The Topeka state journal., 1900-09-29
EMPRESS IS 1T.
She Is the Chinese Government
and Fav0rS Boxers.

| of conflicting reports in circulation rela-
tive to China the administration has de-
| duced these facts, says the Washington
correspondent of the Herald. That the
return of the imperial government TO
| Pekin will not be feasible until all the
| interested powers give guarantee OF pro
| lection to the empress doWager as well
| as to the emperor.
That the imperial government, which
| at this moment is the empress dowager,
| is still highly favorable to the boxer
movement, though hope is expressed that
| the information of the degradation OF
Prince Tuan is correct, as in such event
this government will be able to act to
preserve Chinese territorial entity. The
state department understands, however,
that Sheng is authority for the news or
Prince Tuan'S appointment as grand
secretary.
That all the powers, except the United
States, propose to retain in Pektn con-
siderable force, not so much TO preserve
order as to watch over the interests of
their respective governments, and that
none of the powers, Notwithstanding the
withdrawal of American troops from
China, contemplate taking steps in the
same direction.
This government has no disposition
physically to punish the empress dow
ager and when peace negotiations are
inaugurated Minister COnger will be
authorized to extend American protec-
ton to her, as he will do in the case or
the emperor. Lii Hung Chang has not
reached Pekin and Prince Ching will not
begin negotiations until he has had op-
portunity to discuss the situation with
him.
1t developed today that as a result of
the doubt cast upon Lii Hung Chang 5
credentials by the United States the i'm
perial government issued the recent ed1ct
granting to him and Prince Ching full
authority to negotiate and agreeing in
advance to accept any terms which they
made. No information has been received
at the state department confirmatory OF
-, .r,v.+ hot 1fofT n
accept Earl Ii as a peace envoy unless
he be provided with more definite Gre
dentials.
A special to the Times from Washing
ton says: If the protest regarding the
appointment of Prince Tuan forwarded
by Minister WI Tong Fang remains
without effect and Tuan is kept in the
priVy council, the United States Will re-
fuse to negotiate with China unless as
surances are given that the action of
the envoys shall not be subject to re-
view by the Chinese emperor.
This is an unusual step, but the cir
cumstances of the case are held to make
it necessary. In the ordinary course OF
diplomatic procedure a sovereign would
have the right to accept or reject a
treaty negotiated by his ENJOYS II
Tuan is kept in the privy council it is
certain that the peace treaty would have
to pass through his hands in order to get
70 the emperor and to prevent that the
United States will insist that the en-
peror divest himself of all powers by
making those OF Prince CHING and Earl
Lii absolute.
When Ching and Ii were first ap-
pointed the Chinese papers announcing
their appointment were somewhat am
biguous. Some of the powers were told
that Lii and Ching were invested with
full authority to negotiate peace, while
others were told that their proceedings
were subject to review by the emperor.
1t is learned today that the United
States insisted on a definite understand
ing with the result that the powers of
Ching and Lii were broadly defined by
the Chinese government Before nego-
tiating, however, the United States will
insist on having it definitely understood
that no papers shall pass through the
priXy council
This is all based on the assumption
that the Chinese government will refuse
to dismiss the new privy council It is
absolutely necessary that such a de-
mand should be made, for the reason
that the first demand of the peace en-
voys will be for the degradation of Tuan
and the punishment of the boxer chiefs
and it is evidently impossible that such
a demand should be submitted to him
even for transmission to the emperor.
Nothing is known here of the alleged
appointment of Wang Wen Chao to sue
ceed Tuan in the privy council Wang
has been described as friendly to the
foreigners and the Fabricated story
about the massacre of the ministers in
Pekin told how Wang was killed at the
head of his troops. while bravely de-
tending the legations NOInlnS IS Known
of his attitude at the state department,
and the government officials have no
knowledge of his views except those OBJ
tanned from the reports sent in by the
Shanghai correspondents at the time of
the imaginary massacre.
The report from St. Petersburg that
owing to the hostile attitude of the Chi
nese fleet at Shanghai, Russia proposes
to blockade the Chinese naval ports"
created much interest at the navy de-
partment and in government circles
generally today. As there is no state
ment to the effect that it is to be pre-
ceded by a declaration of war it is as
sumed the blockade proposed comes ur-
der the designation in international law
of pacific blockade pacific block
ade is considered something of an an
omaly and though its justification is not
recognized by some writers on interna-
tional law, it has been resorted to on
several occasions during the past CEN
tury and it is now recognized as a meas
ure of constraint short of war. It has
been instituted sometimes by the joint
action of several powers, sometimes of
a single power, in some cases against
all vessels and in other cases against
only the vessels of the nation concerned.
The penalties generally have been the
seizure and confiscation of the property
and cargo of the offending nation or
seizure and detention.
If the report from St Petersburg
should prove to be correct, the supposi-
tion is that, as it is based on the alleged
activity of the Chinese fleet, the block
ade would be directed against Chinese
ports where there are naval stores dry
docks, or coaling stations. There are but
six OF these ports on the Chinese coast
not within the spheres of foreign powers
namely, Niu Chwang where there is
mud dock; Taku and Tien Tsin, where
there are Chinese government docks and
yards, Foo Chow, Ameer and Whenpoa
where there is granite dock owned by