New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-07-21
REASONS FOR CONFIDENCE
CIPHER WORTHLESS TO CHINESE Off
GALS. STATE DEPARTMENT OF
FICIALS SAY.
rnr TELEGRAPH TO TIE rR1nuxE.I

Tnr TELEGRAPH TIE TRIDUNE.l
Washington July 2O.-Minister Conger's mes
sage sooner in general circulation than
doubts began to be cast upon its authenticity.
the main point raised being that the Chinese had
secured possession of the United States dlplo-
matte cipher and had cleverly used 1t in fab
ricating a reply. State Department officials pro-
nOunce such suggestion utterly absurd and
founded upon an ignorant misconception of the
character of the cipher. which is altogether
worthless in the hands OF persons not familiar
with it's changes The message to Minister Con
ger contained the hidden key which enabled him
and no else to translate 1t, and without that
key could have written a reply which
would have been ineligible to the State Depart
ment.
So complete is the confidence of the highest
officials of the Government In the absolute
trustworthiness OF the dispatch that action IN
volving the gravest dangers is being taken on
the strength Of IT, including the effort to have at
least portion of the troops at Tien-Tsin' IN
Guiding every American soldier. marine and
sailor to make a desperate dash for Picking
The State Department authorities unquestiona-
bly, accept as an incontrovertible fact the mes
sage as having been written and put into cipner
by Minister Conger himself going so far as TO
believe that his secretaries could not have used
the cipher code as 1t has been used without MS
express direction Even In the event OF tina
Chinese Government having dozen code books,
they would be useless to one not possessing the
key which is retained mentally. to avoid all
danger The key is changed every now and
then and only one knowing the key and its
uses could even after long study, manage to
get a message out. This message was clear and
without error.
MR.. HAYS EXPLANATION.
Secretary HAY explained his reasons for n
hdence in the authenticity Of Minister Congers
dispatch, saying that it complete reply In
code to the code message sent to him, and that
it's authenticity was vouched for by the Tsung-
H-Yamen. "Of course" he said, smiling. 4 am
not omniscient and may be fooled, but can
not see how the autheiticity OF Minister Con-
gers cable can be questioned
Secretary Hay said he attached no signih-
canoe to the use of the words Chinese troops
in the message They did not in his opinion.
mean that the Chinese Government troops were
besieging the foreigners He seemed TO entertain
little doubt that the Chinese Government itself
was doing all in it's power to suppress the Box
er instruction.
The message from Consul Fowler that General
Yuan Shih-Kat Governor Of shan-Tung Prov
tree, reported that the Chinese authorities were
doing all in their power to put down the insur-
rection was exceedingly welcome intelligence.
1t not only confirms the theory Of the State
Department that the position Of the Chinese
Government is correct. but IL Is assumed to
indicate that Yuan-Shih-Kai has thrown the
weight OF his influence the side of the Gov
errment. Yuan Is considered one OF the ablest
generals In China He has. according to
statement made by Lord Charles Beresford to
a prominent State Department official when he
here last fall. the best drilled and equipped
army in China under his command. Some doubt
was entertained as to which side he would ally
himself with in the present instruction. and
the fact that he appears to have come on the
side of the Government is accepted evidence
that his best judgment is that Prince Tuans
rebellion is destined to fail.
SECRETARY LONG REJoICEs.
In speaking Of the message Secretary Long
said:
We all very happy over the good tidings.
have hardly had time to think of the exact
effect Of the news the situation. but Il re-
moves one of the great elements OF doubt and
leaves US free to hope for the rescue of the
the State Department of the United States.
Every country in Christendom was employing
every agency in its possession to obtain anthem
tic news OF the besieged Ministers, and the
United States is the first to give to the world
authentic and absolutely reliable word direct
from the place in which the beleaguered Minis
tiers are garrlsoned There is now good reason
to believe that the Ministers will be able to
hold out until a relieving force reaches them
If they have been able to stand the siege for
almost month after the outside world had
given up hope there seems no reason to fear
that they will not be able to hold out a little
longer.
In the State Department code as conclusive evil
dence that 1T emanated from Minister Conger?"
he was asked. Might II not be possible that,
having massacred the people in the American
Legation, the code fell into the hands OF the
leaders of the Boxer movement. and if such were
the fact, could they not have framed the reply
in the State Departments code and attached
Minister Conger's signature to it?"
Il regard such suggestion dealing with
possibility too remote to be seriously consid-
ered' replied the Secretary. Il am of the opin-
ion that outsiders could not have made use OF
with Its strong appeal for immediate relief is
such would not have been sent by any
seeking To conceal a catastrophe to the foreign
erS in Picking"
Does this message in any way change the
situation or the policy of our Government
Il do not see that it does will result In
change of policy The allies organizing a
column for the relief OF the foreigners at Picking
and now that IL is known that they are alive
the news only result in pressing forward
the column at the earliest possible moment"
NO DOUBT OF CHARACTER OF DISPATCH.
SENATOR DAVIS SAYS CIPHER Is CAREFULLY
GUARDED.
St. Paul MINI. July Ex-senator c x Davis.
chairman Of the Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee, might said he did not doubt the genu-
ineness OF the dispatch from Minister Conger.
The State Department cipher. he said. Is care
Minister and his confidential assistant would be
able to IT. The cipher OF our State Depart
ment. the Senator said. is very complete. and is
regarded as one Of the best and safest in dipio-
matte use II would require thorough knowI-
edge OF the code TO construct a nessara IN IL