The age-herald., 1900-08-11
Refuses to Accept Chinese Es- eat. ..s@ cort from Pekin.
AMERICANS HAVE LOST Y MEN
The Dispatch Was Accepted as Show ing Conclusive Justification of the
 United States Imperative
 Demands on China

[. Washington, August 10.-In the light Of the latest dispatch from Minister Conger, received by the State Department through Minister Wu today, the attitude of the ad- ministration is that there is but one thing 10 be done in the present circumstances, namely to press on to the relief Of the besieged garrison at Pekin. This was made known after extended communica- tions between Washington and the Presi- dent at Canton.
 The Conger dispatch was accepted as showing conclusive justification for the imperative demand of the United States, sent to the Chinese government Wednes- night, insisting that the Imperial troops cooperate with the international forces in the rescue of the Ministers, and when this is done and a cessation of the lombard ment is fully conceded by China there is no other course open but to press steadily onward in the mission of relief
 The Conger dispatch was received be- fore daylight at the Chinese Legation, and as soon as the official day opened Min ister Wu presented the message to Act ing Secretary Adee at the State Depart ment. It was in the American cipher and
 
 that of the other Ministers at Pekin (that of the French Minister, M. Pinchon, al- ready having appeared) with the additional fact that several members of the American guard had been killed and sixteen wound ed. The text of the message is as follows:
 The Conger Message
 Secretary of State, Washington:
 "The Tsung-li- Yamen states to the dip lomatic body that the various foreign gov ernments have repeatedly asked through their respective Chinese Ministers that we immediately depart from Pel1in under suit able escort. The Yamen asks us to fix a date for our departure, and to make the necessary arrangements to do so Our re- ply is that we will seek instructions from our governments and that in the absence of such instructions we cannot quit our posts. I must inform you that in order to insure our safe departure foreign troops only can safely escort us, and they must be in sufficient force to safely guard 800 foreigners, including 200 women and chill dren, as well as 5000 native Christians, who cannot be abandoned to certain massacre. We cannot accept a Chinese escort under any circumstances.
 All my colleagues are dispatching the foregoing to their respective governments Of the American marines seven have been Killed and sixteen wounded, among the latter Captain Myers and Dr. Lippett, who are getting along well.
 (Signed) "CONGER This message is undated, but is supposed to have been sent on or after the 9th of August when the Imperial edict remoy- ing the inhibition against the Ministers sending cipher telegramS was received hv the Tsung-li Yamen.
 Reply Forwared
 Secretary Root and Acting Secretary Adee forwarded a reply to the Conger message. but would not make public the text of the reply. This message is believed to make plain that this government will not advise. much less direct, that Mr. Conger leave Pekin under Chinese escort, when the min ister has advised Washington that this would mean certain death.
 Moreover, the reply doubtless lets the minister know there is an unaccountable error in the statement of the Chinese gov ernment as conveyed to him through the Tsung Ii Yamen, that the foreign govern ments had urged repeatedly that the min isters be sent out of Pekin under suitable escort. This clause contained in Mir. Con- gers latest dispatch, clearly shows that the Chinese government is leading him to believe that it is the wish of Washington that he leave under Chinese escort, whereas the United States government never has entertained for moment the idea of having the ministers sent out on the dangerous pilgrimage from Pekin to the coast under Chinese protection. There is no probability that the attention of the Chinese government will be directed to it's apparent double dealing as indicated by the Conger dispatch.