New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-08-23
AN ANSWER SENT TO Ii.
NO NEGOTIATIONS At PRES
ENT POSSIBLE.
POLICING THE CAPITAL - REILLY-s
DEATH VERIFIED-PEKING N
HANDS OF ALLIES.


ence AT the White House to-day the reply os
the United States TO the application Of Ii Hung
Chang for the appointment OF peace commits
sione-a was completed. and a copy sent 70 the
Chinese Minister Mr WI. Be forwarded 70
Earl Ii The state Department made definite
announcement that the reply had been conveyed
10 Mr W. but added to its Official utterancs
that the correspondence would not Be made
public until tomorrow morning A copy OF the
reply was sent 10 other Governments repre-
sented in China
The American reply is chiefly characterized ~
its firm tone and it's brevfty- It's keynote Is the
Presidents attitude as laid down IN the A1ae-4-
can note on July 2. and there is the srrictsst
adherence 10 the points enunciated az that time
While the document is open 10 the construction
OF being rejection OF Ii Hung Changs propo-
sition for immediate negotiation. II is stated By
those who have read the answer with care and
have had part in it's preparation that rejection
is probably too strong term to apply 70 t.
The United States places itself IN the position
Of being ready al the proper time 70 take Up
peace negotiations. but in the present unsettled
condition OF affairs in the empire. the lack OF
knowledge as 70 who are the responsible rulers
and what constitutes the actual Chinese Gov
ernment IL is made clear that the time has not
arrived for pursuing the negotiation proposed
The formal courtesy OF diplomatic procedure IS
preserved but az the same time the entire tenor
OF the document is one Of force and frmnsss.
NO NEGOTIATIONS POSSIBLE
the position that negotiations are impossible
with Government which cannot prevent hos
tilities against the forces OF the Powers which
were sent 10 the Chinese capital to save their
ENJOYS As long as attacks are uade On the
troops OF this and other Governments. such
have followed the occupation OF Peking and the
attacks in the vicinity OF T1sn-Tsin II Is deemed
that the Chinese Government IS either unwilling
or unable 10 prevent these hostiIities. and for
this reason negotiations must be deferred It
is stated however. that The reply IS a step IN
the direction Of opening Negotiations
No question is raised TO the authority OF
Ii Hung Chang 10 represent his Government
but II IS said that his credentials. Ike those OF
all others who meet for the purpose OF negoti-
ating terms OF peace. VIII be examined By the
respective representatives. and the validity OF
the papers Of each representative determined BY
that body. The United States. however. IN com
municating with Minister WI recognizes him
as the official representative OF the Chinese Gov
ernment-
Minister WI received the reply early this
afternoon. and work was Immediately begun
on its translation, first on the American text
TO the Chinese. and then from Chinese into the
cipher. This took some time. and it was not IN
Ill late in the day that the reply vas actually
dispatched.
Mr.. CONGER'S MESSAGE
The most important development OF the day
as 10 the actual conditions in Peking came late
in the afternoon. when the state Department
made public cipher dispatch from Minister
Conger. dated at Peking only three days ago,
It came through the hands OF Mr. Fowler. al
Che-Foo, and was as follows;
Peking, August IA
Secretary of state Washington;
The entire city, with the exception of the
Imperial Palace. Is occupied by Japanese
Russian, British. American and French It
Il being appOrtiOned into districts for police
supervision The Chinese army He'd The
Imperial family and the Court have gone
westward. probably Sf-An-Fu. In the
province Shen-Se. No Representatives OF
the Chinese Governments are in sight in
PekinE. and the conditions are chaotic The
palace is expected be taken immediately.
Many missionaries have started for home.
while others remain in charge OF the Chris
tian refugees, numbering about one thou
sand CONGER-
Mr.. COngers message was particularly well
come 10 officials in showing how completely the
entire city is dominated by the allies II also
shows the thoroughness with which the allies
are applying civil methods 70 the Chinese capt
tai Mr Congers statement that THE condi-
tions are chaotic was taken as another strong
justification for the firm reply given 70 China
to-day
Minister Conger makes no mention OF his de-
sire TO come home. and 1t is stated officially
that this Government has made no suggestion
that he return 10 this country
ATTACK ON TIEN-TsIN FEARED
The military situation was OF much inter
est in to-day's developments as was the dipIo-
matte Admiral Remey reported early in the
morning. bringing the story OF the Peking oper-
ations up 10 August Is in Peking and con-
frrning the press report already printed Of the
death OF Captain Reilly IN the final assault on
the outer walls OF PeSing. Almost as important
as the Peking news in to-day's dispatch was
the statement that the Boxers are again con-
centratIng around Tien-Tsin. and that last sun
day morning the 9Th Cavalry, with about four
hundred English and japanese troops. had a
lively brush with the Boxers eight miles out
side OF Tien-Tsin. where about one hundred of
the Chinese were killed and i've Americans
wounded II was evident from Admiral Remsy's
account OF this affair that while the Chinese ara