The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-06
THINK THEM SAFE.
No Fresh News Has Been Received
from Pekin Ministers,
BUT THEIR SAFETY Is NOT D0uBTED.
They We're All Well July Fl and Had
Fresh Provisions.
THEY HOPED FOR SPEEDY RELIEF.
Imperial fdict Ordered Ministers Escorted
to Tien Tsin.
ANTAGONISTIC, IF NOT AT ACTUAL WAR
The United States Government Has
Given Its Final Word In the
Pending Peace Negotiations.
Imperial fdict Ordered Ministers Escorted
to Ten Tsin.
NTAGONISTIC, If NOT AT ACTUAL WAR

Washington. August 5.--A belated mes
sage from Minister Conger was received
today at the State department.. 1t came
through Consul General Goodnow at
Shanghai. who transmitted messages re-
ceiyed by MIR. Ragsdale, United States
consul at T!en Tsin. from Mr. Conger and
Mr. squires. secretary of the Uaited
States legation at Pekln. The advices arc
the some as those received day or two
ago by the State department from Consul
Fowler al Chez Foo. The message az.
transmitted to President Mckinley at
Canton, o., and Mr.. Adee acting secretary
of State, issued the following statement
concerning it:
Consul General Gcodnow. in cable
gram dated Shanghai, August 5, which was
received at the State department at s.
o'clock this Sunday morning reports
the receipt by Consul Ragsdae at Tien
Tsin Of messages from Minister Conger
and the secretary OF the latter. Mr.
Squires, dated July 81, to the follow ing
effect: IAN we'll: no fighting siace the
10Th by agreement; fresh provisions.
Hope for speedy relief
Mr.. Goodnow adds that the director
of posts, Sheng. had on the 9TH comma-
nicated to him an imperial cdict, Ga ed
July 80, ordering Jung LII to provide an
escort for the ministers to Ten Ts!n
when the ministers tx the date. TIE
edict says the ministers can receive mes
sAges in cipher; but Notwithstanding thl.
messages were returned to consuls on
August A."
While the messages from Minister Con-
ger and Secretary Squires bear tha date
of July q, the belief founded not on:y up
on them, but also upon collateral ana later
Information is that the legItlOpars are
yet safe from Immediate harm,
AT present there Is no means Of know
ing whether the ministers VIII accept
the offer Of the Chinese imperial govern
ment to provide an escort for chem TO
Tien Tsin, but L Is surmised that they
Will prefer TO remain within the British
legation at Pekin until the arrival OF the
allied forces. Should they start for Tien
Tsin. in all probability it would he be-
cause they regarded that the safer course
10 pursue. 1t IS thought to be not unlikely
that the Chinese government Will be very
insistert upon the departure Of the mm-
listers In the hope if they can DE gotten
to 'rien Tsin in safety the Storming OF
Pekn may be averted The inhibition Of
cipher dispatches to the minister's, Willie
a serious breach Of diplomatic usage Is not
regarded here with apprehension the
Chinese government, IT is pointed out, vas
suspicious of the actions and intent OF the
powers. and probably has adopted this pre-
caution to prevent communication 10 the
ministers OF the details Of the movements
II Is evident from the adoption az his
measure that the imperial government re-
CARDS Itself as antagonistic, II not acttl-
lIly At war with the powers. Thus far
no inhibition has been placed On cipher
dispatches passing between the various
o ,vernments and theii consular reprnsen-
tatives in Cn!na outside CT Pektn
Tho state department has taken the
ground that tho dispatch from the tsuns
/ Il y,men delivered at the department by
I Minlster Wu is not an answer TO tho
/ Sis,atcb ~ Secretary HAY sent on August
| / In that dispatch Secretary Hay inahy
and decisivelv insisted that free co n p
munication with the ministers must be es-
tshlished before any steps would be taken
1 hy mis- government toward a peaceahlo
solution Of the present trouble mat al.
match was sent to Consul General Good
now 10 be by him transmitted 10 III Hnng
Chang. The message deliVered Dy MINIS
ter Wu 10 the State department yesl7'-
A., reIstive to the inhibition OF ciphei
59s,atcbes was sent by the tsuns Ii yanlol
Hn IrIv 20 AS OF that date 1t had already
49, ~ - Ncor,n,,nieated to the department By
Coneul Fowler. obviously. therefore, 1t
could not be reply to the dlspatch sem
N Mr. Goodnow by Secretary Hay on Al
gust /. A definite reply TO the secretary :
Stsn,tch ~ the list instant Is Awaite " n
..- oorcern not 10 say anxiety. II -
~ eraI word Of the United States gov
-r',-,art IN me pending negotiations Inc
Ssin,a ,,,,et he scceded to or trouble OF
soriona character If not 10 BE aYer'Ai-
T-hat General Chsffee IS eneounte rS
dieicuIties that are proving serious trele
&c Uttle attempt 10 conceal Inc ueDai ~, ~
- - +roons and cavalry horses is peihB
tion % .,tshe5 with the .tuost lftiu Is.
Ia maj the big TRANSCRIPTS can ~ .
.sob me landing at Taku no nearer than
Pr ar FOURTEEN miles. Neisals uraM"
than Affeen feet 81 wafer are
inE ~ 80 ite ont In the gulf. THIS reees-
49, Tho use OF lighters for the Ir ~s,
nortetion 10 the shore Of oolh meh Nnu
borees making the deoarNallon o. = ~
morse nsse,st,n force task SURROUNDED With
sla .sl,.ranIe obstacles. Added 10 the &C
in ,n1 Stficulties are the discomfort AMI In
tuai a. ,1arcs pleeed upon the troops Aa;as
ronvt,l,etti ncessant. heavy fogs are PREF
sieni ard the water OF the gun Is sN-
ceedingly rough perin actually be-
gan no later than Frlaiy .sno,,n,en, still
now; onl'i siscuss the latest message O
cansne, cbaffee, dated Friday in which