Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-08-17
DAILY KENNEBEC JOURNAL FRIDAY. AUGUST II. 1900.
AN ARnlsrIcs.
Continued from page ~

Chaffee. Aug. 12.-Secretary of war d.
reefs me to inform you that Ii Hung
Chang, appointed by the Chinese govern
mcnt TO negotiate with the powers. re-
quests cessation of hostilities We have
replied that we are ready to enter into
agreement between powers and chinese
government for cessation of hostilitfeS on
condition that a sufficient body Of . the
shall be permitted to enter Pekin unmo-
Tested and to escort foreign ministers and
residents back to Ten Tsin, the move
ment being provided for and secured by
such arrangements and dispositions or
troops as shall be considered satisfactory
by the generals commanding the forces
composing the relief expeditions. we
have communicated this to all the pow
ers. Japanese government takes same
position. We have not heard from other
powers. CORB1N.
| And two days ago, in view of the
rapid progress Of the relief expedition, we
sent the following:
m'Adjntant sc, generals office, Washing s ngr
Chaffee. Aug. 4.-In anticipation of ac-
ceptance by Chinese government of the
condition in our reply to them cabled you,
Aug, II. if the Chinese authorities com
municate Willingness to deliver ministers
and persons under their protection to re-
lief column at Pekin under arrangements
which You consider safe. you are author
lied to make and carry out arrangements
| out referring 1t here From informal
communications with representatives OF
| other governments here we believe all to
take substantially the same position.
Question whether you should insist upol,
entering Pekin and going to legations or
will receive delivery at gate of inner Tar
| tar city or at outer wall. taking risk or
ministers passing through city with only
| Chinese escort. you and the other gem
erals must determine. BY order secretary
| of war. CORBlN.
4
1--WE are advised by Minister Conger
that the attacks by imperial troops upon
the legations in Pekin have not ceased.
While these attacks continue We cannot
stop the advance of our forces toward
Pekin. If such attacks cease the above
Instructions will be allowed to stand and
| they would seem to provide for all the
| action required under the circumstances
stated by Earl Ii in his dispatch.
department of state. Washington,
Aug. IL.
At the same time the authorities gave
out the latest dispatch from Minister
| Conger. received today. through the
| Chinese minister. Mr.. Wu. 1t was en-
| bodied in an official statement as fol-
| lows:
The acting secretary Of state makes
public the following extracts from dis
patch received. this morning from Mr.
| Conger. IL was handed to MIR. Adee by
Mr.. WI. who explained that he had re
! ceived it at midnight from taotoi Of
| by way of Tai Nan. Aug. Is. 1t is undated
but would seem to have left Pekin som,
time between Aug. and II:
Secretary of State, Washington: Our
cipher is safe May it not be sufficient
| authenticity We have been imprisoned
and completely besieged since June .
Continued artillery and rifle firing
| until July II; only rifle fire since. but
| 1aitN. V-iTl IL Frequently 1pSpHrafp
lacks, one last night. Have already re-
ported our losses. French, Italian.
| Belgian. Austrian. Dutch legation and all
other foreign property in Pekin destroyed.
DIR. Inglis' child dead. Marines
| Tanning. Fisher. Turner. King, Luther,
KENNY and Thomas killed. All other
Americans alive. Inform Alta and Sec
| rotary Ryan nearing allied forces gives
us hope. (SignedD Conger."
The appeal of China and the prompt
| response of the American government
We're the subject of interest throughout
the day Coming at moment when
the allied armies We're in the shadow of
the great walls of Pekin, the circum-
stances in which the correspondence
occurred were of peculiarly momen-
| tous character. The President had just
returned from a brief respite at Can
ton and. going to the White House.
found his advisors ready to present to
him the issue now advanced by China
! The appeal from Ii Hung Chang
came first to the Chinese minister. who
early in the day. conveyed it to the
department of state. Although it was
not the regular day for a meeting of
the cabinet, word was conveyed to
those cabinet officers in the city that
a special cabinet session would be held.
at Ii o'clock. Secretary Root was with
the President before the meeting open
ed. presenting the Chinese communica-
tions and the dispatches of instructions
already sent to Gen. Chaffee.
With the President at the cabinet
table. We're Secretaries Root, Gage,
Wilson and Postmaster General Smith.
After the cabinet meeting. the Ameri-
can reply was sent to the Chinese min
lister. who. later in the day, cabled it to
Lii Hung Chang. Thus the issue was
framed. finally and unalterably.
! The American memorandum of reply
gives Lii Hung Chang practically moth
ing beyond repetition of the two dis
patches heretofore sent to Gen. Chat
! fee. The first dispatch of Aug. IL
gives sharp response to Earl Lis first
communication. laying down the con-
dition that 1.-THE forces composing the
relief expedition shall be permitted to
enter Pekin unmolested"
The second dispatch Of Aug. IA. mere
| ly amDlifies Gen. Chaffee's authority
in anticipation of China's acceptance Of
the American demand that the relief
column must center Pekin."
This second order to Gen. Chaffee
specifically states that if the Chinese
authorities are willing to deliver the
legationers ito the relief column at
Pekin" then Gen. Chaffee is authorized
to make and carry out an arrangement
in concert with other commanders
without awaiting reference to Wash
ington. Whether this arrangement
committed to Gen. Chaffee is to be an
armistice, truce or some other device
of military science. is for him to de-
eide at Pekin. The two dispatches to
him contemplate action only at Pekin.
Thus there can be no misunderstood
ing Of the issue as made up. Lii Hung
Changs appeal for an armistice at
Tung Chow is rejected and the contin-
ually reiterated demand of the United
States that the ministers be delivered
| n no all cd