The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-28
MINISTERS SAFE.
Assurances That They We're
Alive and Well July "a.
Edict is Received From the
Emperor Himself.
WORD FROM FOWLER.
Consul at Che Foo Satisfied
Report is True.
Ii Hung Chang Also Telegraphs
Assurances.
CHINESE ARE ACTIVE.
Army of 25, 700 is Now Menac-
ing Shanghai.
Five Hundred u. s. Marines
Sail for China
CHINESE ARE ACTIVE.
Army of %, 900 is Now Menac-
ing Shanghai.
Five Hundred u. s. Marines
Sail for China.

Washington, July 28.-The secretary
of state has received a dispatch from
Mr.. Fowler, the American consul at Che
Foo, dated at midnight on the 26th:
''This morning by request of the allied
admirals wired the governor Supposed
to be the governor of Shan Tung) their
wish to get news from ministers them
selves The governor now replied:
"'Have received today edict from
emperor saying that the ministers are
well. They are sending provisions to the
legations. Am confident ministers out
of distress and request you FTowler)
transmit this preliminary announcement
to admirals.
"'YUAN, Governor
A later dispatch from Fowler dated 1
a. M, 27th, to the state department IS
as follows:
Have just received imperial edict 24th,
saying various ministers excepting Ger
man are well and some days ago had
supplied provisions to legations. Am
satisfied ministers out of distress
YUAN, Governor
Secretary Hay also has received a
cablegram from United States Consul
McWade at Canton, stating that the
Viceroy TAX assures him that the MN dl
listers were all alive and well on July "a.
WORD FROM Ii.
New York July 28.-The Tribune pub
fishes the following dispatch from Ii
Hung Chang, dated Shanghai. July ~
and received at lis this morning;
''Pekin reports ministers alive Safe
ty assured. Allied forces entrance
Pekin unnecessary
This dispatch was in answer to
message sent three days ago to the vice.
roy asking for statement as to the
safety of the foreigners in Pek1n.
WASHINGTON MORE HOPEFUL
Washington, July 28.-Coming from
three separate quarters this morning
the assurance that the foreign ministers
at Pexin were alive and well on July "A,
had a tendency to diSSipate the peSSl-
rnistic view which the state department
has been taking for the last few days
as to the situation in Pekin- 1t IS true
that a comparison of the various ed1ctS
and statements bearing on this subject
appear to demonstrate the fact that
they all come from one fountain head,
either Yuan Shih XII or Ii Hung Chang
But the persistence with which these
stories of the safety of the ministers are
circulated undoubtedly, is shaking the
belief of those who heretofore nave been
satisfied that all of the ministers In
Pekin were dead.
These assurances came from Mr..
Fowler, the American consul at Che
Fee, from Mr. McWade, the American
consul at Canton and from Minister
WI, the Chinese minister here. The lat
ter came to the state department early
expressly to deliver an edict received
by him to Secretary Hay. 1t is similar
in form to the edict published yester-
day in London. The minister says that
the only difference are those involved in
separate translation
Mr.. Wus translation of Sheng'S dis
patch is as follows:
'Edict of 2Sth of the sixth moon (cor-
responding to July pa, states that for
tunately all ministers, except Baron Won
Ketteler, are alive and unharmed. They
are now being supplied with vegetables,
fruit and provisions by the government
to show it's sympathy for them"
If Mr.. WI had any doubt as to the
safety of the ministers it seems to have
been dissipated by this edict- He labor
ed earnestly with Secretary Hay to con-
vince him that he was bound to accept
this official declaration of the Chinese
government He pointed out that this
last declaration differed materially from
most of the other statements that have
emanated from Chinese sources in the
important fact that it did not repre-
sent merely the belief of minor Offl-
cial or viceroy; it was the solemn dec
laration of the Chinese government. In
making the statement touching the
ministers, the Chinese government
therefore assumed a serious response
biIity to the world at large He de-
clared that it could not be conceived
that such responsibility would be light
ly assumed and therefore, he, Mr. WI
did not hesitate to assert his positive
personal conviction tnar the ministers
were alive on July "a.
When his attention was called to the
apparent failure of Yum Shih Kai to ac-
cede to Consul F'owler's request that the
allied admirals be put into communica-
ton with the ministers Mr.. WI Shrug-
ged his shoulders in a. deprecatory man.
ner and merely replied that the Chi
nese were so different from other peO-
pies that the usual tests could not be
applied to them; it would not be pOssi-
BILE to predict what they would do un-
der conditions that would be easily met
by Europeans or Americans. 1t was
possible, he added, that Yuan was real
| ly undertaking to do what the admirals
| wished, only it would first be necessary
| for him to consult the Pekin authorities
! and that would take time. He could
| not say when an answer might be ex-
| pected to his last message to Minister
! Conger.
| Special Commissioner Rockhill called
at the state department this morning
] and had a final conference with Secre-
tary Hay respecting his mission to
| China. 1t was not deemed proper to
make public the exact Instructions
given to Mr.. Rockhill. but it is stated
| generally that he is being sent out to
| ascertain the conditions in China for the
| guidance of the state department and TO
serve as its direct representative in that
country in case it should be necessary
hereafter to conduct negotiations there
instead of in Washington. There also is