The age-herald., 1900-08-17
Ii Hung Chang Sends Pa.
 thetic Appeal. ASKS FOR ARMISTICE Wanted Allied Troops Halted at
 Tung Chow. REQUEST CANNOT BE GRANTED United States Says That China Must Deliver Ministers to Allied
 Forces at Pekin and
 Cease Hostilities.
REQUEST CANNOT BE GRANTED

Washington, August 16-At the clcse of a day of intense anxiety the Department of State tonight made public the latest cor respondence between the United States Government and China, dispelling all doubt and uncertainty as to the American policy in the present critical juncture. The urg- ent, almost pathetic appeal of Ii Hung Chang, submitted early in the day, that the victorious march of the allies stop at Tung Chow and that the military con- manders in the field be instructed to ar- range an armstice at that point, was met with a response that General Chaffee had already been given complete instructions empowering him to carry out an arrange ment in concert with other commanders sons under their protection to the relief column, not at Tung Chow, as had been suggested, but at Pekin.
 Furthermore, it was made known to SUlHd tudC deIeTdl Chance instructions left him free rein as to whether he would insist upon entering Pekin and going to the legations or should receive the delivery of the legationers at the gate of the inner Tartar City or at the great outer wall In short, China, through her peace envoy, besought an armistice at Tung Chow, twelve miles from Pekin. uhereoc tba TO sponse of the American Government is that if there is to be a haitian armistice- it must be at the walls of Pekin. The con- clusions of the Government were announced were embodied in the following statement.
 "The following memorandum was handed to MT. Adee by MT. Wu at o'clock this morning:
 Li Hung Chang's Appeal
 A cable from Ii Hung Chang, envoy plenipotentiary of China, dated August 15. and received by Minister Wu at D. m. on the same day:
 The allied forces are approaching Tung Chow. have memorialized the imperial government to depute an envoy to negoti- ate an armistce with the several com- manders on the spot. I will also shortly proceed to Pekin. The powers, being fully aware of the embarrassing position in which their majesties, the Empress Dowa- ger and the Emperor, are placed, are earnestly requested to telegraph instruc- tions to their respective commanders after arriving at Tung Chow with their forces to stop their further advance to the capi- tai, so as not to cause alarm and fear to their majesties and calamities to the peo- pie; for such an advance would shake the foundation of the Chinese empire and would wound the feelings of all her peo- this appeal five million of people of the empire will be profoundly grateful to the powers. Please communicate this cable gram at once to the Secretary of State"
 The following memorandum in reply was handed to Minister Wu this afternoon:
 Acting Secretary Adee's Reply
 Memorandum: Foreseeing that there would be insufficient time after receiving a reply to our memorandum of August 12 to get instructions to the relief column be- fore it had reached Pekin, we sent on the same day to the general commanding the American forces in China the following dis patch:
 "Adjutant-GeneraPs Office,
 Washington, August 12, 1900
 "Fowler, Che Foo-For Chaffee, August 12.-Secretary of War directs me to inform you that Ii Hung Chang, appointed by the Chinese government to negotiate with the powers, requests cessation of hostihties We have replied that we are ready to en- ter into agreement between powers and Chinese government for cessation of hos tilities on condition that sufficient body of the forces composing the relief expedition shall be permitted to enter Pekin unmo- tested and to escort foreign ministers and residents back to Tien Tsin, the movement being provided for and secured by such ar- engagements and dispositions of troops as shall be considered satisfactory by generals commanding the forces composing relief expedition. We have communicated this to all the powers. Japanese government