The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-15
ENGLAND FEARS.
Cannot Hope That Legations at Pekin
Are Still Safe.

| New York, Aug. ia dispatch to the
Tribune from London says:
| The Chinese minister in this capital,
| Sir Chih Chen Lo Feng Luh, sticks to
{ his guns and is as resolutely optimistic
as ever. He has made another statement
| in which he reiterates his conviction that
| the ministers in Pekin are safe and pos
| itiyely ridicules the idea that they can
| be in any jeopardy. As for the report
| that Ii Peng Heng has brought up guns
| and bombarded the legations, he says TINS
| cannot be true. If it were, the legation
| buildings would have been reduced to
| ruins in an hour or two.
Side by side with the Chinese minis
| ter'S reassuring statements comes Sir
| Claude MacDonald's cipher dispatch of
| August 6, in which the British represen-
tative describes the situation as desper-
ate, states that the food supply Will not
| lost more than ten days and declares
| that unless relief arrives speedily a gen.
eral massacre is imminent. Between
| these contradictory statements anxiety
| and suspense are again reused to fever
| heat and will so remain for the rest of
| this week and until the relief force has
actually arrived in Pekin On the whole,
| however, a somewhat hopeful disposition
prevails. though the gravity or the last
! messages from Macdonald and COnger
| is admitted 1t is thought that even the
Manchu deSpeIadoes in command of the
! Chinese soldiery in Pekin Will hesitate to
proceed to extremities with the cannon
| of the allied army almost sounding IN
their ears. There is a significant varia-
ton in the two versions of Sir Claude
MacDonald's message of the sixth as
| published yesterday morning and after
| noon, respectively. In the dispatch as
forwarded by the Hong Kong cores
pondent of a news agency Sir Claude
merely says:
1.-THE Chinese offered escort to Tien
Tsin, but it was refused
In the version cabled by a correspond
ent of the Daily Telegraph Sir Claude
Macdonald adds that he refuses to quit
Pekin under Chinese safe conduct, re
membering CaWnpore," an impressive
addition, suggesting appalling possibili-
ties.
Great satisfaction is felt at the pro-
gress of the relief force. NotwithStand-
ing the comparatively heavy losses of
the allies at Yong Tsun, the military au-
thorities consider the Chinese have made
a poor showing and it is not thought
they will be able to impede seriously the
entry of the relieving column into Pekin.
1t is really expected that the allies will
march into the Tartar city and rescue
the foreigners, unless some catastrophe
has happened to the latter, by Sunday
or Monday. The British war office which
made some efforts to keep the press sup
piled with early and accurate news in
the South African campaign, shows it.
self very tardily informed about the Chi
neSe operations. Some discomfort is eX-
cited by the fact that people here have
so often to look to Washington tele-
grams to find out what is happening. 1t
is not understood why, IL Gen. Cnanee
could communicate to his government
the occupation of Ho 81 WI on Monday
no word on the subject has yet been re-
ceived in Pail Mall.
In the view of at least three of the gov
ernments concerned, Field Marshal Count
Won Waldersee will simply be the officer
of highest rank on the spot who will nat
urally take command in the field in vir-
tue of his seniority. just as the British
admiral did at Taku and the Russian
lieutenant general at Pei Tsang.
The arrangement by which the British
government have agreed to pay to the
viceroy of Hope &75,000 a subsidy
toward the support of his troops is, from
one point of view, a skllful stroke of
policy. The southern and central vice
roys who have been sitting on the fence,
will be a good deal impressed by the
demonstration that the European pow
ers are prepared to give them substan-
tial material assistance il they decline to
join the anti-foreign movement. This
action on the part of Great Britain, cOu-
pied with the dispatch of Indian troops
to Shanghai, illustrates the determine
ton of her majesty's government to keep
by military, political or financial meas
ures It must be admitted that 1t does
not quite square with Mr. Brodericks
statement at the close of the parliament
tary session that China is not to be In
daniZed." At any rate, if Great Brit
ain is to take the great serni-independ-
ent governors of the centre into her pay,
while Russia is hosting her flag at New
Chwang, it would seem that the process
of partitioning China is already coming
perilously close.