The age-herald., 1900-07-28
UNITED STATES
 |S LOSING FAITH Authentic Assurances as to Le-
 gatiOns Wanted MR. WU IS STILL CONFIDENT State Department is Still Receptive, But Looking With Growing Cold
 ness on Numerous Edicts
 Coming from Chlna.
MR. WU IS STILL CONFIDENT

Washington, July N.-Unless some au- thentc assurances as to the condition of the Americans in Pekin reaches the State Department within day or two, the ad- ministration is likely to abandon whatever faith 1t has manifested thus far in the truthfuness of Chinese information. The Chinese Minister Is confident that within that time there will be news from Pekin of a character to satisfy the most skeptical as to it's accuracy, and he is also confident that this will be good news from the Amer lean point of view. The State Department Is still receptive, though looking with growing coldness upon the numerous edicts and telegrams which are coming from China, all without bringing any news.
 The British government has discredited the autograph message from MT. Conger, dated at Pekin, July f, and received at Tien Tsin. It seems that MT. Warren, at pres- ent acting as British Counsul at Shanghai. has been told by Sheng, the famous Chi nese director of posts and telegraphs, that thO ooNCihoA Ol ohdl Auh6b tOiu Sheng that message had passed through to the United States from Minister Conger on the 18th of July, telling of the conditions at the British Legation. This cipher dis patch was "faked" by Chinese officials.
 It is pointed out at the State Department, however, that Secretary Hay cabled MT. Conger that he might have implicit faith in the person who brought the dispatch to him. MT. Conger therefore had right to trust the man. Possibly he told him in a general way the contents of the dispatch in case the messengers should be obliged to destroy it to insure his own safety
 Want Forward Movement Begun
 It is the earnest desire of this govern ment that the forward movement on Pekin be made at the earliest possible moment. Although neither General Chaffee's rank nor the number of troops under his com mand would entitle this government to press him for command of the interna- tional forces, the government feels that he is personally fit for such an honor, and if chosen would acquit himself with credit.
 Anxious as 1t is that the campaign shall be started at once, our government Is watching the arrivals of the foreign con- tingents and is pressing Admiral Remey for reports as to the military conditions Not all of his responses are given publicity for reasons of sound policy. It is reported that 2S,0OO soldiers are already at Tien Tsin-not half of the force regarded as nec- essary to begin the movement. The State Department advices today, however, were to the; effect that all of the Japanese troops have been landed, in which case the inter- national force should be considerably aug mented. The War Department, lacking ex- act information owing to the slow means of telegraphic communication, believes that 1t has now about 350O trained and seasoned American troops in the vicinity of Tien Tsin under the immediate command of General Chaffee Assuming that the Grant has landed her passengers, with all his re- Inducements General Chaffee will have altogether 4,2oo troops. In addition to this force about 5000 regulars are on the way to China.