The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-23

rejection is probably too strong a term
to apply to it. The United States places
itself in the position of being ready at
the proper time to take up peace negotia-
tions but in the present unsettled condi-
ton Of affairs in the empire, the lack Of
knowledge as to who are the responsible
rulers, and what constitutes the actual
Chinese government, it is made clear that
the time has not arrived for pursuing the
negotiation proposed.
No question is raised as to the author
1ty of Lii HuEg Chang to represent his
government, but 1t is said that his Gre
dentials. like these of all others who come
together for the purpose of negotiating
terms of peace, will be examined by the
respective representatives and the valid
ity of the papers of each representative
determined by that body The United
States however in communicating with
Mr.. Wu. recognizes him as the official
representative of the Chinese govern
ment.
Minister WI received the reply early
this afternoon and work was Immediately
begun ON its translation. first on the
American text to the Chinese, and then
from Chinese into cipher This took
some time and it was not until late in the
day that the reply was actually dis
patched.
The most important development of the
day as to the actual conditions in Pelin
came late in the afternoon when the
state department made public a dispatch
from Minister Corger dated at Pekin only
three days ago. 1t is as follows:
NEWS FROM CONGER.
''Pekin, Aug. 19.-Secretary of State,
Washington: The entire city, with
the exception of the imperial palace,
IS occupied by Japanese, Russians,
British, Americans and French. 1t
is being apportioned into districts
for police supervision. The Chinese
army fled. The imperial family and
the court have gone westward, prob
ably to Si-An-Fu, in the province of
Shen 81. No representatives of the
Ghlnese government are in sight in
PeklR' and the conditions are cha
otic. The palace is expected to be
taken Immediately. Many mission
ares have started for home, while
others remain in charge of the Chris
-tlan refugees, numbering about 1000.
Admiral Remey reported in the morning
bringing the story of the Pekin operations
up to the 10th in Pel1in and confirming
the press report already printed of the
death of the gallant Capt Reilly in the
final assault on the outer walls Almost
as important as the Pekin news in this
dispatch was the statement-that the Box
ers are again concentrating around Tien
ism and last Sunday morning the Sixth
cavalry with about 400 English and Jap
anese troops had lively brush with the
Boxers eight miles outside of Tien Tsin
where about 100 of the Chinese were kill
ed and five Americans wounded 1t was
evident from Admiral Remey's account
of this affair that while the Chinese are
In force enough around Tien Tsin to
make considerable show they are evident
ly not in the humor hotly to contest an
fight seems to indicate a sudden and total
rout
The signal effice contributed its quota
TO the news in the following dispatch
from Maj. Scriven, chief signal officer of
the expedition, dated Pekin, Aug. II.
City occupied. All well.
-"Scriven''
dispatch wss several days in coming
through to Washington there is reason to
believe the military telegraph line is now
working into the Chinese capital. There
was also notice received at the depart
ment today that the Taku-Chefee cable
is in working order It is thought there
will soon be a direct and reliable wire
communication from the war department
to Gen. Chaffee's headquarters at Pekin.
ALLIES HAVE MUCH TO DO.
The most important dispatch of the
day was not made public by the war de-
partment, but was the subject of an ex-
tended conference at the White house
this morning between the president and
Secretary Root. It was from Gen. Chat