New-York tribune., 1900-08-13
WALDERSEE'.S APPOINTMENT.
IMPORTANT LIMITATIONS ON HIS FREE,
DOM OF ACTION.
Copyright; 1900: BY The New-York Tribune.I
TBT CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.l


IBT CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.l
London. Aug. 13 l a. m.-Despite the asser-
tions so confidently repeated that all the Powers
have accepted the unconditional appointment Of
Count Won WaIdersee as Commander Chief
Of the allied forces in China, I believe the ex-
planation Of the matter have given is correct.
Several governments give consent TO the Counts
nomination with important limitations on his
freedom Of action. It is pointed out in Paris,
and by responsible statesmen like NJ Melne,
that under the law Of February 1874 no foreign
officer can hold. even nominally or Professionally,
command Of any body Of French troops. At
present the Counts commission from the Powers
would make him. as have stated, rather chief
Of council Of officers than Commander-in-C Chief
in the accepted sense of the term. No doubt
when the allied army is actually engaged in
battle with the Chinese the German Field Mar
shai VIII be IN command, and his tactical dis
positions win be carried out by all ranks and
nationaIities. but the larger question Of
strategy and policy the attitude of the chiefs
OF the various foreign contingents will be largely
determined by instructions from home.
II is possible. however, that before Count Won
WaIdersee reaches the Pei-Ho a more definite
understanding between the Powers to their
objects and purposes in China will have been
reached. II was stated yesterday in a quarter
well informed Continental politics that the
first suggestion for the appointment Of Count
Won WaIdersee was made by the Gar in an
autograph letter to the German Emperor. This
may be true but. If So I am inclined to think
St Petersburg was only returning to Berlin a
hint quietly received from that capital. The
statement Of some of the German newspapers
that the suggestion first came from England is,
Of course absurd. On the contrary, the Brit
lsh Government was by no means in hurry
10 express approval Of the proposal which 1t at
first approached with considerable hesitation.
The only member of the Cabinet who has
lately referred publicly to the Chinese ques-
ton is Lord Londonderry. The Postmaster Cen
eral. IN a speech at political meeting on Sat
urday urged that the Powers would seek no
indiscrininate vengeance but would insist on
the punishment Of the Mandarins and other
high personages really responsible for the out
RACES committed instead Of allowing themselves
10 be put of by the execution OF iilsceIlal!o
selection Of less guilty subordinates- Great
Britain said the speaker, must do what II could
10 preserve order in the Yangtse valley ana
he maintained that Her Majesty's Government
considered il was under a special obligation TO
protect Shanghai.
Considerable ,lneasness continues to be felt
IN official circles though not much is said about
= IN the newspapers as TO the action OF Russia
IN the Chinese provinces adjacent to her own
frontier Very little is really known about the
state Of affairs in the Amoor region, and IL mas
even been alleged that the attacks on the Rus.
sian settlements have merely Deeh tnose " oL
small rowing bodies Of Tartar banditti. But
Russia Is clearly preparing for a campaign on
a great scale Moscow kilograms assert that
sixty thousand troops have already started on
the railway route 10 the Far East ana many
more are 70 be embarked from Odessa Some OF
the Russian newspapers are now openly as
serting that the time has come TO settle whether
the Slav Mongol, Christ or Buodha, shall be
supreme in Northeastern Asia Meanwhile the
Russians are already understood TO have taken
possession Of Eew-chWapg the important rail-
way centre and harbor which II has been the the
determined object Of British diplomacy for two
years past to keep out of Muscovite hands
n. B..