The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-17
AFTER AN ARMISTICE
IL ASKS THAT POWERS DO NOT
ALARM THEIR MAJESTIEs.
WANTS ADVANCE STOPPED.
SAYS EMPEROR AND THE DOWAGER
ARE EMBARRASSED.

Communication With the Chinese
ChaRee Was Advised of Earl Lis
Request and Instructed ms to His
Course-AttacIs on Legations in
Pekin Must Cease Before the Ad-
vance Does.
Washington, Aug. 16-At the close of a
day of intense anxiety, the Department of
respondence between the United States
government and China, constituting not
only a remarkable series of state papers,
but at the same time dispeling all doubt
and uncertainty as to the American pol
icy in the present critical juncture.
The urgent, almost pathetic appeal of
Ii Hung Chang, submitted early in the
day, that the victorious march of the al
lies stop at Tung Chow and that the
military commanders on the field be en-
trusted to arrange an armistice at that
point. was met with a response that Gen
Chaffee already had been given compete
Instructions empowering him to carry out
an arrangement in concert with other
commanders for the delivery of the min
tters and other persons under their pro-
tection to the relief column, not at Tung
Chow as has been suggested, but at the
imperial city of Pekin.
Furthermore, it was made known to
China that Gen. Chaffee's instructions
left him free rein as to whether he should
insist upon entering Pekin and going TO
the legations or should receive the de-
livery of the legationers at the gate of
the inner Tartar city or at the great
outer wall. In short China through her
peace envoy, besought a halt and an arm
isuce at Tung Chow, twelve miles from
Pekin, whereas, the response of the
American governent is that if there is to
be a haitian armistice-it must be at
the walls of the imperial city.
The conclusions of the government
we're announced after an extended cabi-
net meeting and were embodied in the
following official statement:
Cabinet Gathered.
The appeal Of China and the prompt re-
sponse of the American government were
the subject OF supreme interest through
out the day. Coming at a moment when
the allied armies were in the shadow Of
the great walls OF Pekin, the circur1-
stances in which the correspondence oc
Cured were of a peculiarly momentous
character. The President had just re-
turned from brief resoi>e at Ca On,
and going 10 the White House, found his
advisers ready to present 10 him the issue
now advanced in China. The appeal fr.'
Ii Hung Chang came first to the Chine -
minister, who, early in the day, conveyed
it 10 the Department Of State. Although il
was not the regular day for a meeting
of the cabinet. word was conveyed to
those cabinet officers in the city that q
special session would be held at II o'clock
Secretary Root, who has been a guiding
factor in the Chinese negotiations, was
with the President before the meeting
opened, presenting the Chinese communl'
cations and the dispa tches of instructions
already sent to Gen. Chaffee. With the
President at the cabinet table were Sec
retaries Root Gage, Wilson and Postmas
ter General Smith. The conclusions reach
ed can be stated best by reference to tbs
succinct responses of the United State!
government set forth in the official an
nouncement.
After the cabinet meeting the American
reply was sent 10 the Chinese minister
who later in the day cabled il to Ii Huns
Chang. Thus the issue was framed, final
ly and unalterably. The United State
declined even to consider the proposition
of Ii Hung Chang for halt and an arm
istice at Tung Chow. Even the suprem
appeal of the venerable Chinese states
man that the Chinese empire would b
shaken by an advance of the allies beyon
Tung Chow was not needed. The answe
of the United States is that our position
is the same now as il has been from IN
outset, namely that the ministers mus
be delivered at the walls OF Pekin and 1
such circumstances as will meet the judg
ment of the military commanders on tn
spot.
In Touch With COnger.
The latest dispatch from Minister Con
ger was scanned with eager interest, bu
It brought little information beyond tina
already in hand. In one respect no"
ever, it gave the government strong en-
oouragement, as il was almost a cate
gorica answer to the State Department
This was the first definite knowledge tha
we were in direct touch with our minister
for all of his dispatches up to to-day ma
conveyed information without reference {
the repeated inquiries of the governmen
Tie two dispatches to Gen. Chafe'
sent on the 18th and 14th inst were ser
also in duplicate to Minister Conger'
that he is well advised by this time OF IN
movement of the troops and of Gen. Chai
fees authority to negotiate at the walls
Pekin.
Whether the allied forces actually wei
al Pekin was the all-absorbins quesuo
on which every one in official and IN uh'
ftcial life awaited word with keen ana
iety. Secretary Root was satisfied th'
Tung Chow had been left behind, ana IN
was one of the reasons why il was regar'
ed as futile to consider Ii Hung Chang
proposition for an armlstice at Tun
Chow.
dispatch was sent to Gen. Chane
tut its contents were not made puoIi
Although the officials regarded 1t as I'll
important, It doub' less made the America
commander aware OF the fact that the