The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-24

CHI reply 10 emma S latest appeal Tor a
cessation of hostilities, received today
from Ii Hung Chang, has not yet been
made known, and it is likely that the
matter will be one of the main subjects
OF consideration at the cabinet meeting
tomorrow; but there is reason to be-
Ieve hat the overtures will be, in eff
feet, rejected, on the ground that the
conditions laid down in the American
note of August 18th have not been COM
piled with and until complied with the
governments course must proceed
without reference to China's desires for
a halt in the proceedings.
The dispatch of August 18th said spe-
officially that the United States was
ready TO enter into an agreement be-
tween the powers and the Chinese gov
for a cessation of hostilities
on condition that the relief forces
should be permitted ''to enter Pekin
Unmolested," and escort the legations
therefrom, under such circumstances
as the commanding general might lay
down; but up to the present time there
is no evidence that the allied forces
are unmOlested at Pekin, or have re-
ceiVed the sanction of the imperial gov
m to convey the legations to Tien
Tsin without further trouble and I'M
der conditions laid down by the COM
handing general. On the contrary, all
of the dispatches indicate that the al
lies are meeting stubborn resistance
and there is IN entire lack of compli-
ance with the conditions laid down by
the United States in it's dispatch of
August 18th. AS stated, however, the
government has given no animation of
Its p in reply to China'S appli-
cation of today, and there is still a
slight chance that complete compliance
with the demands of August 18th be an
nOunced in the Pekin dispatches before
the hnal determination on the reply is
made but the disposition tonight is
clearly in the line indicated.
China's latest application for peace
negotiations was received early today
at the Chinese legation n was trans
mitted by Mr.. WI to the state depart
ment. Secretaries Hay and Root were
out of the city, but acting Secretary
of State Adee went over the subject
with the president. Earl Lis request
is that the United States shall name
Minister COnger, or some other official,
to act as peace envoy for the cessation
of hOStilitieS He expressed his will
, ingness to go to such point as the pow
erS may desire and under the intima-
tons made, it is thought that Pekin or
Tien TSin would be selected for the
negotiations. The Chinese envoy pro-
posed no terms as to the withdrawal
of rOOps and nae no other sugges-
JiOn as to what was to come before the
commission, his sole anxiety being to
secure the cessation of histilities.
The application is understood also to
have been made to the other powers
in the hope that if all would name a
commissioner, there would be a gen.
eral council of peace between Ii Hung
Chang on the one hand and the several
TdsaraSan r. tiN-aS of tho nn+innc m tho
other.
Aside from the fact that the condi-
tiOnS of August 18th have not yet been
complied Will by China. it is probable
that his government would desire to
take sufficient time to learn what the
other powers intend doing on the same
line, as all are acting in union. More
over there are some unexplained fea-
lures of Ii Hung Chang's application.
one of them being that, while he asks
the allies to cease hOstilities, he gives
no assurance that he has power to
make the Chinese army and the rebel
1ious Boxers cease their hostilities.
THE SITUATION AT PEKIN.
The situation at Pekin was made
more clear today from many sources.
The latest advice appears to be hat
from Consul Fowler at Che Foo, re-
peating a dispatch received from Con-
sui Ragsdale at Tien Tsin. The latter
reports Chinese troops surrounded in
palace grounds"
The Japanese legation received a dis
patch of the same general tenor, but
more in detail. stating that the Chi
nese troops retreated on the 18th with
in the imperial palace and that they
were surrounded there, with the Japa-
neSe military headquarters located in
the Japanese legation.
Admiral Remey also transmitted an
authentic report from Pekin on the
1-rI saving s'rTOnnS moving on the i'm
periaI city" These several dispatches
from different sources establish clearly
thai the imperial palace and grounds
were under siege; but not one of the
dispatches is clear as to how late this
condition of affairs existed. The Fow'
Ter dispatch is the latest to be received
and is dated the goth. but probably
that is the date on which 1t left Tier
Tsin. The Japanese dispatch also re
fers TO the Chinese taking refuge in the
imperial palace on the 18th, but doe:
not bring the situation beyond thai
day. So that the latest information
while showing the imperial city sur
round. does not disclose the issue O.
this situation, nor how long 1T has con
tinued.
TOday's dispatches seem TO max
clear lat the emperor and the empires
dowager have made their escape from
Pekin. and that about the only preSen
service of the imperial palace an
grounds is as an asylum in which tn
d~emOralized Chinese soldiers are max
ing a last stand. The Japanese lega
TONS advices today showed nat tn
banner of the imperial cortege wer
seen leaving Pekin on the 18th an
that. probably, the empress dowageI
as well as the emperor, had left tn
city.
Consul General Goodnow advised tn
state department that he had intor
nation from Chinese sources that TN
49, Loft aEl
TILT hIICO IM OEKlN