The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-07-26
IS STILL DOUBTED.
London Refuses to Believe Reported
Safety of Ministers.

grizzly VI mluAotCASs
London, July 25.-Sir Claude Mac.
Donald's message, dated July 4, ap-
pealing for relief, is regarded in Lon
don as only a prelude to the absolute
confirmation of the massacre. This is
the opinion also of the Japanese min
lister here. The newspapers suggest
that the British minister's dispatch
was held back and released about the
same time as Mr.. Conger's undated
message.
Demands Direct Communication.
London, July 25.-The Chinese min
lister, Sir Chin Chen Lofeng Luh, had
a long interview with Lord Salisbury
Tuesday afternoon. The general sit.
uation was discussed, and the Chinese
minister admitted his belief that the
British minister to China, Sir Claude
Macdonald, and the other foreigners
at Picking, were safe. Lord Salisbury
reiterated his demand for direct com
munication with the minister at Pc
king. To this request the minister
could only renew his protestations that
1t would be speedily accomplished If
feasible. He adduced no new facts to
prove his assertions. The interview
closed without result.
Don't Believe Ii.
Despite the Chinese minister's state
ments and despite Sir Claude Mac
Donald's letter of July 4, strong i'm
preston continues to prevail at the for
eign office that the ministers at Peking
were massacred July 6. The CORE
spoudent is informed that not one scin-
tilla of evidence is yet in the possession
of the foreign office leading them to
disbelieve the reports of the murders.
Sir Claude MacDonald's letter, with its
account of severe fighting in progress,
merely confirms the governments fore
bodings.
Discuss Future Action.
Consultations are in progress be-
| tween cabinet ministers and officials
as to the course to be pursued should
the ministers prove to be alive. The
contingency of China holding them as
hostages is uppermost in the minds OF
| all, although the correspondent is Off
| cially informed that the Chinese diplo
| mats have not yet limited at such ac'
| ton.
Negotiations between the powers
have brought out mutual assurances
that the military expressions to China
are for the sole purpose OF relieving
the legations, and that there is no in
tention to partition China. Hence
| should China agree to deliver the min
listers alive, no power will have a rea'
son for continuing aggressive military
operations except Germany, whose
minister is undoubtedly dead, and ever
Germany. to quote a high British Off
ciaI will have to forego the emperor's
| assertion that he would not stop til
the German flag foated over Picking"
Attitude of the Powers.
As for the other powers, it is EN-.
| phatically stated that they have unan.
imously agreed that with the safe de.
| livery of the ministers the aggressive
campaign will end. All rumors of an
international agreement regarding the
| future of China subsequent to the re.
| turn of the ministers are false. The
| agreement is purely negative and based
upon the lines stated by Secretary
| HAY, of which the independence and
| integrity of the Chinese empire are
essential features. If the imperial
edict proves true, the powers, while
| holding their forces in readiness tC
enforce demands, will accept pecu
mary indemnity. No territorial prop
ositions will be considered. In com
mon with other powers, Germany
must, through arbitration or other
wise, gauge the damages by the loss
of the life of her minister by peCu
mary standard. The same rule will
| apply as to the loss of other lives and
destruction of property.
May He Sent to Tientsin.
At the Chinese legation the CORE
| spondent was informed that Nc
further news from China had been re,
ceived to-day and that it was expected
| that the ministers would soon be sent
| to Tientsin. Secretary Lew expressed
unstinted praise of the attitude of the
United States secretary of state. Col
Hay has declared his implicit belief
that the ministers were safe He said
the negotiations with the powers on
behalf of China had all been intrusted
| to the Chinese minister at Washing,
ton, WI Ting Fang. Secretary Lew
professed utter ignorance of their
progress. 1t may with safety be
stated that should the ministers prove
to be alive the Chinese government
will to some extent use them as a
lever to compel European and Ameri-
can missionaries and commercial en-
terprises to moderate their activity if
not to Withdraw from the empire en-
tirely.
French Minister Alive.
Paris. July 25.-M Delcasse, minister
of foreign affairs, has received tele-
gram from the French consul at Shang-
hal, dated July 20, which says: eli
Hung Chang has just assured me that
NJ. Pichon (French minister to China)
is living, and he has agreed to transmit
to him message from me requesting
reply WITHIN tive days"
American Losses at TIentsin.
Tientsin, Saturday, July Ia (via Che
foo, July 10, and Shanghai. July 25).-
The Ninth regiment, United States in
fantry, entered the fight at Tientsin
with 43o men. An incomplete list of
casualties shows IS killed; IS wounded
and two missing. The marines had
four killed and IS wounded.
First Lieut.. Henry Leonard, of the
marine corps, carried Lieut.. Butler
from the field under fierce fire. He
was shot in the upper left arm while