The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-08-16
Affairs In China.


that we Immediately depart from Pekin
under suitable escort. The Yamen asks
us to fix date for our departure and to
make the necessary arrangements to do
SO. Our reply is that we will seek in.
structions from our governments and
that in the absence of such instructions
we cannot quit our post. | must inform
you that ia order to insure our safe de-
parture, foreign troops can only safely
escort us and they must be in sufficient
force to guard 800 foreigners, including
200 women and children, as well as
5000 native Christians, who cannot be
abandoned to certain massacre. We
cannot accept a Chinese escort under any
circumstances. All my colleagues are
dspatching the foreigners to their re
spective governments. OF the American
marines seven have been killed and 16
wounded, among the latter Captain
Myers and Doctor Lippett, who are get
ting along well.
(Signed) Congern
This message is not dated but it is
supposed to have been sent on after the
fifth of August, when the imperial edict
removing the inhibition against the min
listers sending cipher kilograms was
received from the lsung Ii Yamen. 1t
substantially accords with the dispatch
of the French minister, NJ. Pichon, to
his government, which was made public
in Paris.
A reply was made to this at the earli-
est possible moment. The contents of
this reply were not made public but it
was understood that the message was
sufficiently guarded as not to further
increase the jeopardy of our minister in
case the Chinese have access to our
cipher. As to the terms of the message,
they are believed to make plain that
this government will not advise, much
less direct, that Mr.. Conger leave Pekin
under Chinese escort, when the minister
has advised Washington that this would
mean certain death. Moreover, the re-
ply doubtless lets the minister know
that there is an unaccounta bic error in the
statement of the Chinese government as
conveyed to him through the Tsun Ii
Yamen that the foreign governments
had urged repeatedly that the ministers
be sent out of Pekin under suitable
escort.
An imperial edct through Minister
WI was received at Washington, Satur-
day, as follows:
SIN the present conflict between Chi
nese and foreigners there has been some
misunderstanding on the part of the
foreign nations and also a want of pro-
per management on the part of some of
the local authorities. A clash of arms
is followed by calamitous results and
causes rupture of friendly relations,
which will ultimately do no good to the
world. We hereby appoint Lii Hung
Chang as our envoy plenipotentiary,
with instructions to propose at once by
telegraph to the governments of the
several powers concerned for the i'm
mediate cessation of hostile demonstra-
tons, pending negotiations which he is
hereby authorized to conduct for our
part for the settlement of whatever
questions may have to be dealt with.
The questions are to be severally CON
sidered in a satisfactory manner and the
result of the negotiations reported to us
for our sanction. Respect this"
A reply was made to this edict, Satur-
day. In effect it was a reiteratiOn of the
demand previously made by the United
states upon China coupled with vigor.
GUS intimation that no neg stations will
be.entered into until the fhinese govern
ment shall have complied with those de-
mands.
The Italian foreign office, Aug. IL, re-
ceived the following dispatch from the
Italian minis er in Pekin, Marquis Sal
vago Raggi, dated August 5:
"Shots exchanged between the de-
tenders of the legation and the Chinese.
One killed and two wounded.
"We have no news from the allies
since July 80. We hope they will not
delay advance to Pekin."
Gen. Chaffee the American COM
mander in China sent a four word dis
patch announcing his arrival at Ho 81
WI, SO miles from Pekin, Thursday last.
The battle of Yang Tsun was fought on
the 9th and the advance on Ho 81 WI
was accomplished on the ninth day, a
march of Is miles In three days.
Once more the press of England re-
marks upon the ability of the of the
A merican government to secure news
ahead of the rest of the world. at is
to Gen. hatfee," says the Daily News,
"that we are again indebted for news
from the front. Not single dispatch
from Sir Alfred Gaslee has thus far been
issued by the war Office
In addition to former requirements
United States stipulates that a body of
the relief force be permitted to center
Pekin unmolested" and escort the
ministers back to Tien Tsin."
A message was received from Conger,
Tuesday, but was not made public. 1t
was stated authoritatively that while
the message was of a confidential char
acter and for that reason could not and
would not be given out, yet as a means
of allaying possible misrepresentation,
it could be said that the dispatch show
ed neither a better condition nor a
worse condition on the part of the lega
TONERS at Pekin. 1t did not indicate
whether Minister Conger has or has not
received any messages from this govern
ment. Nothing was contained In the
message which will cause any change in
the instructions to Gen. Chaffee.
The only news, Tuesday, which takes
the advance upon Pekin further than
Ho 81 WI came from ParM The Lon
don morning papers contain nothing 10
confirm the French report that the allies
are within 10 miles of Pekin, although a
Che Foo dispatch is printed saying that
they were within II miles of the goal,
Saturday.
Admiral Remey sent dispatch from
Taku dated Aug. II in which he just
received undated dispatch from Chaffee,
Natow, yesterday. Opposition of no
consequence yet; terrible heat, many
men PROSTATE. Please inform Secretary
of War. Natow is about II or II miles
beyond Ho 81 WI.
The allies are reported to have reach