Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-08-29
DIPLOMATIC CALLS.
Japanese, Russian and French
Ministers at Washington
Confer With Acting Secretary Adee
on Chinese Situation.
Russia Would Prevent Dismembcrment Of the
Chinese Empire.

NdSnlnton. aug. 2s.-SeVeral com
municatiOns came to Washington from
the United States officials in China.
today. but being dateless in most
cases the government was by no means
satisfied with the state Of cOmmunica-
lions and the cabinet meeting gave the
larger part OF it's attention to the prob
lem of rectifying this state Of affairs.
Evidences of interferences with the
messages have accumulated to a
point where the government has de-
termined to take steps to establish
channels OF its own. even if ii is nee
essary to employ the rather expensive
device Of a man Of war plying be
tween Shanghai and Che Foo for this
purpose. Meanwhile word comes that
rapid progress is making with the
shore cable which is to connect these
points and ii is believed that within
a week this means of communication
will b. open.
Three messages from Gen. Chaffee
We're received. today, and while they
cast no direct light on the military
situation they were theoretically i'm
pOrtant. The generals statement that
he needs no such battery. taken in
lst Cavalry, seems to make clear that
there is no intention to enter into
prolonged celebration in China such az
would involve the use Of heavy artil-
lery or Of reinforcements in the shape
Of men and horses. At the same time
it cannot be said that the government
has shown any sign of a purpose to
abandon any just claim il may have
1 L.
appear that the battle Of today is one
Of diplomacy rather than one Of arms
ana Notwithstanding the various
rumors that have filtered out from
Chinese sources of heavy engagements
between the international forces and
the Boxers, the officials here are salts
fed that no f0rmidably organized re-
sistance will be offered by the Chi
neSe if the demands of the powers arr
limited to the principles laid down by
the United States in its several notes.
Therefore more interest attached to
series of diplomatic calls upon Act
ing Secretary Adee, this afternoon,
than any report of purely military op-
eratiOns in China. First came the
Japanese minister, Mr.. Takahira, next
the Russian charge. Mr.. Wollant and
finally Mr.. Thiebaut. the French
charge. These trained diplomats nat
urally are averse to the letting the
public know of the development of in
complete negotiations. Nevertheless it
was gathered that one Of the princi-
pal topics of discussion was the pro-
priety of accepting Ii Hung Chang
as proper person with whom the
powers might negotiate for settle
ment in China. 1t is quite evident
from the conference held. this after
noon, that the statement made. early
in the day, to the effect that this mat
ter is sill an open issue was correct
Otherwise it would have been neces-
sary for the officials to enter into a
laborous comparison of the texts of
the credentials supplied by Ii Hung
Chang to the various powers Of Europe
as well as Japan and the United
States. Past experience with some of
the Chinese DEGREES has shown very
radical differences in the TRANSACTIONS,
and as so much turns on the form OF
Earl Lis credentials it is regarded as
highly important that these shall be
shown to agree in each case.
The statement is made that the Rus
sian government. for one, is willing to
deal with Ii. of course upon properly
framed conditions. and this appears to
be borne out by the earnestness with
which Mr.. Wollant is seeking to i'm
press upon the state department the
entire agreement between Russia and
the United States as to China. AT
least, he insists that Russia wishes to
prevent the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of China
and also that her animating purpose
now is the restoration of order and
the safeguarding of the future. Under
these limitations, it is urged here that
Russia's objects can be achieved, as
well as those of the United States bv |
dealing with Ii Hung Chang. who oc-
cupies the advantageous position Of
being the only Chinese parsonage so |
far. officially accredited as a peace
Acting Secretary Adee found suffi-
cient matter of interest i'm these three |
calls to repair to the White House late
in the afternoon, to confer with the
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