The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-27
A Trick OF the Chinese.

received by Commander Thomas
which is dated July 4, is almost identic-
al in language. and describes sidentic-
ally the same situation az Is portrayed
in the alleged dispatch. forwarded
through Minister WI which purports
to have been dated July IS. The con-
clusion Is hard to resist that the Chinese
authorities deliberately altered the date
OF the last dispatch for the purpose Of
deceiving this government as to the
actual situation in Picking. This leads,
to the further conclusion that the Chin
ese officials themselves suppressed the
messages from CongeN appealing for
aid. for otherwise they would not have
had in their possession any OF his dis
patches with which to juggle 1t Ia
safety of the members OF the legations
in Picking. based upon communications
from Chinese sources. must be abandon
ed. Furthermore. It must be recog-
nized that II Is the Chinese government
itself and not simply an anti foreign
mob with which the allies have to deal.
What object the Chinese authorities
have had In view in the attempt to de-
ceive the world rs to the safety OF the
foreigners in Picking. II is possible to
conjecture. The Chinese have a natural
genius for lying. and subtle deceit In
their familiar diplomatic weapon. The
more the situation could be muddled
the better their ends would be served.
IA long az there was a difference OF
opinion among the allies as 10 whether
or not the members OF the legations
were alive. no long there would be
divergence In view as TO the proper
policy to be pursued.
A stili further reason for the decep-
ton Is limited at by Ii Hung Chang.
when he intimated that the movement
on Picking by the allied forces might
make 1t difficult to protect the lives
OF the ministers In other words. he
tried to make 1t appear that the for
eigners In Peking were alive and were
being held a. hostages: that their lives
would pay the penalty OF any attempt
on the part OF the allies to attack Pc
king. Any OF the foregoing reasons
would he sufficiently strong to induce
the Chinese officials TO attempt TO de-
ceive this government as to the safety
OF the foreigners
Fortunately. however. the Chinese
device did not have the effect OF delay
ing In any measure the preparations for
the dIspatching OF a military force TO
China On the contrary. II led TO a
rcdoubiing OF exertions 10 get a force
promptly on the ground, in the hope
that II might yet be In time to rescue
alive some of the Americans besieged
In Picking.
Every additional development In the
situation In China points to the con-
ciusion that the Chinese government IT.
self has deliberately entered upon a
war with the Western powers II an~
pears that there are factories IN the
empire which have been engaged In tae
manufacture OF guns and Ammunition.
whose very existence was unknown 10
the Europeans War supplies have
evidently been accumulated In extraor-
binary amounts, pointing 20 native
sources OF supply. for the amount OF
shipments from Europe and this coun-
try has been known with fair de-
the determination 20 cxpel Europeans
from China Was arrived at ioag ago.
China may have been awaiting the out
break % the long expected European
war. before making a move; but de-
spAirlng Of that, concluded to take aa-
vantage of Great Brit&tn's prsoecapa-
tion IN South Africa. Naturally. the
Chinese have an enlarged Idea % the
power Of Great Britain. as they had
seen more manifestations OF it thaa Of
that Of the other nations With Eng
lands army engaged In South Africa.
the Chinese probably though them
selves competent 90 deal with the rest
OF the world
soon or late. the situation VIII be
recognized that the world has not to
deal with temporary disorders In China.