The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-05
TIE WORST NOW FEARED
Officials Abandon All Hope of
Minister Conger's Safety.
The Last Runner Left Pekin q Week
Ago Nothing Heard From the
American Representative for Three
Weeks-Tnlk of the Dismember-
nient of China Takes n New Turn.

The anxiety of the Government authori-
ties in regard to Minister Conger and the
other Americans in Pekin was not re-
lieved yesterday by a single word from
any official source. The Secretary of State
and the Secretary of the Navy said last
night that they had received nothing what
ever bearing or the situation in China
since Tuesday.
WI Ting-fang the Chinese Minister. has
a despatch from the viceroy at Marking
urging the United States Government.
through him, not to send any troops into
the provinces over which the yiceroy pre-
sides. The State Department has already
acted finally on this matter, having ex-
planned to the viceroys of the southern
provinces that so long as they maintain
order and protect foreigners, their ter
ritory will not be invaded by American
armed forces.
Out of the combination Of the viceroys
of the Yanktse-Kiang Valley and south
ern China generally to rule their districts
without reference to the situation in
Pekin, may come the building up OF a Few
Chinese Empire. Should the capture of
Pekin and the overthrow Of Prince Tuan,
the usurper, be long delayed. the partition
of China by the Chinese themselves is not
ar improbable outcome.
There has been some talk OF this in
Government and diplomatic circles. and
the officials who have discussed it con-
slider such a division as likely to occur.
NJ turally Ii Hung Chang, now Viceroy
of Canton, who has allied himself against
the Tuan or Boxer party, would become
the sovereign of this territory. If CONSOLE
dasion of the southern provinces is Sc
cured.
Some of those who are discussing this
situation are inclined to the opinion, how
ever that a more satisfactory arrange
N mt would be the division of the south
ern portion of the Empire into separate
States. each ruled by sovereign prince.
In that way an anti-foreign outbreak could
be suppressed more quickly by the powers.
There is considerable dismay here over
the reports from Taku that the allies are
not preparing to advance on Pekin. Be
tween $1,000 and 10000 foreign troops are
ashore and there is a strong feeling that
despite the overwhelming numerical supe-
riority of the Chinese forces. the interna-
tional forces are sufficiently large to cope
with them.
An official of an important foreign estab-
lishme,it in Washington who has spent
much time in the Orient, and who has ex-
amined recent official information about
the character of the Chinese army and its
preparedness for war. says that the stories
about great preparations of China for hos
tilities through the Importation of ammu-
milton, artillery and other supplies on a
10 ha
Chinese army, he maintains. is in the
same state Of unpreparedness that charac-
terized it at the outbreak of the war with
Japan.
The troops he says. are no better drilled
than they were then and could not sue
cessfully oppose a much smaller force OF
trained foreign troops. 1t is expected,
however, that Japan will put at least 20
600 more soldiers on Chinese soil and Rus
STA is likely to have force equally large.
Reports received by the military intelli-
gence office here show that Russia will be
able to throw an immense army into China
should she decide to do SO. Along her
Asatic frontier alone she has 100000
troops.
1t was just week ago yesterday that
the last RUNNER left Pekin with news for
foreign Governments Three weeks have
passed since the State Department heard
from Minister Conger What has happened
in the past week the officials do not know.
but they fear the worst. They cannot see
a single ray OF hope in the situation of |
the foreigners in the Chinese capital as |
last reported. They regard Minister Con- |
ger. his diplomatic colleagues and every |
foreigner that took refuge with them in !
the British legation as doomed
They know that there we're a number |
of American women and eigh. American |
children in the American Legation when |
was severed. Letters from |
people who have relatives and friends in |
Pekin have been received at the State De-
partment. and from these a list will be
made up. Secretary Squires, of the Amer
lean Legation, had his wife and his chill |
dren with him when last heard from.
According TO mail report to the State |
Department from Minister Conger. dated |
October l. 1899. the anti-foreign sentiment
had begun to take violent form. There |
had been an assault on foreigners OF such |
a character as to indicate that it was part |
of concerted movement. The Chinese !
police would not give protection to the |
foreigners. and the Tsung-li-Yamcn was !