Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-09-22
SECRET ANSWERS
Sent Out to All Notes on Chi
nese Situation.
Austrian, German and Russian Forces
Have Captured Pei Tang.
Earl Lis Relations With Russia Are Viewed
With Much Suspicion.

Washington, Sept. 21.-The United
States government has made full and
complete answers to the various i'm
portant inquiries that have been adj
dressed to il by the powers relative to
the Chinese trouble. Moreover. it has
gone farther and has made a disclosure
of all its purposes, and as a member
of the administration puts it, it has
thrown its hand open on the table.
This action was taken after the cabinet
meeting, today, and the luncheon at
the White House that followed served
to reduce the decision to the ultimate
form.
At $50 o'clock, Minister WI called
by appointment upon Acting Secretary
Hill and was handed a memorandum
embodying the response of the United
States government to the request of
Prince Ching that Mr. Conger or some
other person be Immediately empower
ed 10 begin negotiations with the Chin
csc authorities for final settlement.
The minister came away with a dis
satisfied expression upon his face. Next
came NJ. Thiebaut the French charge.
few minutes conversation sufficed
to impart to him orally an answer to
his own verbal inquiry.
Then Baron Sternberg. the German
charge. who had been notified of the
readiness of the state department to
make answer to the German note,
called and was given that answer. He
fastened away to cable it to his gov
ernment
The department then sent an answer
to the Russian inquiry forwarded by
messenger and wired cablegrams con
tanning the substance Of the answers
To its diplomatic representatives
abroad. Thus closed one Of the most
interesting and important phases of the
Chinese ENHANCEMENT.
The state department absolutely re-
fused to make any statement as to the
nature Of the answers, taking the
ground that to do so would be a VIC
lation Of the diplomatic proprieties.
However. as it was calculated that all
of these answers will have reached
their destinations abroad by tomorrow,
ii was promised that the text of the
communications should be given to the
press. tomorrow afternoon. The min
ist lis and charges who received the
messages here adopted the same secre-
tive attitude. The President himself.
it seems, had given instructions that
every effort should be made 70 main
tain secrecy in this matter until the
official disclosure
With all this it is known that the
German proposal that negotiations
with China be deferred until the Chi
nese responsible for the Pekin outrageS
have been surrendered to the allies,
has failed of approval by our govern
ment. The declination has been con-
veyed in a manner that cannot give
offense, but it is believed that the
United States government cannot rec
ognize the principle that a country may
be called upon to surrender its own
citizens to foreign power or powers
for punishment The government does
not relinquish the idea of the ultimate
punishment of the offenders when they
are properly Identified, but it does not
believe the pursuit Of this object
should put stop to all negotiations.
The idea of a commission to adjust
the difficulties with China is again
brought forward, and it is suggested
that such a commission on the part OF
the United States may either form part
Of the joint international commission.
which, it is hoped, will be appointed
for this purpose, or in the event of the
failure OF the effort to secure joint &C
ton, then the members can go on and
deal directly with China for settle
ment.
One fact concerning the United
States answer that was learned of
fiCially is that they contain no new
propositions; they simply clean away
the debris Of unanswered inquiries.
Vienna. Sept 21.-An official dispatch
from the commander of the Austrian
squadron in Chinese waters says:
IA small Austrian detachment has
occupied the south fort at Pei Tang in
conjunction with German and Russian
troops and the Austrian and German
flags have been hOisted. The Russians
captured two guns and a mine explod-
ing station. The Austrian losses were a
naval cadet killed and IA wounded"
London, Sept EFT a. Mt seems
to be generally believed throughout
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