The Portland daily press., 1900-06-30
AGREEMENT OF CONSULS.
A Plan which Was Not Well Receives
in washington.

Paris, June 20.-A representative of
that, as result of the negotiations be-
| tween the powers, an agreement has been
arrived at which provides for the main
| tenance of the statu quo as regnrds
spheres OF influence and commercial
agreements, and also respecting the ma
ture of the guarantees and compensations
which will be demanded from China.
According to the understanding the in
ternational army of occupation will con-
sist Of so, 900 men. Russia and Japan viii
provide 12,0O0 each, Great Britain will
provide 10000 men, France 5000 and
Germany, American and the other powers,
| 8, 900 each.
The Russian army corps In Siberia,
which has just been modified will only
cross the Chinese frontier in the event
of the crisis being aggravated.
Washington, June 29.-The state depart
ment also was made acquainted with the
terms OF the agreement between the con-
suls and the viceroys looking to the pro-
lection of foreign interests in the south
ern province of China. The first step to
this end was indicated in Secretary Hays
cablegram of last Wedne sday to the
American consuls in China authorizing
them to take direct action instead of
waiting on possible communications
with Minister Conger. Thus authorized
Consul General Goodnow at Shanghai
and probably several others in the south
began negotiations with the viceroys and
tactis of their respective districts. The
outcome was the nine articles of agree
ment. The text is withheld here from
publication but 1t Is understood that It's
general purpose is to make neutral the
Chinese treaty ports at Nankin and Han
kow. The naturalization would involve
the withdrawal of foreign men of war
from the treaty ports and also of any
foreign troops or sailors, leaving .to the
Shanghai and the other ports the preser-
walton of order.
The cabinet failed to ratify the agree
ment at today's meeting. In fact the
document in its inception and various
stages Of development was regarded as
properly open to much doubt as to war
rant the belief that the foreign consuls, as
q body, certainly never entered into the
agreement. In addition to the subjects
above mentioned as forming part of the
agreement, it appears that the consuls
bound themselves to acquit the Chinese
government of any responsibility for riot
ing, murder and pillage in the treaty ports
If any foreign warship should enter such
port In violation Of the agreement. No
safe guard was even interposed to secure
the exemption OF warships whose COM
manders might be unaware of the state
of affairs in the treaty ports and the pro-
hibition against their entry. There was
an apparent conflict between some of the
provisions and in fact the whole re-
puted agreement bore the appearance of
rough memorandum which the cabinet
concluded could never have received the
assent OF all of the foreign consuls, even
supposing that some of them might have
become frightened into acquiescence.
Therefore no steps were taken, even to as
certain by direct inquiry of Consul Gen.
eral Goodnow whether the agreement was
authentic and he had signed Ii. 1t was
simply assumed that II he had done so,
he would have acquainted the depart
ment. being in ready cable communion
tion, so the matter was dropped.