New-York tribune., 1900-08-16
CLOSE oUARTERS IN CHINA

The end is at hand in Climatic end at any
rate of the first act in the great drama which
is being performed by international actors upon
an imperial stage. General Chaffee's latest dis
patch-undated, by the way-reports him at
Ma-Tou That Is the last place upon the road
TO Picking before Tung- Chou is reached the lat
ter being practically the eastern suburb of the
capital. From Ma-Tou there are three roads to
the northwest One runs to Tung-ChOu, whence
a canal is the great highway to Peking. The
others avoid Tung-Chou and run directly to the
eastern gate of the Chinese city of Peking.
(The Tung- Chou canal runs to the Tartar City
of Peking- g--indeed, to the very gate of Lega-
tion-st) General Chaffee's dispatch is supposed
to have been written on Sunday last. 1t is
therefore entirely possible we may say prob
able that he Is by this time at the gates, per
haps even within the gates, of Peking. The
twenty miles from Ma-TOu could surely be
covered in three days, judging from the rate
at which the march to Ma-Tou was effected.
And as for Chinese resistance there has been
practically none since that first fight at Pei
Tsang, and there is little reason to look for any
unless at the gates Of the capital. The news of
the next few hours will be eagerly awaited.
Curiosity is meanwhile piqued by the an
nouncement of the receipt at Washington or
a number of official dispatches, the contents Of
There is much speculation as to what Mr.. Con
ger and Mr.. Goodnow have said that is not to
be made known. We may confidently assume
that it is something of Importance, and we may
with equal confidence believe that there are
satisfactory reasons for Withholding it for the
present from the public. The fact is, We are
getting into close quarters il China American
diplomacy and the military operations melted
10y American action and leadership have almost
reached crowning victory. Now is the time
for the utmost discretion to be employed. 1t
would be most lamentable If some hasty act
or some indiscreet disclosure should bring to
naught the patient and heroic efforts Of the
last few weeks We shall very soon have news
enough from Peking to satiate the most greedy.
Until then patience must be exercised. There
are those who say that the unpublished dis
patches from Mr.. Conger are Identical with dis
patches sent at the same time by all the Minis
ters to their respective Governments. That sug-
gestion directs special attention to the dispatch
sent by NJ Pichon to the French Government,
which is apparently of the same date as Mr..
Congers.
Another indication of the nearness of the
crisis of the campaign is TO be observed in the
increasing rivalry and friction among the
Powers. Russia Is reported to have seized the
exceptionally important port Of New -Chwang
on what pretext and with what purpose do not
appear. Great Britain has been preparing to
land troops at Shanghai and TO police the lower
reaches of the Yangtse, for the purpose of pre-
venting outbreaks which, according to universal
testimony. are threatened Thereupon Great
Britain finds fault with Russia for beginning
land grabbing, and hints that her action at
Shanghai is necessary to preserve the balance
Of power; while Russia, on the other hand
blames Great Britain for beginning it, and in
sists that her occupation OF New-Chwang is
nothing but her answer to British rapacity at
Shanghai. The other Powers naturally align
themselves on the one side or the other, France
siding with Russia and Japan with Great Brit
ain. The interest of the United States is, of
course, TO make sure of the maintenance of the
open door for trade and Of its full treaty rights.
That is all. Beyond that it has no interest in
the rivalries of foreign Powers. But at least
it is to be hoped that such rivalries will not be
permitted to interfere with the successful com
pletion of the work which is now nearing its
end at Picking.