Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-11
Ii Hung Chang to Cooperate With
Prince Ching.
LATEST EDICT OF TIE EMPEROR
Passage Desired in an American
Warship.
MINISTER WU'S GRIEVANCE

another imperial edict directing him to pro-
ceed at once to Pekin and there cooperate
with Prince Ching in the negotiation of
peace. The edict Is issued by the
emperor and is dated August 27. Sir
Robert Hart, minister Of imperial customs,
is directed to secure necessary facilities for
the trip. The powers are also appealed to
to afford Ii Hung Chang protection and Sc
curity and to facilitate his movements. In
accordance with this last direction from the
throne Earl Ii asks that a request be made
for government vessel to make the trip
by sea from Shanghai, and Minister WI will
probably ask that United States vessel
be designated to carry the Chinese states
man. The edct was delivered by Minister
Wu to Acting Secretary Hill this morn
ing The text will not be made public until
the reply of the United States is determined
upon.
Safety American Vessel.
In the event the United States decides to
comply with Lii Hung Changs request for
a United States vessel to escort him north
from Shanghai there are now avai'abl for
the purpose the gunboats Nashville and
Princeton and the battle ship Oregon. The
two former vessels are at Shanghai and
the battle ship is at Woosung. the man-of-
cruiser New Orleans was at Woosung until
yesterday, when she sailed for Taku. She
could have been employed for this service
to great advantage owing to her high speed
capacity. 1t is entirely improbable that
the Oregon, If this government decides to
comply with Earl LIS request, would be
employed upon such errand. She is
faster than either of the gunboats now at
h,,t he eli m
to employ such an enormous vessel for
such a purpose. The average speed of the
Princeton and Nashville is about ten knots,
and the distance from Shanghai to Taku
is about 73O miles, so that either one of
them would require about four days to
make the run.
1t is presumed that Earl Ii has asked
for a United States vessel because of the
rumors that the allied commanders at Taku
had decided to take him into custody upon
his arrival there. Ii doubtless had informa-
ton that Admiral Remey had dissented
from such a program and therefore pre-
ferred his request to the United States gov
ernment knowing that his person would be
safe from seizure If it were covered by the
American flag.
There are undoubtedly Chinese warships
In the neighborhood of Shanghai, which
could convey Earl Ii to Taku. but 1t is pre-
sumed that he fears that were he to en-
bark upon one of them for a trip north he
might be intercepted by the warships of the
foreign powers. and to avoid all risk of an
interruption of his trip he desires to sail
under the American flag.
Withdrawal of Our Troops.
The great difficulty which Gen. Chaffee
has to deal with in China at present in the
contemplated withdrawal of United States
troops from Pekin to the Philippine Islands
is the demand of the missionaries a Pekin
that the Chinese converts shall be taken
from Pekin under the protection of the
United States forces and guaranteed
against future assaults in China, or else be
taken to outside places Of safety. 1t was
reported at the time of the rescue Of the
ministers in Pekin that there were about
3OOO Chinese converts there who have
sought protection from the Boxers in the
foreign legations.
Continued prepare tions are being made to
bring away the United States troops
soon as that policy Is finally determined
upon. The transports Pennsylvania, In
diana. Sumner and Garonne are ready to
go to Taku as soon as Gen. Chaffee starts
from Pekin. One of the regular transports
will carry $500 troops. The Pakling. which
arrived at Manila today with the horses of
the 1st Cavalry; the Port Stephens, now at
Manila, and the Athenian, which arrived at
Kobe, Japan, today. will be available to
transport horses of the cavalry and arti-
cry and mules of the pack trains from
Taku to Manila.
Minister WI Resents an Attack.
The Chinese minister, Mr. WI Ting Fang,
today made the following authorized state
ment:
II see in this mornings papers that Dr.
Morrison, correspondent of the London
Times, telegraphs long dispatch from
Pekin to that paper, dated August 81.
which said, among other things. the most
profound Indignation Is felt here that Mini
listers Lo Feng Lu and Wu Ting Fang,
whose shameless lies and transmission of
bogus imperial edicts delayed the depar-
ture of relief until it was nearly too late,
are still received with honor in London and
Washington
II say this is one of the most unjusti-
fable and uncalled-for libels ever published
on public men. l wish to know what
shameless lies I have ever uttered, which
made the most profound Indignation as
it is called at Pekin. And what the
bogus imperial edicts' that Dr. Morrison
speaks of? And how does he know that
my action delayed the departure of the re-
lief expedition? If DIR. Morrison had known
the steps l have taken in this matter. he
should. in duty bound, be compelled to
say tAat my action had just the contrary
effect. / do not understand what he means
by bogus edicts, but if he means that the
edicts handed by me to the State Depart
ment were false, l have only to say that
they came through the usual channels from
my government, have never been brought
into question, and have not been shown to be
false. Is DIR. Morrison aware that at the
time the reports were circulated that the
ministers and legationers were massacred,
/ took steps to secure the first authentic
Information through Minister Conger that
they were alive, although the people at
that time did not credit 1t. 1t should be re-
membered that and my colleagues abroad
had q most difiicult task to perform. not
only to do our duty to our country. but
also to aid the American and 4,ti,er govern
ments, and to overcome the intense preju-
dice naturally excited. as well as to pro-
tect the interests and lives of the foreign