The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-15
NO EXPLANATION GIVEN
Not O Word Received Either From
Chaffee or Remey.
TAKING PEKlN WILL Be NO CHILD's PLAY
is Walls, so Feet in Hight Are of Enormous
Thickness, and The Heaviest Artillery
Only Could Make Any I'm
nression on Them.
preston on Them.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, August 14.-At the close
of the official day at the State Depart
ment the following official announcement
was bulletined:
1.-THE Department of State announces
has been received, but of uncertain date,
and not in reply to the telegram sent
him on August Sth. 1t will not be made
public"
This came at the conclusion of a pc
riod of intense expectancy and yet one
devoid of any actual developments, save
in the foregoing meager announcement
Minister Conger's message was received
in Washington shortly before noon, COM
ing first to the Chinese Legation by the
usual route Through Chinese Officials.
1t was in the American cipher, without
date, and signed with the Minister'S
name. 1t was transmitted to the State
Department and conferences began be-
tween Acting Secretary Adee and Secre-
tary RUot. Throughout the afternoon,
however, the State Department main
staina1 RI uHaccoanSable retcence con-
corning the subject, declining to admit
that the message was in hand. TshA
suspense was cleared up at o'clock by
the above announcement. 1t was stated
authoritatively that while the message
was of a confidential character and for
that reason could not and would not be
given out, yet as means of allaying
possible misinterpretation, it could be
said that the dispatch showed neither a
better condition, nor a worse condition
on the part Of the Legationers at Pekin.
1t did not indicate whether Minister
Conger has or has not, received any
messages from this Government. Moth
ing was contained in the message which
will cause any change in the instructions
to General Chaffee In fact, it was stated
in this same authoritative quarter, that
the only additional instructions sent to
General Chaffee since he left Washing
ton were those of more specific and
explicit nature, which the developments
in China, and the information received
by the War Department. necessitated.
Throughout the day, word was anxious
ly awaited from General Chaffee as to
the development of the military situa-
tion near Pekin, but not a word came,
nor did Admiral Remey send anything
on the situation. The last heard from
General Chaffee, he was at Ho 81 Wu,
and according to all calculations, he
must now be very near Pekin, unless
events have occurred to delay the ad-
vance. The officials are taking into ac-
count that an advance even up to PelIin
leaves much to be accomplished in mill
tary way 1t was stated today by an
official who has lived at Pekin, that
nothing short of the heaviest artillery
could make any impression upon the
walls of the imperial city. He said that
light artillery would be of no avail, and
for this reason, the advance of flying
column even up to the walls of the city
could effect little if a stubborn defense
were determined upon. The walls are
some fifty feet high, and wide enough
on top for two coaches to pass abreast.
From an offensive standpoint, the walls
afford opportunity for planting guns, while
from a defensive standpoint they could not
be preached, except by the use of very
heavy projeotiles.
Although the situation admits of the
prospect of an assault upon Pekin, yet
Government officials were decidedly more
hopeful today that a solution of the Chi
nese problem would be found without re-
course to suc- heroic measures. The
improved Feeling is based largely on the
belief that China, realizing that her sa-
cred capital is about to he besieged by
the armies OF the world, will yield every
thing and that the legationers will be
delivered ON the terms of the allies.
The attitude of the United States con-
cerning the landing of British troops at
Shanghai has been made known to the
foreign Governments through their rep
resentatives here. This had the effect of
practically eliminating the United States
from the question. Neither the French
nor the German Government is disposed
to accept calmly the landing of British
troops, and it is understood that strong
representations, both from France and
Germany, are now being made at London.
AS summed up by a well-informed diplo-
mat, these representations in effect are
that for every British marine landed at
Shanghai France and Germany would
also land a marine. 1t is felt, however,
that the issue involved relates not only
to Shanghai, but virtually to the con-
troll of the entire Yang Use Kiang Valley,
known as the paradise of China.
Foreign Governments have manifested
desire also to learn the views of the
United States concerning the instructions