The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-14

"
lean Soldiers Bear Brunt of Battle
of Yang sun
Washington, August 1O.-In the light
of the latest dispatches from Minister
Conger, received by the state depart
ment through Minister WI today, the
attitude of the administration is that
there is but one thing to be done in
the present circumstance. namely, to
press on to the relief of the besieegd
garrison at Pekin-
This was made known after extend
ed communication between Washing
ton and the president at Canton. The
Conger dispatch was accepted as
showing conclusive justification for the
imperative demand of the United
States sent to the Chinese government
on Wednesday night insisting that the
imperial troops cooperate with the in
ternatiOnal forces in the rescue of tne
ministers. and until this condition, az
we'll as that for the cessation of the
bombardment, is fully conceded by
china there is no other course open
but to press steadily onward in the
mission of relief.
THE CONGER DISPATCH.
The Conger dispatch was received
before daylight at the Chinese legation
and as soon as the official day opened
Minister WI presented il to acting
Secretary Adee at the state depart
ment. 1t was in the American cipher
and was found to be an fde>tical note
with that of other ministers at Pekin
Chat of the French minister. NJ.
PichOn, already having appeared J
with the additional fact tina seven
members of the American guard had
een killed and sixteen wounded.
A REPLY TO CONGER'S MESSAGE.
The discussion with the president led
to the determination to reply to Mr..
Conger at once. and. accordingly, Sec
rotary Root and acting Secretary Adee
conferred on the terms of his reply.
The text was ready by 3 o'clock and it
was forwarded late in the day. 1t was
announced officially and positively
that his message would not be made
public, either in whole or in substance.
1t was made plain, however, 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. hen the minis
ter has advised Washington that this
would mean certain death.
CONGER GIVEN WARNING.
Moreover the reply doubtless lets the
minister know that there is an unac-
countable error in the statement of
the Chinese Onyornnnant a . nnnuauad
to him through Tsung Ii Yamen, that
the foreign government a urged re-
peatedly that the ministers be sent out
of Pekin under suitable escort.
This lause contained in Mr.. Con-
gers latest dispatch clearly shows that
n Chinese government is leading him
to believe that it is the wish of WASH
fngton that he leave under a Chinese
escort, whereas, the United States gov
eminent never has entertaind for a
moment the idea of having the minis
ter set out on the dangerous pilgrim
age from Pekin to the coast under
Chinese protection
There is no probability hat the t
tention of the Chinese government will
be directed to it's apparent double
dealing as indicated by the Conger dis
patch.
This government has transmitted to
the other powers interested the note
to the Chinese government entrusted to
Minister WI on the night of the Sth.
1t has assurances from other powers
that they have not advised their re-
spective representatives to accept Chi
nese escort from Pekin.
It was officially stated at the close
of the day, that no further represen-
tations nave been made to the Chinese
government since the Adee note of the
Sth and that none will be made until
the Chinese government has given
some indication of the attitude it will
assume in complying with or denying
the demands of the United States.
DOUBTS AS TO MESSAGES REACH
ING CONGER-
While the state department is con-
tinuing to dispatch messages to Minis
ter Conger upon the assurance of the
Chinese government hat communica-
ton is Uninterrupted it is doing Sc
with comparatively small hope of their
delivery. This assertion was borne out
tonight when Secretary Roo aid that
there was no convincing evidence in
possession of this government that any
OF our dispatches had reached Min
lister Conger. This indicates that the
minister has not given a direct and
satisfactory answer to any of the
queries hat have been addressed tC
him by the state department.