were sent Saturday to the
commander of the United States forces
at Tientsin to have the line restored at
once under the protection OF a cavalry de-
tachment.
Probable Cause Of Delay.
A suspicion exists here that the delay In
messages both from and TO Washington
is rather between Chefoo and Shanghai
than between Tientsin and Pekin. From
Chefoo to Shanghai the telegraph line IS
i'm control Of the Chinese authorities. and
it is suspected they are not 50 prompt in
the transmission of messages as they
might be.
Late in the day dispatch was received
at the japanese Legation from the foreign
Office of Japan conveying the latest and
most authentic information of the situa-
ton in and around Pekin. In a measure,
the advices were of a disquieting nature,
as they indicated that the Chinese had
rallied their forces and were preparing for
an attack upon the allies in Pekin. If it
should prove that the allied forces were
besieged in Pekin, it would account for
the lack of advices from Gen. Chaffee.
As made public by Minister Takdhira. the
dispatch from the Japanese foreign Office
al Toxic is as follows:
"An official telegram. dated Pekin. Au-
gust is, was received at Toxic from Gen
Yamaguchi. commander of the japanese
forces, to the following effect:
THE capital Is now entirely cleared of
the enemy. cavalry regiment which had
been sent 20 Wan-Shau-Shan (where the
Empress Dowagers palace is located re-
ports that the imperial family. who had
left Pekin August IA, started, after short
rest at Wan-ShauShan, for the west, and
were under the escort of Gen. Ma and his
troops, consisting Of Cnly about 800 horse
men and % carts The Jaranese forces
occupied the treasury department, in
which over ,wo million taels IN silver md
a large quantity Of rice were found.
Battle Expected ou fhe Goth.
Another telegraphic dispatch. dated
Taku, August q, states that as the Chi
nese troops and Boxers who had gathered
at Nan-Yuen were about 10 attack the
foreign forces at Pekin, japanese and
Russian cavalry were expected to en-
counter them on the GOTH The dispatch
further states that Chinese infantry, some
5000 strong, with fifteen guns, are advanc-
ing northward from Shantung to make a
rear attack on the allies"
A copy of the dispatch was transmitted
tc Acting Secretary Adee, at the Depart
ment of State and by him furnished TO
the President. While the news of a possi-
BILE rear attack upon the comparatively
small force of the allies was not received
with surprise, It generally was not re-
garded as serious, as the foreign forces
are believed to be abundantIy able TO take
care of themselves against any force of
Chinese likely TO be sent against them
In the absence Of official information
from China or from United States officers
there, interest yesterday centered in the
diplomatic phases of the existing trouble.
The statement is made upon authority Of
the highest character that Russia, Ger
many. and Japan have not declared war
upon China, either separately or in con-
cert.
what those nations may do within the
next fOrty-eight hours, or within the next
fortnight is a question which no one in
Washington is prepared to answer.
Chefoo Rumor Discredited.
4 brief dispatch from Chefoo conveying
a rumor current there that the powers
named had joined in a declaration of war
upon China aroused some interested com
ment among Washington officials and
among diplomatic representatives of for
eign governments resident here. In neither
official nor diplomatic circles, however.
was the rumor taken seriously No in
formation of such action has reached
either the Department of State or the le-
cations Of the governments primarily In
tereSted. That fact alsne Is accepted I'm
official circles as a sufficient refutation of
the rumOT.
The rumor of a declaration OF war By
Russia, IT is explained, may have grown
out Of the operations of the troops of the
Car In the protection Of the southeastern
frontier Of his empire, or ii may have
arisen from the reported statement Of the
commander of the Russian forces at Pekin
that his government was at war with
China, and therefore he must prohibit
communication with the Chinese. Neither
the operations Of Russia on her frontier
nor the prohibition by a Russian general
of communication with the Chinese would
constitute, ii is said, a declaration of war
by Russia. No general, by mere dictucI
could declare war Even his statement
that his government had declared war
would not make IL so.
Only by Action Of Coneress.
A declaration of war, ii is pointed out
by the best authorities. is a perfectly dis
tlnct and obvious proceeding. In this
country a declaration Of war may be made
onIy nv EurrrPSS Only oura IN the rreS-