Connecticut western news., 1900-08-09
WORD FROM MIR. CONGER
First Direct Message Out of
 Picking.
ALL WERE WELL ON AUG. T.
Hut Provisions and Ammunition Were Running Low-The Imperial Troops Firing on Legations-Amer- jeans In Thick of PIet.ang Fight.

Hut Provisions and Ammunition
 Were Running Low-The Imperial
 Troops Firing on Legations-Amer-
 leans In Thick of PIet.anx Fight.
 Washington, Aug. &. - The following cable message from Minister Conger was received last night by the state depart ment:
 "Tsi-nan Yamen, Aug '. Secretary of State:
 Still besicged. Situation more pre- carious. Chinese government insisting upon our leaving Picking, which would be certain death Rifle firing upon us daily by imperial troops. Have abundant cour- age, but little ammunition or provisions. Two progressive yamen ministers be- headed. All connected with legation of the United States well at the present moment C0NGER."
 Minister Conger's dispatch shows that the demand for communication with the legationers has been needed. It is be- ieved to be the beginning of the Chinese surrender, which is expected to follow the next battle between the allies and the imperial troops at Yang-tsun. The news that the situation is more precari- ous in Picking and that the Chinese gov ernment is insisting on the ministers leaving there confirms the theory which has been held all along that the impris- oned foreigners will not trust themselves outside the British compound in the fear of being murdered.
 . The continued rife firing by the impe- rial troops Is ominous, but 1t may be part of the Chinese scheme to force the minis ters into a compliance with the sugges- ton of their safe delivery to Tien-tsin.
 Food Cut on.
 The Japanese story by way of Shang- hai that the provisions had been cut off is confirmed by Minister Conger. It proves. too, that every pressure is being brought to bear upon the ministers to make them leave their stronghold and venture into the open country.
 In the circumstances it Is agreed that the ministers have chosen the wiser course by remaining intrenched, and al though their ammunition may be nearly exhausted it is believed it will last until relief by the allied army is afforded.
 Upon the salvation of the ministers de- pends the personal safety of the empress dowager and her bioodthirsty, cruel ad- visers, who apparently realize their dan ger and who are trying to avert the de- struction of Picking by getting rid of the object of the advancing and victorious foreign forces efforts.
 Tsi-nan yamen, where Minister Con- gers dispatch comes from, is said to be the nearest telegraph station to Picking.
 The cable message came in the official cipher of the department. It is undated, like his previous cable messages, but from the internal evidence furnished by his reference to the beheading of two members of the tsung-li-yamen and to the insistence of the Chinese government on the removal of the ministers from Pc king, state department officials say it may be assigned a date not earlier than July 30, and perhaps not later than Aug. 2.
 There is great expectation here of inn portant developments in the Chinese situ- ation before long, and this feeling puts the administration in waiting attitude. The official report of the battle at Piet- sang is looked for with eagerness. Gener- al Chaffee's belated dispatch from Chefu, outlining the plans of the allies and de- claring Yang-tsun to be the objective point of the campaign, makes many things clear. It does not explain, howev- CT, the serious loss to the advancing col umn reported in the brief bulletins indi- eating recklessness somewhere. There is q hope that detniled advices will reduce largely the list of casualties. The most significant feature of General Chaffee's dispatch is that the commanders are united and at their conferences in har-
 The most positive addition to the news of the day was the brief line from a cor respondent in Tien-tsin stating that the Ninth and Fourteenth infantry, Reilly's battery and the marines were in the bat tie of Peitsang. It was this force which. with the British and Japanese. bore the brunt of the attack on the left flank, which was to turn the enemy's position. This plan had already been made clear by General Chaffees dispatch, although he did not mention what American troops would be engaged.