The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-06-09
AMERICA SENDS GUNBoAT.
Action Taken in Response to Conger's
Message.

! Action Taken in Response to Conger'a
Message
Washington, June 6.-Minister Conger
cabled today that the situation at Pekin
was worse, and this statement, taken
in connection with Admiral Kempff' S
alarming cablegram Of yesterday, an
nouncing that an enga cement had be-
gun, decided the state department to
strengthen the naval forces nearest the
scene of the trouble. Accordingly, a
cablegram was sent to Admiral Remey
at Manila, directing him 10 dispatch at
once to Admiral Keinpf's command the
gunbOat Helena, or a correSpondingly
light-draft ship. Admiral Kempff's
flag ship, the Newark, drawing twenty
three feet of water, cannot ascend the
Pei Ho river safely beyond the Taku
forts near the entrance, but the little
Helena, drawing only eleven feet, can
safely ascend to Tien Tsin, forty miles
above. She was specially designed for
service in these Chinese rivers, and so
is likely TO prove much more effective
than any other of the foreign warshfps
which can pass the Taku forts to reach
Tien Tsin. She carries batteries par
ticularly for dealing with organized
mobs.
Secretary Hay cabled Minister Con-
ger IN authorization to call for rein
forcements from Admiral Kempff and
to make such disposition of his naval
force as he deems proper to protect
American interests generally.
The administration is determined
that the United States government
shall continue on its Independent
course respecting the Chinese situa-
ton, though willing to go as far as
possible TO aid in the reStora ton of
peace and order in China. Therefore
Admiral KemDff has not been instruct
ed to join the other naval commanders
in the Pei Ho river in concerted action.
The friends of the American MISSION
aries in the disturbed zone in China
are becoming alarmed, and the state
department is beginning to feel the
pressure to their efforts to adopt the
aggressive policy.
Today inquiries were made as to the
reason for the passive attitude of the
United States naval forces in Chinese
waters while the Russians are reported
to have promptly sent out military eX-
petitions from Pekin for the rescue of
Russian. French and Belgian subjects
whose safety was jeopardized. 1t was
argued that the United States marines
should have been likewise dispatched
to the assistance of the American mis-
sionaries at Pao Ting Flu.
The departments answer was that
Minister Conger being on the scene
was better prepared than any one here
to adopt relief measures for which he
had already received the sanction of
the department in the shape of a gen
eral authorization to protect American
interests. which, of course, meant
American lives among other things. 1t
also was questioned whether the very
small force of marines at the minis
ter's comand could be used to make
march through the hostile country and
away from it's base.
In that case the United States lega-
ton. the only refuge in Pekin. would
be unsafe for American refugees as
we'll as for the United States minister
himself for the lack of a suitable
guard. Meanwhile the developments
are being closely watched, and if the
next phase should be still worse, it is
probable that in addition TO the He
lena. at least one more warshiD, posi-
blv the Princeton. with a full battalion
of marines, will be ordered uD the Pei
Ho liver to Ten Tsin. So far the
proposition to call upon General Mac
Arthur for troops to make up a land