Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-19
Unwarranted Reports Regarding Agi-
tation in China.
RECENT REPORT OF MINISTER CONGER
Our Vessels Presence on ksiatic
Coast Explained.
FOR HEALTH OF CREWS

Admiral Watson has not yet advised the
Navy Department of the name Of the ves-
sci he has selected to proceed from Manila
to Taku, in accordance with the request
of the State Department that ship be
sent to China to safeguard American in
terests.
It is said at the State Department that
the extent of the agitation in China has
been much exaggerated in the press. 1t
is asserted that as matter of fact there
is no more disturbance in China now, as
whole, than at any time during the past
twenty years. But the concentration of the
worlds attention upon the flowery kingdom
has had the effect to magnify little troubles
in the various provinces out of all proper
ton to their real Importance and signifi-
canoe. This is said to be true as to the
last demonstration by the Boxers" The
Boxers is a secret society of anti-foreign
tendencies, and is the successor to a long
line of just such societies, the White
Lilies for instance, that have preceded it.
They have had various objects, but have
all been anti-foreign. Usually, they are
more annoying than dangerous to foreign
interests, but sometimes they dabble in
politics, as is said to be the case with the
Boxers" and thus threaten interference
with large foreign policies
Minister COnEer's Report.
Minister Conger's cablegram to the State
Department about week ago, while re-
ferrfng to these Boxers and suggesting
the advisability Of sending a warship to in
sure the American missionaries from at
tack, did not refer to any imminent out
break, nor did the minister have anything
to say about our open door negotiations
being jeopardiZed. The State Department
rather inferred from his cabiegram that
the ship was wanted for its moral effect.
rather than from any expectation that 1t
would be called upon to render any active
service. Indeed, If that had been the case,
the department would never have felt war
ranted in sending a single gunboat to Chi
ma.
Vessels on the Asiatic Coast.
1t is quite certain that only one vessel is
destined for this service, and the presence
of other United States warsh;ps on the
Asiatfc coast is easily explained at the
Navy Department Admiral Watson was
some time ago authorized by the Navy De-
partment to send any of the vessels of his
fleet up to the cooler and more invigor-
ating airs Of northern China and Japan
whenever change was desirable to pre-
serve the health of the crews. The ad-
miral avatlsd himself of this permission in
the case of the Oregon and the New Or
leans The former is now at Yokohama
and the latter at Nagasaki.
'Fhe fact that these movements had abso-
lutely no connection with this last disturb
ance caused by the Boxers is made clear
by the arrival of the New Orleans at Nag
asaki as far back as February 25. and Of
the Oregon at Yokohama on February 2l.
almost three weeks before Minister Conper
had made any report to the State Depart
ment on the subject.
The Trip of the Newark
The dispatch of the Newark to Hong
Kong reported today by Admiral Watson.
was merely for the purpose OF conveying to
Manila the monitor Monadnock. The mon
itor was sent to Hong Kong to be docked,
and it is not regarded as safe to allow that
type of warship to cruise alone in the open
Sea.
To Support the Legation.
1t is expected by the Navy Department
that Admiral Watson will select a small
gunboat to meet Mr.. Conger's request Con-
tfary to the first impression, this vessel is
going to China, not to operate in Shantung
province, but to get as near to the United
States legation at Pekin as possible, to give
weight to the minister's utterances A
deep-draft vessel cannot pass UP the Pefho
much above Taku, at the mouth and even
nght-draft gunboats must stop at Tientsin
II the United States legation is in need of
protection marines be sent overland
from Iientsin to Pekin, as was done last
year under just such conditions as now rex-
q