The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-01
AWAIT ONLY CONFIRMATION
Washington Officials Say Handing of Passports 20
Ministers Means War.
REPIELIc SPECIAL

REPI FLIc SPECIAL
Washington. June 30-On the receipt to-
day of the important news from Admiral
kempn at Taku and Consul Ragsdale at
iien-Tsin. that the foreign Ministers were.
on June 10. given ,wenty-four hours TO leave
fekin. a conference was called. at which
were present Secretary Long. Secretary
Hay and Secretary Root. representing the
Navy. State and War departments.
The matter before the conference was the
OBVIOUS inference that the Ministers had
been handed their passports. which was. IL
true. an actual declaration Of war by China
against all the Powers represented at
Pekin.
II absolute confirmation can be had OF the
truth OF Admiral Kcmpn's statement II is
expected that war will be declared against
China by the nations in interest. and the
United States will join In the declaration.
This involves the reassembling Of Con-
gress. Pending the reassembling OF Con-
gress. however. the President will send all
troops end munitions OF war to China that
may be needed. he having already under
taken TO conduct a war on Chinese soil. al
though not technically calling 1t a war.
The Cabinet conference decided
Ffrst-To wait for confirmation OF the
statement that the Ministers had been or
dered to leave Pekin before expressing Off
claring war.
Second-To notify all the Powers that the
United States Government, under the pres
ent circumstances. was doing its full share
toward relieving the Ministers at Pekin. 1t
was decided not TO send more than the 1000
or 5000 troops which have already been des-
fsnated for China. unless an unforeseen
but expected contingency demands the
sending. perhaps. of another brigade or two
to China.
Departments to W ork Sunday.
The importance attached to the confirma-
nj he hat MI h,l
the Ministers out of Pekin Is evidenced by
the fact that the Navy Department and the
War Department will be at work to-mor-
row.
All the advices to-day are that the Min
listers were at Pekin on the 25th or later.
the dispatches being from Admiral kempf,
Ambassador Choate. Consul Ragsdale and
Minister WI.
The War Department hopes that II will
not be necessary to issue any new instruc-
tions until General Chaffee arrives on the
ground. As 1t will be more than a month
before General Chaffee will be able to make
any report the War and Navy Department
officials will be guided by daily events
The Navy Department has decided to send
another force of marines to the Asiatic Sta
ton In August.
The dispatch from Admiral Seymour dis
closing that the imperial armory near Tien-
Tsin was stocked with Immense stores of
guns. arms and ammunition Of the latest
pattern Is not surprise to the army and
naval ordnance officers. They received in
formation recently Of the shipment from an
ordnance firm in this country to their rep
in China OF twenty-five noun
tain guns. with cartridges and ammunition
A good deal of similar material has been
shipped to China in the last two months.
TRANSPORTS AT MANILA.
Washington. June 90-General Macarthur |
notified the War Department to-day that |
the transport Sherman from San Francisco |
arrived at Manila on the 18th inst. This |
news is very gratifying to the officials Of |
the War Department. as 1t tends to solve |
the problem OF the transportation of troops |
from Manila to China in case il becomes |
necessary to send additional REINFORCE |
ments to that country. 1t is stated at the |
Quartermaster Generals Office, that there |
are now at Manila facilities for the trans
portation OF 4.5o0 troops with no greater /
delay than Is necessary In their embarka-
ton. The transports available are the War
rem and the Sherman. both of which are l
OF the largest size: the trans
ports Pennsylvania and Indiana: the
freight ships Westminster and Wyefeld.
and the animal ship. Port Stevens. The /
Wyefied Is a powerful craft and is ca
pable Of transporting a full battery Of ar
tillery.