Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-08-29
BECAUSE SHE /
HAS DECLARED WAR.
Situation at Pekin Likely to
Lead to Grave Complies
tions-United States q,
Not Alarmed. { s


washington, aug. l2-1u NC u'p
lomatic feature of the Chinese sit.
uation to-day took precedence over
both the naval and military fea.
lures. The officials of this gov
ernment were, if anything, more
uncommunicative than heretofore
as to the relations between the
powers and China. Itwas stated
authoritatively chat no news of
operations had been received and
that the diplomatic negotiations
could not be made public.
The most unsatisfactory .davel-
opment Of the day, as far as the
Pacific programme of this govern
ment goes, was the receipt of q
dispatch from Admiral Remey
conveying the reports which had
reached him of a.disagreement be-
tween the commanders of the Rus
sian forces in Pekin and the other
internationals. The text of this
dispatch was not made public, but
it was said on good authority to
contain the statement that the
Russian commander had forbid
den communication with the Chi.
nese on the ground that Russia
was technically as we'll as pract!-
cally at war with China. It may
be said this information was not
conveyed by Admiral Remey at
official news, but merely as q re.
port from reliable >urces, which
he considered this government
should possess for its own informa'
ton. Assuming Admiral Remey'f
report TO be correct, this move on
the part of Russia strikes the frei
note of discord in the, heretofore
harmonious concert of the powers
The possibilities Of future compli'
cations thatit opens up arc almost
infinite and would be serious to
degree. II may be said, however
that the news is not taken very se.
riously by this government and
certainly will not affect our course
in any way until it has been off,
cially confirmed. 81
1t was explained that the
situation growing out or the joint
occupation of Pekin by the powers
was delicate, although not neces.
sarily to be described as ee.
rious. The interest of all
the powers there represented were
at least competitive, if not an.
tagonistie and illconsidered on the
part of any one government might
easily entail disagreeabls con.
sequences in which all would be
more or less involved. At the
same time it was explained that
all of the governments represented
in China were anxious to avert
any open clash, if this could be
done without sacrificing what they
considered their rights in the
premises. In this situation the
United States occupied the position
it has held all through the dis
turbance, namely, of being the
one power least under suspicion
by the others of selfish and ulterior
motives. GE se
This government is exceedingly
anxious to maintain this vantage
ground and retain the confidence
of the other powers so that it is
now more than ever cautious as to
to the next step to be taken. The
decision to address instructions to
the United States representatives
at the courts of the various powers
was reached yesterday after the
most mature deliberation. 1t
would have been a satisfaction to
this government if the action
could have been taken without ex.
citing public comment of any
sort. Owing to the fact this COM
munication vas not addressed
directly to the other. governments
and that it contained merely in.
structions forithe guidance of our
diplomatic representatives abroad
it was decided not to make public
either the text or the substance OF
the instructions lest their pre-.
mature publication should defeat
the very object for which they
were designed, namely. a'oi
ascertalning the temper of the
various governments interested
with a view of determining what
form of procedure is most likely
to meet with general appreciation
among them, and lead to aspeedy
solution of the problem. W @