The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-11
STILL BESIEGED.
Continued from the First Page.l

ICOnL1nQod from the First Rage.l
velopments, but the officials maintain
ed much reserve as to the governments
procedure.
For the moment attention is strongly
directed toward the situation at Shang-
hal where Vice Admiral Seymour has
determined to land British troops. The
influential southern viceroys of China,
including Ii Hung Chang, have united
in a communication to Washington
asking that the United States use its
good offices with the powers towards
seeing that foreign forces are not land
ed at Shanghai The message was pre-
sented to the state department today
by Minister WI, who received it from
China last night. 1t develops the fact
for the first time that an agreement
which the protection of the city of
Shanghai is placed in the care of the
foreign authorities. 1t is pointed out
that this protection can be exercised
best by united action of all the gov
ernments without the landing. of troops
by any of them and as an evidence OF
this, protection is ample at present. 1t
is stated that twenty foreign WarSh1pS
are in the Offing. 1t is understood
that the landing of troops has not yet
occurred, but a British force for this
purpose is now en- route from India.
While the state department does not
attempt to fix a date upon which the
COnger message left Pekin, the officials
are inclined to belivee that it was
Pekin before the imperial edict was
issued removing the restriction upon
the transmission of cipher messages
The date of the edict was August D.
There is little that is new in the mess
age, beyond the ominouS reiteratiOn of
Mr.. Conger's statement that the condi-
ton was desperate. The concluding
sentence of Mr. COnger'S message say
ing that the legationerS are prepared to
hold on indefinitely, no matter what
the outcome may be, is considered graf
flying intelligence, because it indicates
that the beSieged ministers are not
growing faint hearted and will stand
out to the bitter end. This message
like the others that have preceded it
contains no intimatiOn that any of the
numerous messages forwarded by TINS
government have reached the beleagu-
ed foreigners in the Chinese capital
The cable gram of Admiral Remey,
transmitting the report OF Genera
Cnaffee as to the battle of Yang Tsun,
together with the report of eGenral
Gazelee, the English commander at the
front, contains few details not already
known General Gazelee'S statements
show that the Chinese occupied trench
es and that the foreign forces wene com
PEELED to assault them. Finally, after
forming their line, the allies were
ritOry, three miles in extent, directly
into the teeth of the Chinese rifle and
shell fire.
the year gives the officials of the war
department a full realization OF the
arduous work which such charge IN
VolVed and the news that there were
MANY proStrations and deaths from
sunstrOke creates little surprise.
Perhaps the most important state
ment in the dispatch IS the one 10 Inc the
effect that the next move of the allies
is as yet unknown. Whether AdmlraI
Remey makes this statement on his own
account, or whether he intends it to be
70 tow T1f n
cluded in General Chaffee'S telegram
from the front, the officials at neither
the war nor the navy department are
certain from the wording of the cable
gram The general belief, however, is
that it is General Chaffee'S own state
ment. 1t is known that the commanders
of the allied forces, when they arranged
for the advance from T1en Isln, had
agreed to make Yang TSun the objective.
This statement was contained IN Gen
eral Chaffee'S dispatch outlining the
plan of the advance movement. 1t is
presumed, therefore, that having car
ried out successfully the plan for the
as far as Yang Tsun, the
of the allies will have to go
into consultation again to decide upon
the further course of the advance from
that point to Pekin.
This is considered unfortunate owing |
to the possibility that dissensions and |
1ealOuSies may arise which will delay |
further advance.
A member of the cabinet stated today |
that the reported Imperial eulCl dulAOA-
izing Ii Hung Chang to negotiate Tor |
peace was likely to have no immediate |
effect on the situation.
1T may be true he said, land the |
Chinese may be awakening to a realiza-
ton of the situation. But neither that |
edict nor anything else will bring about |
any. change in the present plan and |
to push on to Pel<in and |
rescue the legations. do not apprehend |
that anything will occur that will be |
sufficient warrant for stopping of the |
march on to the Chinese capital The |
ministers must be rescued first. We |
would put little faith in any such step |
until it is backed up by something more |
definite. Lii Hung Chang may immed- |
lately put himself in communication |
with some of the powers. but it will not |
effect present plans until our legations |
are rescued"
1t was further stated that this gov
eminent did not have a high opinion of |
the reliability of the Chinese statesman |
and was not inclined to pin great faith |
1t .A-