The Portland daily press., 1900-08-06
Important Imperial
Edict Issued.
Imperial
Ministers Ordered To Be Is
cOred to Tien Tsin.

Washington, August "A belated mes
sage from Minister Conger was received
today at the State Department.. 1t came
through Consul General Goodnow at
Shanghai who transmitted messages re-
ceived b 7 Mr.. Ragsdale, United States
consul at lien Tsln from Mr.. Conger
and Mr. Squiers, secretary of the United
States legation at Pekin. In effect the
advices are the same as these received a
day or two ago by the State Department
from Consul Fowler at Che Foo.
Mr.. Goodnow message was trans
mitted to President Mckinley at Canton
and Mr.. Adee, acting secretary of state,
later in the day, issued the following
statement concerning it:
Consul General Goodnow, in a cable
gram dated Shanghai, August 5, which
was received at the department of state at
four o'clock this Sunday morning, re-
ports the receipt by Consul Ragsdale at
Tien Tsin OF messages from Minister
Conger and the secretary OF the legation,
MIR. Squiers. dated July 81, to the follow
ing effect:
All we'll No lighting since the six
teenth by agreement. Enough provisions
Hope for speedy relief.
Mr.. Goodnow adds that the director of
posts, Sheng, had on the fifth comm uni
Gated to him an imperial edict, dated
July 80. ordering Jung Lu to provide an
escort for the ministers to Tien Tsin.
The edict says the ministers can receive
messages not in cipher; but notwith-
standing this, plain messages were re-
turned to some consuls on August A."
While the messages from Minister Con-
ger and Secretary Squiers bear date of
July 81, the belief, founded not only up
on them but also upon collateral and later
Information is that the legationers are
yet safe from at least immediate harm.
At present there is no means of knowing
whether the ministers Will accept the
offer OF the Chinese imperial government
to provide an escort for them to Tien
Tsin; but it is sur1nised they will prefer
TO remain within the British Iegat ion
ut Pek1n until the arrival of the allied
forces. Should they leave for Tien Tsin
In all probability it would be because
they regarded it the safer course to pur-
sue. 1t is thought to be not unlikely
that the Chinese government may be very
lnsistent upon the departure of the min
listers. in the hope, If they can be gotten
TO lien Tsin in safety the storming of
ekin may be ayerted.
The inhibition of cipher dispatches to
the ministers while q serious breach of
diplomatic usage is not regarded here
with apprehension. The Chinese govern
ment it is pointed out, is suspicious OF
o4fo Of [t,ra n
probably has adopted this precaution to
prevent communication to the minis tiers,
OF details Of military movements. 1t is
evident from the adoption of this
measure that the imperial government
regards itself as an6agOnistic to, if not
actually at war, with the powers Thus
far, no inhibition has been placed upon
cipher dispatches passing between the
various governments and their consular
representatives in China, outside of Pc
kin.
The State Department. has taken the
ground that the despatch from the Isung
Ii Yamen, delivered at the department.
yesterday, by Minister WI, is not an an
sWer to the dispatches of Secretary Hay
sent on August 1 In that despatch Sec
Rotary Hay finally and decisively insisted
that free communication with the minis
bers must be established before any steps
would be taken by this gOvernmen to-
ward o peaceful solution of the present
troubles. That despatch was sent to Con-
sui General Goodnow to be, By him,
transmitted to Lii Hung Chang. The
message delivered by Minister Wa to the
State Department. yesterday, relative to
the inhibition Of cipher dispatches, was
sent by the Ysung Ii Yamen on July 30.
AS of that date, it already had been COM
municated to the department. by Consul
Fowler. Obviously, therefore, it could
not be q reply to the dispatch sent to Mr..
Goodnow by Secretary Hay on August 1.
A definite reilly to the Secretary's des-
patch of the first inst, is awaited with
some concern, not to say anxiety. 1t is
the final woru OF the United States gov
eminent in the pending negotiations
The demand must be acoeded to, it
trouble Of seriou character is to be
aYerted
Minister Wa is not III the city today,
having gone to Cape May to pass Sunday
with his family. 1T is said at the Chinese
legation that he probably VIII return to
Washington tomorrow. No dispatches OF
consequence were received at the legation
today and it is said by the legation at
ia shes no messages win be made public
! ON the legation, in the absence of the
minister, unless messages should come