Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-06

through Consul General Goodnow,
at Shanghai, who transmitted mes
sages received by Mr.. Ragsdale,
United States consul at Tien Tsin,
from Mr.. Conger and Mr.. Squier's
secretary of the United States lega-
ton at Pekin. In effect the advices
are the same as those received a
day or two ago by the State De-
partment from Consul Fowler at
Che Foo. Mr.. Goodnow's message
was transmitted to President Nc
Kinley at Canton and Mr.. Adee,
acting Secretary of State, later in
the day issued the following state
ment concerning it:
Consul General Goodnow, in a
cablegram dated Shanghai, Aug
ust 9th, which was received at the
Department of State at four o'clock
this, Sunday morning, reports the
receipt by Consul Ragsdale at Tien
Tsin OF
Messages From Minister Conger.
The SECRETARY of the legation, Mr..
Squier's dated July 21st, is to the
following effect:
"'AII well. No fighting sin &c
the 10th, by agreement. Enough
nrOVISiOnS
relief
Mr.. Goodnow adds that the d.
rector OF posts, Sheng, had, on the
fifth, communicated to him an i'm
perial edict, dated July Goth, or
dering Jung Lu to provide an es-
cort for the ministers to Tein
Tsin when the ministers fix the
date. The edict says the minis
tiers can receive messages not in
cipher; but notwithstanding this
plain messages were returned to
some consuls on August 4th."
While the messages from Min
lister Conger and Secretary
Squier's bear date of July 21st, the
belief, founded not only upon
them, but also upon collateral and
later information, is that the lega-
TONERS are yet safe from
At Least Immediate Harm.
At present there is no means Of
knowing whether the ministers
will accept the offer OF the Chi
nese imperial government to pro-
vide an escort for thcm to Tien
Tsin, but it is surmised they will
prefer to remain within the Brit
ish legation at Pekin until the ar
rival Of the allied forces. Should
they leave for Tien Tsin in all
probability it would be because
they regarded it the safer course
to pursue. 1t is thought to be not
likely that the Chinese government
may be very insistent upon the
departure of the ministers in the
hope if they can be gotten to Tien
sin safely, the storming Of Pekin
may be averted.
The inhibition of cipher des-
patches to the ministers, while a
serious breach of diplomatic usage,
is not regarded here With appre-
hension. The Chinese govern
ment, it is pointed out, is suspici-
Gus of the actions and intent of
the powers, and probably has
adopted this precaution to prevent
communication to the ministers of
details of military movements. 1t
is evident from the adoption of
this measure that the imperial
government regards itself as an
tagonistic if
Not Actually at War
with the powers. Thus far no in
Inhibition has been placed upon ci-
pher dispatches passing between
the various governments and their
consular representative in China
outside of Pekin.
The state department has taken
the ground that the dispatch from
Tsung Ii Yamen, delivered at the
department yesterday by Minister
WI, is not an answer to the de-
spatch to Secretary Hay sent on
August 1st. In that despatch Sec
rotary Hay finally and decisively
insisted that free communication
with the ministers must be estab-
lished before any steps would be
taken by this government toward
a peaceful solution of the present
trouble. That despatch was sent
to Consul General Godnow to be.
by him, transmitted to Lii Hung
Chang. The message delivered by
Minister WI to the state depart
ment yesterday relative to the in
hibition of cipher dispatches, was
sent by the Tsung Ia Yamen on
July SOth. As Of that date. 1t al