New-York tribune., 1900-08-13
MAY YIELD TO POWERS.
AN IMPERIAL EDICT SHOWS
CHLNA'S FEARS.
FLYING COLUMN PERHAPS TO GO TO
PEKING-SPEEDY RELIEF EXPECTED.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1BUNE.I

tBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNEl
Washington, Aug. 12.-In view of several oc-
currences within the last forty-eight hours there
seems to be a fair prospect that powerful mill
tary suason. reinforced by firm and intelligent
diplomacy. will be speedily rewarded by the
liberation Of the Ministers and other foreigners
in Peking, and their transfer TO a place of
safety; and that if this happy result shall be
achieved it will be through the cooperation of
the Imperial authorities of China with the in
ternational military forces now advancing from
Tien-Tsin This opinion is based upon several
facts, some of which have hitherto been prop
ery withheld from the public, but the pub
Ication of which at this time cannot be regard
ed as premature or likely to injure the pros
pect of a successful result, although strict re-
serve concerning them is still maintained by the
official authorities here. All the official news
made public by the State Department to-day
| was comprised in the following bulletin:
TEXT OF IMPERIAL EDICT
The Department of State makes public the
following Imperial edict, appointing Viceroy Ii
Hung Chang Envoy Plenipotentiary TO pro-
pose a cessation of hostilites and negotiate with
| the Powers, copy of which was delivered by
! Mr.. WI to the Acting Secretary of State this
! Sunday morning 1870 o'clock:
An Imperial edict forwarded by the Privy
Council at Peking, under date of the 18th day Of
| the seventh moon august 3, to Governor Yuan,
at Tsi-Nan, Shan-Tung, who transmitted it on
| the 18th day of the same moon august ID to
! the Taotai at Shanghai by whom it was re-
| transmitted to Minister WI, who received it on
the night Of the same day august ID.
The Imperial edict. as transmitted by the
| Privy Council, is as follows:
| In the present conflict between Chinese and
foreigners there has been some misunder-
standing on the part of foreign nations and
also want of proper management on the
part of some of the local authorities. a clash
of arms is followed by caIamitOus results
and causes rupture of friendly relations,
| which will ultimately do good to the
| world. We hereby appoint Ii Hung Chang
AS Envoy PIenipOtentIary, with instruc-
| tiOns to propose at once by telegraph to the
| Governments of the several Powers con-
cerned for the immediate cessation o hostile
demonstrations pending negotiations, which
| he is hereby authorized to conduct for our
| part, for the settlement of whatever ques-
| tiOns may have to be dealt with. The ques-
| tiOns 10 he severalIy considered In a sat
| isfactOry manner, and the result o the ne
| gOtiatiOns reported to for sanction.
| Respect this.
The above is respectfully copied for trans
mission To Your ExceIIency, to be communi-
| Gated to the Secretary State for His Ex-
| ceIIency's information.
IL READY TO MAKE TERMS.
| on its face this edict is substantially the
| same as the unofficial proposition of Ii Hung
| Chang, through Consul General Goodnow which
| drew from the Secretary of State the message
| of August ,. insisting compliance with the
| terms of President McKney's note dated July
% to the Emperor Of China The Government
| has received other official information from
| Shanghai since Friday, which is regarded as
| tantamount TO an assurance that the Chinese
| Envoy who is clothed with plenary powers is
about ready TO comply behalf of the I'm
peral Government, with the third condition of
President McKney's note of July %. which re-
auired the Imperial authorities to place them
selves in communication with the relief expedi-
ton so that cooperation may be secured be-
| tween them for the liberation of the legations,
the protection of foreigners and the restoration
Of order"
The date Of the edict itself is suggestive.
Yang-Tsun was captured and occupied by the
| international forces August g. On August
an advance column had occupied Tsai-Tsun.
eight miles nearer Pekng. and on August the
edict was issued This was evidently the
! nrompt response of the Imperial authorities TO
Continued Third PaEeJ