The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-09
DEMAND UPON CHINA
PRESIDENT HAS PRACTICALLY IS
SUED AN ULTIMATUM.
SITUATION IS MORE SERIOUS.
AMERICANS NOT ENGAGED IN THE
FIGHT AT PEI TSANG.

merIy Made-China Must Stop Her
Double Dealing and Say What She
Intends to Do-MacArthur Prepared
TO Send More Troops.
washing ton, Aug. S.-The Chinese sit
uation is considered very grave by the
authorities in Washington.
The receipt of the message from Minis
der Conger last night, which indca ted a
continuation of the firing upon the lega-
gadoners, and the Chinese governments
insistence that the ministers should leave
Pekn, which Mr.. Conger considered would
meSn certain death, brought matters to
an acute stage.
All day the cabinet officers who are
in town have been consulting with each
other and the President has been COM
municated with by telegraph and over the
long distance telephone.
Secretary Root held two conferences
with Attorney General Griggs, and sew
eral with Acting Secretary of State Adee
and their views were communicated TO the
President. As a result of these consul
tetions, it was announced Officially at the
close of the day that a message to the
imperial government at Pekin had been de-
lvered to Minister Wu for transmission
TO his government. The text of the mes
sage was prepared by Acting Secretary of
State Adee and Secretary Root and in its
final form was made known to the Presi-
dent, in a talk conducted by Mr. Root
over the White House long distance tele-
phone.
IL was then stated definitely that the
authorities of the government would not
make public the text of this last commu-
nication to China until Minister Wa had
had opportunity to forward it to his gov
ernment The chief officials of the gov
ernment were not willing to outline in
any definite manner the contents of the
message, although generally it was &C.
cepted that the communication was en-
phatic and to the point.
Not an Entire Compliance.
The message sent to the Chinese gov
ernment through Mr.. WI, according to
the best information obtainable, informs
that government tha&the removal of the
restrictions upon communica ton with our
minister, evidenced both by the receipt of
Mr. Conger's message and the transmits
sion of the edict of the 5th, is very graf
flying, but is not an entire compliance
with the original demands of the Presi-
dent in his reply to the appeal for medi-
alton.
The President, in his original comnuni-
cation to the Emperor of China, laid
down three conditions, precedent to any
action looking TO negotiations for the set
tlement of the difficulties between China
and the Powers. The conditions, in the
Presidents own words, were as follows:
Il most solemnly urge upon Your Maj
esty's government to give public assur-
snoe whether the foreign minister's are
alive and if so, in what condition.
Second. To put the diplomatic repre-
sentatives of the powers in immediate and
free communication with their respective
governments, and to remove all dangers
to their lives and liberty.
Third. To place the imperial authorities
of China in communication with the relief
expedition SO that cooperation may be Sc
cured between them for the liberation of
the legations and the protection of foreign
ers. and the restoration of order"
These three demands practically were re-
iterated in the dispatch which Secretary
Hay sent to Consul Gen Goodnow. at
Shanghai, Aug. l, for submission to Earl
Ii Hung Chang. The authorities consider
that the opening of communication with
Minister Conger, therefore. only partally
complies with the Presidents demands.
Hope That China VIII Yield.
With the legationers still under fire. the
Chinese government cannot be said to
have removed ''all dangers to their lives
and liberty" and moreover so far as
known here, the imperial authorities of
China have made no efforts to communi-
cate and cooperate with the relief expe-
dition
The new demand upon the Chinese gov
ernment is for square-toed compliance
with those conditions. There is hope
growing out of the fact that the Chinese
government has yielded partially, that
when confronted with the firm position
taken by the United States it will be suf-
hclently impressed to make complete ac-
quiescence. This governments determina-
uon' 1t is hoped, will show the Chinese
government that the United States is not
10 be triAed with, and will bring the
shlfting evasive authorities in Pekin to
full realization of the situation and the
consequences of refusal
Minister Wu early in the day brought
10 the state department the imperial edct
removing the r restrictions from free COM
'huIication with the ministers He was
P'dihly perturbed over Minister Conger's
report that the legationers were under
4re but still contended that his govern
i"eht was acting in good faith, and pro-
tested against misinterpretation of the
situation. He pointed out the fact that the
absence of artillery fire might indicate
'na' there were no regular troops en-
e"seu IN the assault and that the rife
ire spoken of by Mr.. Conger might be
SIMPLY the sniping of dlsgrunted irregu-
'ars who were engaged in guerilla tactics
The Fighting ar Pei Tsang.
Two dispatches were received during
'ne day. one from Admiral Remey. and
'ne other from Gen. Chaffee. Both related
me fighting at Pei Tsang. Admiral
svmey's dispatch stated specifically that
N"s americans were not engaged, and