The sun., 1900-08-29
RUSSIAN STORY OF
PEK|NG'S RECAPTURE
NOT CONFIRMED
War Department officials do not
Believe Chinese HaYe
Retaken 1t.
OFFICIALS FLEE FROM Annoy
navy Department Gets Word FROM
Shanghai That the Castine Has
Sailed for Annoy, Accord
ing to Her Orders, and
Should Arrive There
on Thursday.

on Thursday.
Washington, Aug. 2S.-No confirmation
comes from any quarter of the report
from Russian sources that the Chinese
nave recaptured Peking, and the war de-
partment officials here completely dis
credit the story. They believe it is capa-
bIc of explanation. however, when read
IN the light of Minister Conger's state
mcnt that the allied generals had decided
moi 10 enter The imperial palace and also
Ia view Of the press reports OF the sudden
abandonment hy the American and Rus
sian troops of the attack on the palace
gates after capturing fonr ont of i've Of
Them. 1t is believed here that the allied
generals adopted this course in order 10
prevent looting after having been con-
vinced that the small palace guard, II IN
deed any guard remained within the pal
ace walls, should not be regarded with
apprehension.
The imperial palace is known 70 be
stored with the most magnificent treas
urcs Of oriental art, many Of them OF the
greatest antiquity and Of priceless value,
and the loss to civilization through the
destruction or dispersion of these treas
IfpS WOulu Dt 81 BLCul a. " NaN
military commanders extremely cautious
in admitting any but the most tried and
reliable troops within the walls
II is probable that the relaxation of the
effort TO force an entrance into the palace
gave rise in the Chinese imagination to
the belief that the allies had been re-
pulsed, and this wns the basis of the re-
port Of the defpat OF the allies.
A cablpg,qln has been received at the
state department from United States
Consul Johnson ut Annoy, China, relative
to the rioting in progress i'll that city.
He reports thut many of the rlcher Cnl-
numen and Europeans are leaving the
place.
The Cnstine OF For Annoy.
A cablegram received at the navy de-
/ paltment announces that the Cnstine has
smiled from Shanghai for Annoy in ac-
eortlance with the departments orders.
She should arrive there Thursday of TINS
/ week.
A special dispatch to London from
/ Shanghai saws the Chinese officials there
have informed the foreign consuls that
the emperor. the dnwagcr empress anu
Prince Tuan have arrived i'll the neigh
borhood of Tai-luan-fu.
Ta-Yuan is the capital OF the province
Df Shunsi, adjoining the province or
thi-li. The town mentioned is situated
2l0 miles southwest of Pcking.
Admiral Courrejollps, the French COM
mander in Chinese waters, has cabled 10
tha navy department in Paris that a
rouncil Of the admirals has notified the
\ foreign legations ut Peking that it has
been decided to hold Lii Hung Chang on
board ship until the diplomats have con-
scented to open negotiations with the
h Chinese.
Action has been taken by the war
n department carrying out the recently an
nounced policy of this government 70
4 send no more troops to China at present
An order was sent to the department )
agents at Kobe, Japan, to divert the
First United States cavalry ana theil
h animals from that port to Manila instead
4 nf allowing them to proceed TO laku. ac
eordinp "a their original orders. The de
n partment was informed that the Garrone
Il with eight companies of the First cavalry
aboard. and the Packing, with the an
imals of the organization, had arrived al
B Kobe. The First cavalry is under com
mand of Lieutenant Colonel L. L. Lebo.
Chinese Trickery.
Another important development wal
Il General Chaffee's statement that he hat
not heard from the war department since
Aug. IA fortnight ago. News ha
come from China within that period o
time. and the fact that nothing has gon
forward to Chaffee, and without doub
Minister Conger is in the same state
/ goes to confirm the officials here Ill TN
conviction that the wires are beini
manipulated, probably by Chinese agents
between Chefu and Shanghai, the cabl
connection The discovery certainly vii
tend to hasten the construction of tn
projected cable connecting Shanghai an
Chefu. thus placing the control of tn
entire circuit from Washington tn Pekin
outside Chinese officials at any poin
The subject also may be made the bas
of some strong representations To Shen,
the Chinese director of posts and tel
graphs at Shanghai.
A casualty list from Colonel Wint WI
received at the war department fro
China. 1t bore date of Aug. ~ at TAX
and referred to the engagement of Il
10Th near Tien-tsin. A dispatch was r
ceiyed by the war department from Ge
eral Chaffee, stating that he had offers
assistance to Baroness Won kettee
wife of the late German minister
China. and would furnish her transport
tiop md escort to Tien-tsin; also tran
portation to Nagasaki. This dispat'
seems TO indicate that Chaffee is in +
king and not in Tien-tsin, as some ha'
asserted. H.
This dispatch is in answer to one Sc
to the general by the war department
Aug. II, the date that information w
received here of the fall of Peking.
IL