The sun., 1900-07-20
WASHINGTON SITUATION.
No Intention mt Present to Restrict
the Liberty of wu.

Washington. July 19.-In the absence
Of direct news from China attention was
directed mainly To the more or less specu-
lative stories enanating from European
capitals indicative of discord among the
powers. 1t is believed that these little
ebullitions of mutual suspicion always
characterize allied movements and 50 are
to be expected in the present case. 1t
can be stated that. 50 far as official rec
ord discloses there is absolutely no
ground for them.
Our government having fully defined
its intentions in Secretary Hays note of
July 3. the other governments interested
in the Chinese situation have entered into
the spirit Of that declaration Of principle
with perfect accord. AT least that is the
record. both written and oral, and Rus
sia, a power more than any other under
suspicion in these stories, has not been
backward in assuring the state depart
mcnt Of the coincidence of Secretary
Hays declaration with Russia's purpose
in China. 1t is, of course, possible that
some Of the powers are swayed by mo
tyes thar do not appear in their formal
declarations. The state department. how
ever. cannot 20 behind their formal ex
prcSSionS and can now only await results.
Tie appointment OF w. w Rockhiil.
director of tho bureau of American repub-
lies. as special commissioner from this
country TO 90 to China and investigate
and report upon the situation. has been
made.
There is not the slightest disposition Oh
the part Of our government 10 follow the
example Of certain European powers ami
restrict in any measure the liberty Of the
Chinese minister here, Mr.. WI. in commu-
nicating with the Chinese viceroys and
whatever remains of the titular Chinese
government. On the contrary, crediting
the minister with ain earnest desire to do
everything il his power TO protect for
eigners in tie Chinese empire, and conf
dent that he has no sympathy whatever
with the insurrectionary Boxer element,
the state department regards it as good
policy TO facilitate, rather than obstruct.
his communications with the Chinese
viceroys. Acting on this theory, the de
partment does not credit the stories that
any Of the Chinese ministers in Europe
have been given their passports
If there should be a declaration Of war
by Russia upon China, based on what is
said to have Cured on the Siberian
border, the technical relations Of the al
lieu powers toward Inlnd nhGHl, IL Is
said here, undergo a radical change. 1t
is believed that the s Dry Of Boxer ac-
tivity is considerably exaggerated so far
as it relates to the country north Of the
Siberian border, and it is hoped that the
troubles have been confined to Man
churia. But if war should actually and
formally open between Russia and China
that fact might oblige the other powers
10 do one Of two things, either join in
the declaration of war or withdraw their
forces from Chinese soil.
Minister WI and Mr.. Wollant, the
Russian charge, again called upon Secre-
tary Hay, but neither had news from
China.
Developments in the military situation
were the formal designation of Brigadier
General Chaffee as a major general Of
volunteers and making Of other arrange
ments for a prolonged campaign on a
large scale in China. The officials hope
that it will be short, but they are prepar-
ing to send coal and winter clothing. so
they are preparing for the other contin-