The age-herald., 1900-07-14
ANSWER IS EXPECTED Sent in the Cipher of the State
 Department. THE GREATEST PRECAUTION TAKEN Message is Now on the Way from Shanghai to Pekin, and Officials
 Are Anxiously Awaiting
 the Result
THE GREATEST PRECAUTI0N TAKEN

Washington, July 13.-The Chinese Min- ister, Mir Wu, has undertaken to get through a cipher message from Secretary Hay to United Minister Conger at Pekin and to deliver back the reply of Minister Conger If he be alive. Minister Wu for- warded the cipher dispatch, together with an extended explanatory message of his own, on Wednesday, and the results are now being eagerly awaited by both Secre- tary Hay and the Chinese Minister, al. though 1t is appreciated that some days must elapse before runners can carry out this plan of opening up communication be- tween the American Government at Wash- ington and the American Minister at Pekin.
 It was soon after Minister Wu presented the text of the edict issued by the Chinese Imperial Government that MT Hay re. quested him to get through a message to Minister Conger. Since the Chinese Gov4 ernment has succeeded in getting through its own communication from Pekin, MT. Hay felt that 1t was quite reasonable to ask that like communication be opened between our Minister and the Government there. MT. Wu readily assented to this proposition and evinced an earnest desire to uSS oh iiio pciSOHdl anu OulCltAl lfIlueDCe 1n getting through the message. He suggest ed, however, that MT. Hay himself should write the message in cipher as this would be proof positive to MT. Conger of it's gen. 1 uineness, whereas any open message to the Minister might be under the suspicion of having emanated from the Boxers
 Mr. Hay Wrote the NJ essage
 MT. Hay thereupon wrote the message and had it translated into the official eli pher of the state department The con- tents were not made known to Minister Wu, but in an unintelligible cipher form it Was entrusted to him to be placed in the hands of Minister Conger at the earliest posslpie moment. MT. Wu determined to act through the medium of an influential imperial officer at Shanghai, who by req son Of his position, is bettef such a mis- one else Tn 1Ghi9fwardihg the message to Minister Conger, MT. Wu sent to the Chi nese officials detailed and urgent explan- atory message, in which was set forth the imperative importance of performing this service for the American government. It was urged to spare no effort in forwarding the message by couriers, runners or any other means, into the hands of Minister Conger and to like means in getting back the answer to the American govern1 ment.
 Two days have now elapsed since the message to Conger went forward, and it is confidently believed that 1t Is now on it's way from Shanghai to Pekin, surrounded by such safeguards and such efforts for speed that reasonably early answer may be expected.
 At the same time 1t Is remembered that it took ten days for China's official decree to get from Pekin to Washington. Minis ter Wu. is bending every energy to accom- plish this task at the earliest possible mos ment for he looks upon 1t not only a duty, but as a means by which Chinese of- ficials can show their sincere desire to ren- der every assistance to the American gov ernment in the present emergency. shipment of Troops
 The State Department anticipates no dif- ficulty in effecting trans-shipment of troops and animals intended for the army in China at the Japan port of Nagasaki. The point raised in some quarters that the use of Nagasaki as base in this fashion would be a violation of international law, consti- tuting a hostile act against China in the absence of a declaration of war, is declared by the officials here to be absolutely frivol- ous.
 The War Department has been freely availing itself of Nagasah as a point of trans-shipment and a port of rest ever since the end of the war with Spain. Japanese officials here expect that Mar shal Nodszu will accompany the Japanese expedition about to sail for China. The rank of marshal will probably be superior to that of any other foreign commander, military or naval in China Under the Jap- anese system the rank of marshal corre- spends with that of field marshal in the French system. As a result of the China Japan war three marshals were created by Japan, namely, Yamagata, who made the remarkable march into China from the north; Oyama, who entered China further south and seized Port Arthur, and General Nodszu who had the honor of being the first Japanese officer to score an important triumph on Chinese soil. Yamagata is now prime miniser and Oyema is the chief of staff, leaving Marshal Nodszu the avail- able one of the first distinguished trio of soldiers. He Is beyond middle life, stern disciplinarian, and has the reputation of being an impetuous fighter. He Is strong believer in cavalry