The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-25
WILL NOT BELIEVE n
BRITISH FOREIGN OFF.~E DIS
CREDITS STORY OF SAFETY
OF MINISTER'S
DEMANDS COMMUNICATION
Complications That May Arise i'm
Event of Legations Being Safe
and Ministers Held as Host
aEes-Praise for Hay.

ioHs interview with Lord Salisbury this
afternoon. The general situation was
| discussed, and the Chinese minister ex-
pressed his belief that the British min
lister to China, Sir Claude Macdonald
and the other ministers at Pekin. were
| safe.
Lord Salisbury reiterated his demand
for direct communication with the min
lister at Pekin. To this request the min
lister could only renew his protest lions
that it would be speedily accomplished, If
feasible. He adduced no new facts to prove
his assertions. The interview closed
without results.
Despite the Chinese minister's state
ments, and despite Sir Claude MacDon-
AIDS letter of July 4, a strong impression
continues to prevail at the foreign Office
that the ministers at Pel1in were massa-
cred July s. The Associated Press CORE
spondent is informed that not one SEM
tilla of evidence is yet in the possession
of the foreign office leading them to dis
believe the reports of the murders. Sir
Claude MacDonalds account Of severe
fighting in progress merely confirms the
governments forebodings. William Prit-
chard Morgan, member of parliament
for Merthyr Tydvil, whose knowledge of
and interests in China are extensive in
formed the Associated Press correspond
ent today that he was positive from ca
BILE messages from his agents that the
members of the legations were alive July
8. When the foreign office was told this
the rejoinder was made:
Mr.. Morgan has submitted no evidence
to convince US of the truth of his state
ment, however anxious We may be to be-
lieVe it, 81
MR.. HAY PRAISED.
Secretary Leu expressed unstinted
praise at the attitude of the United States
secretary of state, John Hay, and express
ed his implicit belief that the ministers
were safe. He said that the negotiations
with the powers on behalf of China had
all been entrusted to the Chinese minis
ter at Washington, WI Ting Fang. Sec
rotary Leu professed utter ignorance of
their progress. 1t may with safety be
stated that should the ministers prove to
be alive, the Chinese government will
to some extent, use them as a lever to
compel European and American mission
aries and commercial enterprises to mod
crate their activity-if not to withdraw
from the empire entirely On this point
Mr.. Pritchard Morgan, who is in close
touch with the Chinese minister said to
the Associated Press correspondent that
he had good reason to, believe the Chinese
government had entrusted, or would en-
trust Ii Hung Chang with the mission
of saying to the powers:
Look here. If you withdraw your mis-
s1onaries and give up your concessions
we will be willing to make ample pecuni-
airy remuneration for your losses. We will
then deliver your ministers, except Ger
manys, alive. Well! 1if4you do not agree
we cannot be answerable for the lives of
your ministers We cannot reconcile the
majority of our people to the foreign ele-
ment.' and who, said Mr. Morgan,
will have hardihood enough to saw to
China: Go ahead, kill the minister's and
we will have revenge,
PRELUDE TO BAD NEWS.
Sir Claude MacDonald's message. dated
July 4, appealing for relief, is regarded
In London as only a prelude to the abso-
Lutte confirmation of the massacre. This
is the opinion also of the Japanese min
lister here. The newspapers suggest that
the British minister's dispatch was held
back and released about the same time
as Mr.. Corgers undated message.
Although the American and British
forces are working tremendously the
question Of means of communication be-
tween Taku and Pekin gives evidences
of jealousies between the powers, and
other dispatches from Tien Tsin show
that the language difficulty has been
hampering the military operations. A
dispatch to the Daily News from Tien
Tsin, dated July II, and describing the
fighting, says:
Col Liscum mistook the road and
was nearly isolated. Gen. Dorward, on
a premature notice from the Japanese
commander that the city had been en-
tered, ordered general advance, which
proved costly error.
Much valuable time was lost and
trouble occasioned yesterday afternoon
because the messengers between Gen.
Fushima and Gen. Dorward did not I'M
| derstand each others language"
The Tien Tsin correspondent of the
Daily Mail says that when the Chinese
| regulars saw the Boxers when attacked
being killed they began to retire. The
allies decided that 1t was useless to adj
vance on Pekin without at least $4,000
| men,"
AMERICAN RASFNESs.
In an editorial commenting on this
decision, the Daily Mail refers to the
American proposal to advance with 1000
men, and says:
eve have learned in Africa how dan
gercus 1t is to despise our enemies and
in the interest of civilization we do not
wish to see such a lesson read to the
United States by the heather Chinee.
A whole batch of Tien Tsin dispatches
are published today. All praise the gal
! lantry of the Americans and japanese.
| The Standards correspondent says the
Americans at first made mistake in
Understanding the fighting capacity OF
| the Chinese, whose fire was really ter
| rife. He expresses some doubt about
| the ability of the allies to hold the posi-
| lions captured unless they are reinforced.
| It appears that large hauls OF silver were
made by the allies, the metal being car
| ried away in buckets, the Chinese calmly
| assisting.
The Shanghai correspondent of the
Times, telegraphing Monday, says:
I'm an interview today Ii Hung Chang
reiterated his statement that if the Man
| chu party had been guilty of the horrible
treachery involved in a massacre of the
members Cf the legation, he wou'd ahso-
lutely refuse to attempt to negotiate. He
| said the present intentions of the tsung II
! yamen was to memoriahze the empress
dowager to revictua1 the legations, and
| then III arrange to send them to Tien
Tsin under the escort of Gen. Scbal Wei
Lin. He said that the fighting had ceased
and the foreign troops s.were holding a
position south of the Yu Ho bridge, while
Gen. Tung Fuh Siang's forces were on the
north. 50
Earl Ii expressed the intention to wait
I for news of the movement of the for
eign legations before proceeding north
ward. On receiving this he will be cs-
corted by 10000 troops, who are now mus
tering in this province. "
Regarding the negotiations he said he
believed China's finances would debar her
from paying indemnity. and that the p o.
pie would not submit to further annexa-
| tons of territory. He thinks the powers
| ought to accept assurances Of q reform