The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-04
YESTERDAYS DEVELOPMENTS.
III Hung Cbang's Answer Equivalent
to N Declaration of War.

emptory demand of Aug. / TO be put in
communication with the foreign ministers
at Peking. LIS answer is not final, and
LIS action. as reported by Consul Good
now. Is unquestionably sinister, and will
amount to a final rejection of the American
proposition If persisted in. Mr.. Goodnow's s
dispatch contains some further information
bearing on the question of responsibility
for Peking conditions In the statement that
the commander of the Chinese troops, by
Inference answerable TO the Chinese gov
ernment ordered the Pao-Ting-Tu mas
sacre. 1t is learned here that LII Ping
Hong the commander referred TO, is a civil
official and well known to all the Chinese
officials abroad as one Of the most rabid
anti-foreign leaders in China. He is a
close friend of Prince Tuan, and the asso-
citation of these two I'm Peking affairs, with
POWER enough behind them to cause the
ignominious death of two high officials. is
regarded here as bad sign.
simultaneously with Mr.. Goodnow's dis
patch came a characteristically diplomatic
message from Yuan Shih Kai, Governor of
Shan-Tung. repeating the story of two days
ago that the Chinese government was ar
ranging to deliver the ministers I'm safety
to Tfen-Tsin No effort is made to recon-
cile that statement with Earl Lis refusal
to allow communication with the ministers.
General Chaffee's message to the un-
expected resistance offered to the Japanese
reconnaissance is regarded by military men
here as forecasting greater degree of op-
position to the international advance than
had been anticipated. and they are now
satisfied that the Chinese troops will fur
nish material for at least one more severe
battle before the way is clear to Peking
The Navy Department to-day issued an
order for the cooperation of it's officers
abroad with the officers of the army in
landing and transporting troops destined
for Chinese service. This revives the situ-
alton that existed in Cuba when Shafter' s
army corps was landed, largely through
the efforts of the navy. 1t Is thought In the
department that the navy scan lend consid-
cradle assistance to General Chaffee' s
troops, not only in aiding their debarka-
| tion, but possibly in furnishing them boat
transportation If a move is made along the
Pei-Ho
| II appears that some misunderstanding
exists as to a ST. Petersburg dispatch
printed here this morning. saying that the
Chinese minister there and his colleagues
in Europe had cabled the Governor of
shan-Tung demanding that free communi-
cation be opened between the Peking min
listers and their respective governments.
| This communication in fact joint
memorial TO the throne, concurred In by
all Chinese ministers abroad, including
Minister w. in Washington. 1t was for
warded by Minister Yeng Lu at st. Peters
| burg, because the latter is the dean of the
| Chinese diplomatic service. 1t trans
mitted through the Governor OF Shan-Tung
| to be forwarded to Peking. This action is
| considered very important. as indicating
| that the Chinese ministers abroad have at
| last reached a unanimous conclusion that
| the situation is no longer to be trified with.
| Their action may be regarded as a final eff
| fort on their part to influence the home
government. and its outcome is awaited
with great interest.
| Meanwhile the government of the United
| States, like the governments of Europe.
| has not abandoned its efforts to establish
communication with its minister at Pc
! Department has instructed Consul General
Goodnow at Shanghai. Consul Fowler at
| Che-Foo. and Consul Ragsdale. at Tien-
| Tsin. to spare no effort or expense to open
up direct communication with Mr.. Conger.
| In addition to his short message relative
| to the Japanese check. transmitted through
| Admiral Remey and received this morning,
| General Chaffee made another and direct
cable report this afternoon. The message
was withheld from publication by Secre-
| tary Root who declined to make it's pur-
| port public. 1t was presumably devoted to
recital of General Chaffee's needs in a
| military way. In view of the London state
ment that the advance on Peking actually
| began with the present week there is also
possibility that General Chaffee's mes
| sage has some bearing on that subject,
| though IL is evident from his report of this
morning that the advance. if started, could
not have progressed far beyond Tien-Tsin,
as the outpost affair described by him took
| place only ten miles out Of town.
Second Assistant Secretary Adee is to act
as secretary of state for a few weeks dur
ing the absence OF Secretary Hay, who left
Washington this afternoon to visit his fam
| lily at their summer home at Sunapee lake.
| New Hampshire.
IL was stated tonight that the dispatch
received by the War Department to-day
from Major General Chaffee. commanding
the American troops in China, was dated
Tien-Tsin, on the 3lst of July. At the time
at which il filed there had been no
| general forward movement of the allied
| forces, the only action having been recon-
| noissance, presumably that reported by
| Admiral Remey i'm the dispatch received at
| the Navy Department. In which the Japan
ese lost several killed and had a number
| wounded.
The operations of the American forces I'm
| China are seriously handicapped by the
| delay in the landing of the cavalry horses.
| owing 10 the lack of lighters and other
small craft Two squadrons of the Sixth
Cavalry arrived at Taku with General
| Chaffee on the Grant several days ago. but
| i'm the absence of their mounts have been
| of no further use than regular foot troops.
| and delay will occur in unloading horses
from the Lenox. Conemaugh and Leelenaw.
all at or on their way to China. 1t is esti-
mated at the War Department that there
/ are about 1850 American troops. Including
| 800 marines. in the vicinity of Tien-Tsin
available for active operations against the
| Chinese capital. with prospects of 5000 re-
| Inducements from the United States arriy-
| ing I'm small detachments within the next