The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-08-13
Before q. S. Can Enter Into
Negotiations.

Washington, August 12.-Indications
of the desire OF China for peaceful sst-
Element OF her present difficulties have
been multiplying for several days. Ohi-
cial ~vidence of that desire was presented
TO the state department today 1t was in
the form OF an ediot promuIgate by the
Emperor Kwang Hsu, appointing Earl
Ii Hung Chang as envoy plenipotentiary
to negotiate with the powers for an "im.
mediate cessation OF hostilitiss,' pending
solution of the problems which have
grown out of the anti-foreign uprising
in the empire Earl III is to act directly
for the emperor and fair inference is
that whatever terms of settlements he
may reach with the powers will be ap-
proved by the imperial government.
During the day only one despatch that
was made public, reached any of the gov
ernment departments from China. A
belated message from Minister Conger
was transmitted to the war department
by General Chaffee. It expressed simply
his ability to "hold on until General
Chaffee should come to his relief. All
the power of this government will be
exerted to get that relief to MIN and the
other Imprisoned 1egationers at the earIi-
est possible moment.
Minister WI was an earyIv caller at the
department. of state. Shortly after o
o'clock he made an engagement with
acting Secretary of State Adee to meet
him at the department at 10 30. Prompt
ly at that hour, the minister's automobile
stopped at the west entrance to the de-
partment and Mr. Wa alighted and hur-
ried to Secretary Adee' 'sa7oflice He pre-
sented to Mr.. Adee a copy OF the imperial
edict which he received last night It had
been transmitted to him in the Chinese
foreign Office cipner and its translation
and preparation for submission to the de-
part ment of state had occupied much Of
the night.
Minister WI remained with Secretary
Adee for three-quarters Of an hour, dis
cussing the terms Of the edict and the
probable response to it of this govern
ment Shortly before Minister Wa left
the department., Secretary of War Root
Joined the two diplomatists but remained
only long enough to obtain a copy of the
edict and discuss it briefly with the Chi
nese minister Minister WI expressed
the belief that the edict presented a
means of peaceful adjustment of the pre-
sent trouble and that the request of the
Chinese government for a cessation or
hostilities pending peace negotiations
was entirely reasonable.
Immediately upon the conclusion of
the conference, the text of the edict, to-
Qether with the details of the call of Min
lister Wa was communicated to President
Mckinley at Canton, The Presidents
reply has not been received.
Later in the day acting Secretary Adee
made public the text of the edict in the
following statement:
"The department. of state makes public
the following imperial edict, appointing
Viceroy Ii Hung Chang as envoy
plenipotentiary to propose q cessation of
hostilities and negotiate with the powers
copy of which was delivered by Mr..
WI to the acting secretar Y of state, this
Sunday morning at 1880 O'Clock.
''An imperial edict forwarded by the
privy council at Pekin under date of the
14th day Of the seventh moon august
sth) to Governor Yuan at Isl Nan,
Shan Tung, who transmitted it on the
18th day Of the same moon august ~
to the Taoti at Shanghai, by whom it
was re- transmitted to Minister WI, who
received it on the night of he same day
| august 11th).
"The imperial ediot as transmitted by
the privy council, is as follows:
g In the pres ent conflict between Chi
nese and foreigners there has been some
Misunderstanding on the part of the for
eign nations and also want of proper
management on the part OF some OF the
local authorities A clash OF arms is
followed by calanitous results and causes