The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-07
THE CHINESE UNMASK
OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THE MINIS
TIERS HELD AS HOSTAGES
THEIR EXECUTION THREATENED
If the Allies Advance on Pekin-Con-
suls Notified That No Messages
Would be Delivered the Legations.
Conflicting Statements as to the Ad-
of Forces-Engagement Be-
tween Chinese and Japanese Advance
Guard Original of the Conger Cipher
Message

Washington, August 3.-Another
move was made today in the diplomatic
situation by the return of an evasive
answer by Lii Hung Chang to Secre-
airy Hays peremptory demand of Au-
gust 1st to be put in communication
with the foreign ministers at Pekin.
Lis answer is not final and leaves the
matter open automatically; but Lis
actions as reported by Consul General
G0OdnOw are un~questiOnably sinister,
and Will mOun to a final rejection Of
the American proposition if persisted
in. Mr.. Goodnow's dispatch contains
some further information bearing on
the question Of responsibility for Pekin
conditions in the statement that the
commander Of the Chinese troops, by
Inference answerabIe to the Chinese
government, ordered the Pao Ting
massacre. 1t is learned here that Ii
Ping Hong, commander referred to-, is
4 civil official and we'll known to all
Chinese officials abroad as one of
most rabid anti-fOreign leaders in
China. He Is a close friend of Prince
Tua and the association of these two
in Pekin affairs with power enough
behind them to cause the ignOminiOus
death of two high officials is regard
ed here as a bad sign.
simultaneously with Mr.. GOOdnOW's
dispatch came a characteriStically dip
lOmatic message from Yuan Shih kai,
governor of Shan Tung, repeating the
story of two days ago that the Chinese
government was arranging TO deliver
the ministers in safety at Tien Tsin.
No effort is made to reconcile that
c+arnn1nnt y-ifh I|ar IL II sc r.afIIcal IN al
low communication with the ministers.
General Chaffee's message as to the
the unexpected resistance offered to the
Japanese reconnaissance is regarded by
military men here as forecaSting a
greater degree of resistance to the in
ternatiOnal advance than a been an
ticipated and they are now satisfied
that the Chinese troops will furnish
material for at a one severe battle,
before the way is clear to Pekin.
The navy department today issued
an order for the corporation of it's
officers abroad with the officers of
the army in landing and transporting
troops destined for Chinese service.
This revives the situation that existed
in Cuba, when Skaters army corps
was anded largely through the efforts
Of the navy and the use of the latter's
boats and steam launches.
1t is thOught in the department that
the navy can lend considerable assist
ance to General Chaffee'S troops not
only in aiding their debarkatiOn, but
possibly in furnishing them boat trans
p~OrtatiOn if a nov is made along the
Pei HO.
1t apUears that some misunderstand-
~lg exists as to a St. Petersburg dis
yoa Ich, printed here this morning, say
Ming that the Chinese minister there and
his colleagues in Europe had cabled
- Che TH-~- @~N ~1.n~
that free communication be opened be-
tween the Pekin ministers and their
respective governments. This COM
mUnicatiOn was in fact a joint memOri-
al to the throne COncurred in by all
Chinese ministers abroad including
Minister WI in Washington. 1t was
forwarded by Minister Yeng Lu at St.
Petersburg, because the latter is the
dean of the Chinese diplomatic ser
vice. 1t was transmitted through the
governor of Shan Tung to be forward
ed to Pekin. This action is considered
very important as indicating that the
Chinese ministers abroad have at last
reached a unanimous conclusion that
the situation is no longer to be trified
with. Their action may be regarded as
a fnaI effort on their part to influence
the home government and its outcome
IS awaited with great interest.
Meanwhile the government of the
4lIlC CIdlSS, lht lit SoNe1 IlIiIOlIlS VI
Europe, has not abandoned it's efforts
TO establish communication with it's
minister 1t Pekin by Independent
means, and the state department has
instructed Consul General Goodnow at
Shanghai: Consul Fowler at Che Foo,
and Consul Ragsdale at Tien Tsin, to
spare no effort or expense to open up
. direct communication with Mr.. Conger.
In addition to his short message re-
latiVe to the Japanese check, trans
mitted through Admiral Remey and re-
ceived this morning, General Chaffee
made another n a direct cable report
this afternoon.
The message was withheld from pub
LEGATION by Secretary Root. who de-
clineS to make it's purpOrt public.
Presumably it was devoted to a recital
Of General Chaffee's needs in military
May. In view of the London statement
the advance on Pekin actually
&Suu with the present week, there is
klso a possibility that General Chaffee's
meSSage has some bearing on this sub
!, Ject. though il is evident from his re-
NpOr OF this morning that the advance.
if started, COuld not have ErogresSed
far beyond Tien Tsin. an outpost affair
described by him took place only ten
miles OUt of town.
TILT TInIITIhn nrOInI