The sun., 1900-09-10
PREPARING TO LEAVE.
ChalIee Gets Orders TO 10 Ready to
Abandon peking.
NO CHANGE IN OUR POLICY
Washington Authorities Are Hopeful
That Solution of the Chinese
Puzzle viii soon he Reached.
Picking Reported Peaceful.

Washington. Sept. o. Orders have
been cabled to General Chaffce to pre-
pare his forces for withdrawal from Pc
king Further than that the war depart
mcnt has taken steps to have at Taku a
sufficient number of United States trans
ports to remove these troops to the Phil
ippnes as soon as they reach the port.
These orders are preparatory and do
not necessarily indicate that our govern
mcnt has decided finally upon an immc-
diate withdrawal from China. II is sim
ply placing itself in position to cary
out the pledge conveyed in the reply 10
the Russian note in this language;
''The results of these considerations is
that unless there is such general eX-
preston by the powers in favor Of CON
tinuod occupation as to modify the views
expressed ~ the government of RUssin
md lead t. q general agreement for CON
tinued occupation we shall give instfuc-
lions to the American forces in China to
withdraw our troops from Pcking after
due conference with the other command
cIs as 'to the time and manner Of will |
drawal."
No Change In Policy.
Up 10 the present moment our govern
ment has not changed lis policy in tbs |
matter Of Withdrawing troops. 1t has |
given the subject much consideration |
since the original note was written, but |
at all times there has been kept steadily |
in mind the propriety uf removing the |
American troops from China as soon as
this could bc done consistently. 1t is in |
timatcd that tile prospect Of securing |
these objects through completely harmo
nious action by the powers is Frightening |
every day 1t is felt that this is Il time
for compromise propositions as between
the Russian and German designs in Chi |
ma, and such propositions now form the |
substance of nearly all the diplomatic
exchanges which are in daily progress |
The continuance of quiet in Pcking tend |
ing to reassure the Chinese officials, is |
believed to be rapidly fastening negOtia
tions for final settlement There is the
best reason to believe that We're the Chi
nese government once assured of the per- |
sonal safety of its members, were it re-
lieved of a fear of a dismemberment of
China and the menace of large foreign
force in the capital, the imperial court, |
including the emperor and empress dowa-
ger. would lose no time in returning to
Peking and opening negotiations.
Hence the suggestion has been thrown
out that the allied forces in Peking be
reduced to a number sufficient to insure
the immediate safety of the legations,
while the remaining forces retire beyond
the walled city, perhaps to Tien-tsin and
if the progress of the negotiations seems
to warrant it perhaps be withdrawn al
together from Chinese soil. There are
only two obstacles to the execution of
this plan. One is the difficulty of franz
ing suitable guarantees for the continu-
ance to a satisfactory conclusion of the
negotiations FOR the hnal settlement. Ihe
other is the uncompromsing attitude of
one of the powers. 1t is now believed
that the difficulty as to guarantees can
be satisfactorily adjusted.
To overcome Obstacles.
The other obstacle may be overcome by
a threatened isolation of the refractory
power, for it is believed that no one pow
er would care to pursue war upon Chi
ma when the other powers had deliberate
ly expressed their judgment that further
hOstilties We're unwarranted. Besides,
hostilities under such conditions, tending
to injure the interests of the other pow
ers in China. might be regarded by them
as authorizing joint demand upon the
single power for guarantees which would
be very difficult to meet.
For this reason it is hoped that the
powers can he brought to act in har-
mony in the matter of the evacuation of
Picking. and it is entirely possible if this
plan is executed that all of the American
troops save a small number left to guard
the legation at Pelling can be withdrawn
from China before winter sets in. 1t will
not be necessary to delay the negotia-
tions until the evacuation is completed.
Even now our government for one is in
position to begin them instantly upon the
appearance of properly accredited repre-
sentatives of the Chinese government.
OF course it is preferable that all the
other powers interested take the same
view of the insuiiiciency of these creden-
tials, and this government is devoting its
entire efforts at the present moment to-
ward securing harmony of action to this
end and to Fastening the initiation of the
final negotiations.
Special Commissioner Rockhll has left
Shanghai for Pekng. A report by cable
from him, dated Saturday, indicated that
he had begun the discharge of his duties
as a special observer of the present Chi
nese disturbances. Reports also were re-
coived from Consul General Goodnow at
Shanghai and Consul Fowler at Chefu,
both dealing with the condition of the
missionaries