The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-08-29
Chinese Speculations.
War Not Declared by Russia.


Germany and Japan have not de.
clared war upon China. either sepa
rately or in concert. This statement
is made upon authority of the highest
character
What those nations may do within
the next 48 hours or within the next
fortnight. is a question which no one
in Washington is prepared to an
swer
A brief dispatch from Chefoo con
veying q rumor current there that
Russia, Germany and Japan had
joined in declaration of war upon
China aroused some interested com
ment among Washington officials and
among diplomatic representatives of
foreign governments residen, here
In neither official nor diplomatic cir
cles, however, was the rumor taken
seriously No information of such
action has reached either the depart
ment of state or the legations of the
governments primarily interested.
That fact alone is accepted in official
circles az q sufficient refutation of
the rumor
officials OF the war and navy de-
partments we're at their desks early
today, but up to the hour of closing
for the day not a word bad been
received from Minister Conger. Gen
Chaffee or Admiral Remey Since
the dispatch from Consul Fowler was
received late last Thursday night the
department of state has received no
advices from any source in China,
except brief cablegram from Min
lister Couger inquiring how be should
route messages The text of the
dispatch, which it was explained was
very brief aud purely administrative
III character was not made public
The war department has received 90
dispatch from Gen. Chaffec known to
have come directly from bin, for about
a week. Cablegrams sigued "Chahee"
have been received. bet as they cou
tained only lists of casualties, it is as
sumed they were sent By some subordi
nate officer in Gen Chaffee's name
From 10 official source has the depart
ment learned Of the departure of 40
Americans from Pekio for Tieo Tsin,
as reported ia special dispatch to
London newspaper under date of Aug
10
In the absence Of ofieial information
from China or from Uaited States of
6cers there, interest today centres 10
the diplomatic phase of the EXISTING
trouble. The rumor of q declaration
OF war by Russia is explained may have
grown out Of ,hs operations of the
troops OF the car in the protection Of
the southeastern frontier of bis mpire,
or It. may have arisen from the reported
statement of the Russiao commando, of
the Russian forces 10 Pekiu that bis
government was at war with China aud
therefore he must prohibit oommun,ca.
tion with the Chinese. Neither the
operations Of Russia on her frontier uor
the prohibition by Russian general of
communication with the Chinese would
i, is said. a declaration of
war by Russia. No general BY q mere
dictum could declare war Even bis
statement that his government bad dc
clared war would not make it so.
The understan ding among Washing.
ton off fioisls of Russia's action is that
the empire has declared tno three
provinces on it's southeastern frontier in
. state Of siege This is altogether
different from declaration Of war. 1t
to declaration Of martial
law by Great Britain aud to . suspeu
sion Of the right Of bsbeas corpus by
the United States. II is q supercession
Of civil by military authority 1t is
poioted out further that Russia has
two objects 10 her present operations
10 Ch,us-the rescue aud protection OF
the foreigo legatiouers and tho proteo
ton of ber menaoed frontier. The
avowed object Of the other powers Is
simply tho rescue aod protection Of the
aud other foreign subjects.
10 carrying out her second object.
Russia has seized New Chwaog. This
was done to obtain base of operations
from which the frontier could easily
be reached. precisely as Taku was
seized as o base Of operations by the
allies in their operations against PeEiD.
Whether. 10 the event Of q dcoIsra
ton Of var By ose or more Of the
powers in China. an invitation would
be extended to the United States to
ratire from China. as iouma,ed 10 the
d'spatchos from Cheloo. is open to
doubt. and it is decidedly problem ati.
sal. it is said. whether the invitation
would be accepted, even if it we're
rendered