The age-herald., 1900-08-12
Conger Says the Legations Are = Still Under Fire
AND THE SITUATION DESPERATE
Casualties to American Forces Under Chaffee Have Been About Sixty = Killed and Wounded-Much
 Suffering from Heat

Washington, August 11.-It Is officially said that this government will pay no at- tention to the latest appeal from China transmitted in the form of a memorial from the southern viceroys begging the United States to use it's influence against the land Ing of British troops in the Yang Tse valley.
 This memorial was transmitted to the s,ate Department this morning by the Chinese Minister, Mr. Wu It urges upon this government the serious consequences that would follow the landing of a British force at Shanghai and represented that the preparations already made had induced a panic among the resident Chinese and would paralyze commercial activity In that part of the empire almost as much as a for nal declaration of war by Great Britain. This government decided that not only would it be entirely out Of it's province to interfere with the British programme in South China, which was being carried for ward by Admiral Seymour on the ground with the full knowledge of local conditions. but in view of China's present recalcitrant attitude and the lack, up to date, of even an acknowledgement of our latest demand concerning the safety of our Minister, the
 
 any of Chinas troubles with Great Britain or any other of the powers.
 Will he Ignored
 Consequently the appeal of the viceroys will be ignored. It Is possible that the communication from Minister Conger may be turned over to the Brit sh government for its information on the general friendly principle that has been adopted by the powers keeping each other informed of various developments in the situation. Even this step, however, has not been de- cided on yet and will be left to the judg- ment of the President.
 In connection with the proposed landing of Admiral Seymour's force, it may be said that the report of Japan's opposition to this move is without any official confirma- tion here. The Japanese minister, in gen. eral conversation, when the subject was first preached, said that he had no infor- nation of any protest having been entered by Japan. What developments subsequent events may bring it was impossible for him to say.
 McWade's Message
 The only information from the seat of war made public by this government today was a dispatch from Consul McWade at Canton, communicating an additional mes sage from Minister Conger to the State Department and a very brief dispatch from Admiral Remey, reporting some in- formation from General Chaffee on the op- erations at Chang Che
 The message is as follows:
 CANTON, August Il. Secretary of State, Washington:
 "Conger, date August 10 Tsi Nan, an- swering my message, says that the lega- tions are under siege by the imperial sol diery. The situation is desperate. The losses of the legations are 60 killed and about 100 wounded There is some sickness; nevertheless, the general health continues good"
 "He concludes: Whatever may be the outcome, we will hold on indefinitely (Signed) ''McWADE." It is believed that the date assigned this dispatch by the Consul refers to the date when the message left Tsi Nan, and does not fix the time when 1t left Pekin by courier.
 In the opinion of the States Department the value of the Conger message is consid- erably reduced by the uncertainty as to its date. The date of August 10 at Tsi Nan certainly indicates that the dispatch of the message from Pekin could net have been less than three or four days earlier. TS1 Nan IS a large tOWn OH tHt HldlH Shanghai road about 225 miles south of Pekin. It certainly would have had to travel by courier all the way to Shanghai and have retransmitted from that point to have reached MoWade at Canton.
 The information it contains is practically identical with the State Department message of August 6, and the only cheer ing feature Is his plueky concluding sem tence-"whatever may be the outcome, We will hold on indefinitely"
 Admiral Remey's Dispatch
 Admiral Remey's dispatch is as follows:
 'Che Foo, August 10. "Bureau of Navigation, Washington:
 "Taku, August 7, Chaffee telegraphs from front: Sixth, Yang Tsun occupied. Cas- ualties about sixty in my command. Two marines wounded. Many prostrated by heat and fatigue; next move yet unknown. General commanding English at front telegraphs: Marched from Pietsang nine miles toward Yang Tsun on right, Russians on left After advance of three miles un- der hot rifle and shell fire our troops car rfed first line of defense: Casualties about fifty killed or dead from sunstroke. .aIcs "REMEY." The chief interest in the Chaffee dispatch as made public by the Navy Department. is the indication that the American com- fiand was in the thick of the fight at the capture of the important town of Tan Tsln, but the reference to deaths from sunstrokes indicates that the international