Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-08-09
BELATED MESSAGE.
The State Department Gets Dis-
patch Previously Received.
MINISTER'S TO Be SENT TO TEN 1SIy
An Imperial Edict Ordering an Escort 70
He Provided for Them--A Reply to
Secretary Hays Dispatch OF Au-
gust 1 AnxiOusly Awaited.

message from Minister Conger was
received yesterday at the state de-
partment. 1t came through Consul
General Goodnow, at Shanghai, who
transmitted messages received by Mr..
Ragsdale, United States consul Mt
Tien Tsn, from Mr.. Conger and Mr..
Equiers, secretary of the United
States legation at Pekin. The advices
are the same as those received q day
or two ago by the state department
from Consul Fowler, at Che Foo. Mr.
Goodnow's message was transmitted
to President Mckinley at Canton, and
Mr.. Adee, acting secretary of state,
later in the day, issued the following
statement concerning 1t: Consul
General Goodnow, in cablegram
dated Shanghai, August 5, which was
received at the department of state at
four o'clock this, Sunday, morning,
reports the receipt by Consul Rags
dale at Tien Tsin, Of messages from
Minister Conger and the secretary OF
the legation, Mr.. Squiers, dated July
q, to the following effect: All well;
no fighting since the 10th by agree
ment. Enough provisions. Hope for
speedy relief
"Mr. Goodndw adds that the direct
or Of posts, Sheng, had on the 9Th
communicated to him an imperial
edict dated July 80, ordering Jung Lu
to provide an escort for the ministers
to Tien Tsin, when the ministers fix
the date. The edict says the minis
tiers can receive messages not in
cipher, but notwithstanding this,
plain messages were returned to some
consuls on August A."
While the messages from Minister
Conger and Secretary Squiers bear
the date of July n, the belief, founded
not only upon them, but also upon
collateral and later information, is
that the legationers are yet safe
from immediate harm. At present
there is no means of knowing wheth-
er the ministers will accept the offer
Of the Chinese imperial government
TO provide an escort for them to Tien
Tsin, but 1t is surmised that they will
prefer to remain within the British
legation at Pekin until the arrival Of
the allied forces. Should they leave
for Tien Tsin, in all probability II
would be because they regarded 1t the
safer course to pursue. 1t is thought
TO be not unlikely that the Chinese
government may be very insistent
upon the departure Of the ministers,
in the hope, II they can be gotten to
Tien Tsn in safety, the storming Of
pekin may be averted.
The inhibition Of cipher dispatches
TO the ministers, while n serious
breach of diplomatic usage, is not re-
garded here with apprehension. The
Chinese government, It is pointed out,
IL suspicious of the actions and intent
Of the powers and probably has
adopted this precaution to prevent
communication to the ministers the
details of military movements. 1t is
evident from the adoption of this
measure that the imperial govern
ment regards itself as antagonistic to,
II not actually at war with the pow
ers. Thus far no Inhibition has been
placed upon cipher dispatches passing
between the various governments and
their consular representatives in
China outside of Pekin
The state department has taken the
ground that the dispatch from the
tsung Ii yamen, delivered ut the de-
partment Saturday by Minister WI,
II not an answer to the dispatch of
Secretary Hay sent August 1. In that
dispatch Secretary Hay finally and
decisively insisted that free commu-
pication with the ministers must be
established before any steps would
be taken by this government toward
. peaceful solution of the present
trouble. That dispatch was sent to
Consul General Goodnow, to be by
him transmitted to Ii Hung Chang.
The message delivered by Minister
WI to the state department Saturday
relative to the inhibition of the cipher
dispatches was sent by the tsung Ii
yamen on July 30, As on that date
II had already been communicated to
the department by Consul Fowler.
Obviously, therefore, it could not
be q reply to the dispatch sent to
Mr.. Goodnow by Secretary Hay on
August /. A definite reply to the
secretary's dispatch of the LIST instant
ia awaited with some concern, not to
say anxiety. 1t is the final word of
the United States government in the
pending negotiations. The demand
must be acceded TO, il trouble of
serious character is to be averted.
Neither the war nor the navy de-
partments made public any dis
patches during the day. That Gen.
Chaffee is encountering difficulties
that are proving serious there is little
attempt to conceal. The debarkation
Of troops and cavalry horses is being
accomplished with the utmost diff
Guilty. 1t is said that the big trans