Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-28

| unequvocal evidence of the safety of the
ministers. instead Of this repetition of an
| assurance which the world hesitatcs to
| accept?
Suspicion Aroused.
| The failure to pursue the direct method
| which must be available leads almost ire
| sistibly to the suspicion that something has
| happened in Pekin which the Chinese gov
| ernment desires to conceal from the DOW
| crs: that 1t is afraid to allow the true
| story to be revealed until some sort of
| terms have been made with the irate DOW
| ers of civilization which are waiting at the
| gates of the empire. The appeals which the
| emperor has addressed to the United States
| France and England would seem to bear
out this view. Just what might have hap
pened in Pekin, which the government is
apparently so anxious to conceal, even If
the lives of the ministers have actually
been spared, furnishes a fruitful theme for
speculation. 1t might be that the govern
| ment realizes that the ministers have abso-
| lutte proof that the imperial government
| gave its countenance to the Boxer uprising
| IN its earlier stages. 1t might be that all
| foreigners, save the ministers themselves
| have been massacred.
Former Atrocities Recalled.
| 1t might be that the foreigners in Pekin
have been captured and subjected to hor-
| rihle indignities. the very narration of which
would arouse the whole world to a demand
| for vengeance. In this connection the re-
voting details of the cruel treatment of
Parkes and Loch the secretaries of Sir
Hope Grant, VINO were captured under a
flag of truce IN 1860 while the English and
French forces were pushing on to Pekin
10 ratlfy the treaty of 1858, are recalled.
The secretaries and some of the troops
comprising their escort were taken pris-
oners by the Chinese. Some of them were
murdered; the remainder of them were
taken to Pekin thrown into prison and
subjected to most horrible atrocities. It
was not until the allies reached the gates
OF Pekin that the captiSes were produced
Both the dead and living were brought out
IN iron cages. So incensed were the French
and English commanders over the story the
| survivors told and the violation of the flag
of truce that in retaliating the great sum
mer palace Of the emperor, with its vast
store of treasures, was looted and razed to
the ground.
Instructions Given Mr.. Rockhiu.-
Special Commissioner RockhilI called at
the State Department this morning and had
one final conference with Secretary Hay
1t is not deemed proper to make public the
exact instructions given to Mr. Rockh,ll,
but 1t is stated generally that he is being
sent out to ascertain the conditions in
China for the guidance OF the State De-
partment and to serve as its direct repre-
sentative in that country in case it should
be necessary hereafter to conduct negotia-
tons there instead of In Washington There
is also the possibility that commissioner
Will be required on the spot in case any
thing in the nature OF an International
commission is created to deal with the CHI
nese question.
Mr.. Rockhill left Washington at 3::so
o'clock. this afternoon for the Pacific slope
stopping at Chicago for day en- route.
POSSIBLE PERIL FOR ARMY NURSES.
China is Not IA Party to the Geneva
Red Cross Convention.
One Of the phases of the war in China
which has heretofore been overlooked. but
which may prove to be of great importance
is the fact that China is not party to the
Geneva Red Cross convention, by whicn
the signatory powers bound themselves in
time OF war to respect the Red Cross and
to treat surgeons ana nurses belonging to
the armies of the enemy as non-comba;-
treaty made shortly after the Crimean war
as direct outgrowth of the efforts of Flor
ence Nightingale, nor did she join in the
supplementary treaty OF 1882. China is, IN
fact, the only one of, the great powers OF
the world which has not Joined in this con-
Vention which assures the safety of those
on errands of mercy on the battlefield. 1t
is possible that this fact may deter the
war Department from permitting any OF
the women nurses who are being sent TO
the far east from landing In China for duty
there. But this will depend largely upon
the view taken by our commander in China.
There are some nineteen female nurses OF;
the transport Grant with Gen. Chaffee.
They Were destined for the Philippines but
might be landed In China If Gen. Chaffee
considered that the conditions were such
that they could be useful and not put into
unnecessary peril. There are also five
nurses on the Sumner, which sailed from
San Francisco on the 17th. These also
might be diverted for service In China, but
the whole question is matter for the dis
creton of Gen Chaffee. Lieut.. Anita New
comb MCGEE. who is in charge of the corps
of army nurses, says that there are now
145 army nurses, practically all of whom
are either in the Philippines, stationed at
the hospitals of the various garrisons
throughout the archipelago or on their way
there. She believes in the event Of any
thing like protracted war in China that
they might be of great service there.
JAPANESE FORCES LANDED.
This Government Dexirous of an
Early Movement on Pekfn.
1t is the earnest desire of this govern
ment that the forward movement on PeAin
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 information
al forces, the government feels that he
personally Is fit for such an honor, and ii
chosen would acqut himself with credit.
If another commander Is selected it is
the wish of the President that the Amer
lean force should not be divided as to COM
mdnd. blt that in rrvinee ont ffS share of