The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-15


we are relieved a general massacre is
| probable. The Chinese offer to escort
US to Tien Tsin, but remembering
Cawnpore, we refuse the offer. There
are over 200 European women and chill
dren in this legation
Washington, Aug. ia dispatch has
been received at the state department
from Consul General Goodnow at
Shanghai. Its contents will not be made
pubic as 1t relates largely to questions
OF policy and international affairs and
it is stated that nothing regarding such
questions will be given out at present.
GERMAN SHIPS ARRIVE.
Berlin. Aug. 15.-The German arnored
cruiser Furst Bismarck, with the Ger
man transports Whittekened and
terday and proceeded Immediately for
Taku. The new cable steamer Won
Podbielsli has been ordered to Chinese
waters and will sail early next month.
UNCERTAINTY AT WASHINGTON.
Washington, Aug. 15.-The navy de-
partment early this morning made pub
lie a dispatch from Admiral Remey an
nouncing the arrival of General Chat
fee at MatOu, the next town of impOr-
tance after Ho ST WI, which the Amer
leans occupied with slight opposition
on the 9Th instant.
Tt will be seen from this message that
the date of General Chaffee's arrival at
Matou is uncertain. 1t is taken at the
navy department to mean that MatOu
was occupied on the previous day, the
11th and that the opposition was slight
both on the road and in taking the
town. MatOu is about twelve miles by
road from Ho 81 WI and the road as
indicated on the war department map,
is of the worst possible character Ma
tou is not walled city and no serious
opposition was expected there. 1t is
about eleven miles by road from MatOu
to Ching CHA Wan, which is really the
suburb of the walled city of Tung
Chow. and the key to the gates of Pc
kin. If General Chaffee was at Matou
on the 18th it is quite possible that by
today he is either in possession of Tung
Chow or engaged with the retreating
Chinese army that it was thought
might make a stand behind it's walls
The war department is highly gratified
at the report of General Chaffee's
steady advance which for a week past
has been secuted as a foolhardy pice
of adventure by some of the European
officials.
ord of the army's advance is the specu-
lation now current about the state de-
partment as to the status of diplomatic
negotiations. The state department has
thrown around these proceedings sud
den and unaccustomed veil of secrecy
that is taken to presage important de-
VelopmentS. One thing is well nigh
certain, namely, that the COnger mess
age of yesterday, which was not made
public, is one of a series of Identical
notes addressed by the beleagured min
listers to their governments. Minister
WI, who besides being the Chinese
minister here, also is the accredited
representative of China to Spain, re-
ceived along with the Conger message
of Yesterday a cipher message from the
Spanish minister in Pekin, which Mr.
WI forwarded to Madrid. 1t was not
made public there. Sir Claude Mac
Donald's dispatch to the British for
eign office, evidently of the same vint-
age as the two other dispatches refer
red to, also was withheld from publ
cation. This is taken as a fair indfca-
ton that negotiations of importance
are on foot, but their nature is entirely |
speculative.
The statedepartment this morning sta |
ted that not only would the text OF the |
COnger dispatch be kept secret, but no |
questions would be answered in connec- |
ton with it's contents. 1t was pointed |
out by the department that with the in |
ternational forces practically at the |
gates of Pexin, any statement of Minis |
ter Conger might involve him and all of |
the other ministers in very serious con- |
sequences. 1t was said however, that |
the statement from London this morning |
credited to MEMBER OF parliament that
negotiations were on foot in Washington |
between the various powers, looking to |
future form of government for China, |
was without foundation. The state de- |
partment announced that no note on this |
subject had been exchanged between the
powers.
1t is considered significant that no !
propositions are being pushed for the
Wintering of the American forces in |
China. Both the commissiary and quar-
termaster's department are ready to
purchase and ship supplies for the Chi
nese expeditiOnary force such as would |
be needful in a winter campaign. There
are certain supplies which would be nee
eSSary for this contingency, and certain
steps which would have to be taken and |
that quite speedily, unless there was
strong hope that the American army
would be out of China before the gulf of |
Pc Chi Ii freezes over, which usually
happens about the LIST of November.
Preparations made to recent date look
ed to the Quartering of the American
force on Chinese soil through the winter
season. 1t cannot be said that this ex-
pectation has been entirely abandoned, |
but it is certain that some of the final
purchases and preparations are suspend
ed for the present, as though there is
considerable probability that they would
not have to be made at ALL The war de-
partment has as yet given no definite
statement on this subject but the sus-
pension of operations is considered sig
DISPATCH FROM MR. FOWLER.
Washington, Aug. ia dispatch re-
ceived yesterday by the state depart
ment from Consul Fowler at Che Foo
was badly mangled in transmission as
to be almost indecipherable The cipher
experts of the department worked on it
last night and today. So far as made
out the dispatch appears to contain
from Minister COnger transmit
ted to Che Foo by courier. The eist of
the COnger message contained in the ca
blegram is that the situation in Pekin
is more critical and that the Chinese |
government is endeavoring to force the
ministers to leave the imperial city I'M
der Chinese escort before the arrival of |
the relief column. Beyond this point the
is unintelligible.
DnNnO IN nn1r aO-D