The Saint Paul globe., 1900-11-23
NOTHING FROM CoNGER.

The state department so far has heard
nothing from Mr.. C0nger respecting the
impasse reported to have been reached
by the foreign ministers yesterday at
Pekin. In fact save a brief expression
respecting the insutficiency of the punish
ments proposed by the Chinese govern
ment to be inflicted upon the responsible
leaders of the Boxer movement, Mr.. Con-
ger has not communicated with the de-
partment for more than a week.
Without taking issue with Mr.. Conger
respecting this matter of punishments
the state department has earnestly ad-
vised him not to insist upon impossible
conditions in the negotiations.
An interesting problem is suggested by
the possibility, which today is almost a
probability, that the ministers repre-
senting the powers at Pekin cannot reach
an agreement. If Russia, France and
the United States should refuse to ac-
cept the German idea, as seconded by
the British representative, very much
would depend upon Japanese, ard even Of
the lesser powers represented at Pekin
by ministers, might have great power in
sWaying the proceedings of the council
The impression seems to be, if q major
ity of the ministers, or perhaps even one
of the representatives of a great power
withhOlds assent to the agreement, then
the whole undertaking falls, and there
must be either fresh negotiations direct
ly between the home governments in the
effort TO agree upon new bases of action,
or the powers must proceed to deal with
the Chinese situation singly or in groups,
the latter contingency having been pro-
vided for in the German-British agree
ment.
HOW JIMMY GREEN IS FED.
The report of acting commissary gen
eral John f. Weston, made public today
by the war department covers the
operation Of the subsistence department
up to June 80, of the present year. It
shows that the task Of feeding the
United States army of 100000 men has
been reduced to a system and is now
proceeding satisfactorily throughout the
worldwide area over which TIE AIneri-
can troops are scattered. Australian
frozen beef and mutton is row used to
supply the troops in the Philippines with
fresh meat. This keeps sufficiently we'll
to be furnished to practically all Of the
posts in the LuZOn islands, Cebu, Hoilo
and JOlo. Since the completion of the
present report a great cold storage plant
has been constructed at Manila and ar
rangementS have been made for ship
ping the fresh meats still frozen in
cars constructed by the quartermaster's
department all along the line of the
acknowledgement railway and to the
islands south Of LuzOn A very favor
able impression was made upon foreign
officers by the efficient system of fresh
meat preservation and distribution.
A chapter is devoted to experiments
with regular army and emergency ra-
tiOns, but final action has not yet been
taken by the department The question
of canned roast beef which caused so
much discussion during the Spanish war
has been satisfactorily settled, it IS
thought by the preparation of a COM
bined beef and vegetable stew, which is
both wholesome and palatable and will
take the place of fresh beef or mutton
when the latter is not ObtainabIe a
recommendation of importance is the en-
listment with some extra COmpenSa ton
of competent men as bakers and the in
stitutiOn of a field bakery column,
modelled upon those now authorized in
all foreign armies. Recommendation is
also made for regular training school for
army cooks to be established a one of
the large military posts in this country.
Provision has also been made in the
estimates for the coming year to furnish
the army III the tropics with ice wher-
ever it is possible for ice to be obtained
The report recommends an increase in
force of sixty two officers as against tue
twenty-five now on the regular roster,
it being contemplated to dispense with
the service of the volunteer officers now
In the department.
DTIITUo AND EIAPROP