The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-31
STILL NO DEFINITE NEWS
OF THE CONDITION OF THE FOREIGN
LEGATIONS IN PEKIN
MORE CHINESE CABLEGRAMS
the Safety of the Lega-
tions Little Faith Placed I'm Them.
Their Persistency Having Some Ef-
fect-Another Report, Considered Re-
liable, That All Have been Massa-
Up to the Massacre From British
Foreign Office.

Washington, July 2S-The day
brought the usual crop of edicts and
reports from various quarters and the
usual visit TO the state department Of
Minister WI, all bearing directly upon
Lhe welfare of the foreign ministers
in Pekin. This constantly growing
mass of assertion is beginning to have
a cumulative effect upon the skeptics
and there was a noticeably more hope
ful view taken of state of affairs to-
day. Beyond the fact that it is scarce
ly conceivable that the Chinese au-
thorities should persist in repeating
and strengthening these stories up TO
the rapidly approaching moment when
the whole truth must be disclosed by
other agencies. it appeared. upon care
full consideration of the reports that
there was really little more ground
for hope as TO the safety of Mr.. Con-
ger and his colleagues at Pekin today
than there was yesterday. The depres-
sing fact is always in mind that the
Chinese authorities, by their own state
ments, able to communicate with
the Legations, for some systerious rea-
son do not permit these unfortunates
10 communicate with their own gov
| ernments. Minister Wu's explanation
| of this, namely: That the Chinese
methods are different from our own, is
| scarcely sufficient for the officials here
The minister, however, is honestly
| trying to get a further communication
| throught from Mr.. Conger, and it may
| be that success in this undertaking
| will afford him a brilliant vindication.
| At least he maintains a wonderful show
| of confidence in the safety of the lega-
| tiOnS, and manages ITO impress this in
| some degree upon the officials and 9TH
ers with whom he comes in contact.
| There was nothing of interest from
| China respecting the military or naval
forces there. The war department Of
ficials now calculate that General
Chaffee with his troops on the Grant
| will arrive at Taku this evening,
| though it may be several days before
| his report of the fact can reach the
department. The irregular and unsat-
| iSfactory character of the present SyS-
| tenn of communica tion with Taku and
Shanghai has been taken into account
by the war department and 1t is said
| that one of Chaffee's first acts upon
| taking command of the United States
| troops ashore at Taku and Tien Tsin
| will be to establish, perhaps in coop
| Grafton with the other military com
| manders, a line of rapid dispatch boats
| running from Tien Tsin to either
| Shanghai or Nagasaki.
| PREPARING FOR EMERGENCY.
While the positive statement IS made
that il is not the present intention 20
send any more troops from Manila
TO China, at the same time, it is known
that all contingencies have beel can
J vaSsed and that if an emergency SHOULD
arise in China which made it fmpera-
tive to have additional troops they
would draw from the Philippines fo1
temporary duty at least
Some time ago General Macarthur
was advised by Secretary Root tc
i maintain sufficient transports to carry
supplies between Manila and Taku
and these transports would be aVa1la-
BILE for emergency troops. The Penn
| sylvania, Indiana and Sumner, when
the latter arrives at Manila, Will be
held for service between Manila and
Taku and will be available for the
contingency which may occur, bu,
which the department does not expep'
to arise A stubborn resistance to the
!, advance of the International armies
might make additional troops neces-
| sary. In that event a speedy relief
column, no doubt, would be sent from
Manila