New-York tribune., 1900-07-08
HOPE FOR THE MINISTER'S.
LEGATIONS IN PEKING STANDING ON
JULY s. SAYS CONSUL-GEN-
ERAL. GOODNOW.
ERAL GOODNOW.
Try TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE. ]

Washington, July THE legations at
Peking may yet, and must be. saved was the
announcement that went through all the offices
of the State, War and Navy Department build
ing to-day, as the result of Consul-General
Goodnow's inspiring dispatch received this
morning declaring that:
The legations were still standing July 3
The recent attacks Of the Boxers have been
ton mn meth DDS seer" "''p'''u
The effect of this message on officials who for
days had been depressed by the apparent hope
lessness Of the situation remarkable. The
tide had begun to turn from the depths Of utter
detection last night with the announcement by
Japan that a mixed division of troops would
start at once. The belief that Colonel Lscums
veterans of the 9th Infantry must be ashore at
Taku by this time was also ground for a more
cheerful view, as there confidence that he
would let no ordinary obstacle deter him from
promptly executing his orders to report in per
son TO Minister Conger, in Peking. The climax
to this growing hope rests on the absolute
reliance placed in every word that comes from
the American representative at Shanghai, who
has invariably justified the trust reposed in
him. All his dispatches have been of great
importance, demonstrating his possession of the
highest sources of accurate information. His
dispatch of to-day. therefore, is accepted by
officials here as trustworthy evidence that the
legations safe and may be rescued if there
is no unreasonable delay The dispatch brings
the news from Peking forward exactly one
week, the last previous news having been Sir
Robert Harris appeal of June 26.
The Improvement in the situation it is be-
lieved, is due to the ammunition Of the Chinese
hordes becoming exhausted. No other sugges-
ton appears to explain the survival of the for
eigners for three weeks with the slight protec-
ton afforded them in the legation buildings. The
p-ar Al
of cannon being trained on the British COM
pound but never firing, although there was an
incessant hail of rifle bullets. seems conclusive
evidence that there never was any artillery am
rnunition ar hand Attention was called n these
dispatches this morning to the Importance at
tached to the destruction Of the main and branch
Chinese arsenaIs at and near Tien-Tsin by Ad-
miral Seymour on his retreat and by the allied
forces later. All the war munitions of Northern
China were stored in them and the sole de-
pendence now Of Prince Tuan's forces is on the
Shanghai arsenal ten days journey away
According to Consul-General Goodnow's mes
sage, interpreted by Army and Navy Off
GERS, the survival Of the besieged Ministers de-
pends largely on their supply of food which
cannot be large. But General Greely and Ad-
miral Melville are striking examples in the two
services to-day Of the long fasts and depriva-
tions from which men may recover.
Secretary Hay gave expression to-day to i'm
portant theories of great interest based on Con-
General Goodnow's dispatch. He said that
the probable death Of the Emperor and Empress
had thrown great responsibilities on Prince
Tuan. These responsibilities might bring Prince
Tuan to his senses and begin the undoing of the
vile programme of which the whole civilized
world believes he is the author. The Secretary
argued that Prince Tuan would look to the in
terests of his son. the heir apparent and might
desire to make the nations of the world believe
that he really the who had prevented
the murder Of all the foreigners. If this view
of Prince Tuan should prove the correct one.
the idea is that he may gradually put a stop to
the rioting and eventually save the lives of all
the foreign Ministers and their guards. thereby
possibly saving the Chinese nation from de-
struction and restoring peace.