The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-19
STILL SOME HOPE For THE LEGA-
TIONS AT PEKIN.
PROBABLY SAFE ON JULY 9.
TWO DISPATCHES ACCOUNT FOR
THEM TO THAT DATE.
Minister Wu Is Satisfied There Had
Been No Massacre Up to That Time.
officials Are Proceeding on the
Assumption That Minister Conger
Was KilIed-NO More Troops to Go
From the Philippines at Present.

Washington, July 1s.-The buoyant and
hopeful feeling of yesterday as to the Chi
nese situation was strengthened to-day
by the addition of confirmatory dis
patch from Consul Fowler at Che Foo,
touching the safety of the legationers at
Pekin on July 9.
OF course, it is understood that Mr..
Fowlers information came from the same
fountain head as did Minister Wu's of
yesterday, namely, the famous Yuan Shih
Kai, the military governor of Shan Tung
province. Because of the very intimate
relations that have existed up to a very
recent date between this official and the
imperial court at Pekin, he having been
commander of the imperial bodyguard,
there is a disposition here to attach more
credence to his dispatches than would be
accorded to those of other Chinese Off
cials. This is based on the presumption
that he has no inducement to falsify the
facts.
Consul General Goodnow az Shanghai
has cabed for a warship. His suggestion
was merely precautionary, and after con-
sidering it the navy department has with
held action in view of the fact that the
Castine is at that port, and foreign ships
are on the way
There was no cabinet meeting this morn
ing as the advices which reached the gov
ernment overnight did not present change
enough in the situation to demand a meet
ing at this time.
No More From Philippines.
There will be no further Withdrawals
of troops from the Philippines for service
in China. That is the policy determined
upon and thet will be adhered to-"
A cabinet officer to-day made this state
ment. and then added:
Gen. MacArthurs dispatches on the
necessity of retaining there all the troops
save those already under orders are clear
1t would be unsafe to take any more
away"
Then, under no circumstances, will the
forces in the Philippines be drawn upon?"
he was asked.
cluson reached is an absolute finality, but
this much is positive No development in
the situation is appreh ended such as will
call for a change in this policy as to our
troops in the Philippines, in the present
light of events.
I'VE do not anticipate any extra session
of Congress-" he said.
Would Make no Difference.
What if Minister Conger and The other
Americans are found murdered?" he was
asked.
1--WE are proceeding a. this present mo-
ment on the assumption that our people
are murdered. 1 do not see why that
should necessitate an extra session. An
extra session is hardly necessary"
What if their murder was by or with
the connivance OF the Chinese govern
ment?"
Il do not believe an extra session of
Congress would necessarily follow"
What about the decision of the COM
manders of the International forces that
$4,000 troops are necessary for the cam
paign?"
That is an old story" was the reply
Admiral Kempff cabled that week or
ten days ago-60000 men for the forward
move on the capital and 10000 to protect
Tien Tsin and comunica ton with Pekin."
Asked as. to the possible effect of the
Chinese attack on the Russian town along
the Manchurian border. the reply was:
This may complicate the situation.
cannot say whether or not it means actual
war between the Chinese government and
Russia. The matter is between those two
governments. We have nothing 10 do
with it. We do not know either what the
actual facts are in the case"