Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-08-16

Washington, Aug. 12.-It was stated
officially last night that this govern
ment would pay no attention whatever
to the latest appeal from China trans
mitted in the form Of memorial from
the southern viceroys, begging the
United States to use its influence
against the landing of British troops in
the Yang Use valley. This memorial
was transmitted to the state depart
ment yesterday by Chinese Minister
WI. 1t urged upon this government
the serious consequences that would
follow the landing Of British forces at
Shanghai, and represented that prepa-
rations already made would paralyze
the commercial activity in that part OF
the empire almost as much as a formal
declaration Of war by Great Britain.
This government has decided however,
that not only would it be entirely out
of its province to interfere with the
British program in southern China.
but in view of Chinas pres
ent recalcitrant attitude and
lack, up to date, of even an ac-
acknowledgements of our latest demand
concerning the safety of our minis
ters, that the United States was not
obliged to shoulder any of China's
troubles with Great Britain or any
other power.
In connection with the proposed
landing of Admiral Remey's force it
may be said that the report Of Japan
csc opposition to this move is without
any official confirmation here. The
Japanese. minister, in general CONVEX
satiOn, when the subject was first
preached, said he had no information
L.. any protest being entered by Japan.
V hat the developments of subsequent
events might bring, it was impossible
for him to say. What may be said,
however, aside from Minister Taka-
hira's statement, is that Japan has, up
tG date, displayed no jealousy of Great
Japan herself, it has been announced
sCmi-o officially has no colonial
ambitions The action of the Russian
government authorizing NJ De Giers
to start from Pekin to Tientsin under
a Chinese escort has caused no little
concern and surprise in official circles
here, as it is dramatically opposed to
the course of the other governments,
although there is no disposition to
question the good faith which inspired
it. Officials say It's only effect is to
leave NJ. De Giers to act independent
ly on his own discretion. If he deter
mines to leave Pekin with a Chinese
guard, and succeeds in getting through
to Tientsin it at least will have dem
onstrated that this course is less haZ-
ardOus than has been supposed.
The position of the United States is
unchanged, however, in declining to
entertain the idea of allowing Minis
ter Conger to leave under Cu4nese es.
cort. The only information from the
seat of war made public by the gov
eminent yesterday was the dispatch
from Consul MCWade at Canton, COM
municating an additional message from
Minister COnger to the state de-
partment, and a very brief dispatch
from Admiral Remey reporting some
information from Gen. Chaffee on the
operations at Yang Tsun. In the opin-
ion of the state department the value
of the Conger message is considerably
reduced by the uncertainty as to its
date. The information it contains is
practically identical with the tate
departments message of Aug. 6, only
that the cheering feature is his plucky
concluding Whatever may
be the outcome, we can hold on indef-
initeIy" The chief interest in the
Chaffee dispatch is the indication that
| the American command was in the
thick of the fight at the capture Of the
| important town of Yang Tsun, but the
reference to deaths from sunstrokes
indicates that the international forces
are undergoing terrible privations from
the tropical weather along the Pei
river.