Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-07-26

1 LONDON, July 25.-The tone OF the
European press with regard to the mes
sage dated July 4th, received here yes
terday from the British minister at Pc
kin, Sir Claude Macdonald, continues
pessimistic ard the endless and extra
ordinary succession of Chinese dispatch
es supporting to describe the situation
at Pekin only serves TO bewilder. How
ever, the earlier unquestioning belief
that massacre took place has to some
extent been shaken, and il is now adj
mitted despite the heavy load of evil
dence supporting che reports of the
massacre, that as Sir Claude MacDon
AIDS letter disposed of the first story
alleging that the crime occurred June
80, so Minister Conger's dispatch and
other stories reporting the legations
safe July 10, IA, and Is give some
ground for assuming the possibility
that the second reports were also I'M
founded. Another version of the story
which reached Gen Ii, commanding the
Pei-Tang forts by runner from Pekin
who brought TO him yesterday the re-
port Of anarchy in the Chinese capital,
which Gen. Lii communicated to the
British officer commanding at Tongu
says the British legation was being
bombarded when the messenger left
Pekin July 18th. Prince Ching, this
report says, was assisting the minis
tiers and his palace was protected by
Ten Thousand Chinese Troops.
Prince Ching, according to this report,
considered himself able to cope with the
situation.
According to a dispatch from Che
Foo, received here to-day, Admiral
Seymour has started for the Yang-Tse
river to arrange for the protection OF
local ports which are threatened with
attack.
The Austrian warships Kaiserin, Eliz-
abeth and Aspern have sailed for
China.
There is some fear in London that
the Russian claim to control of the
railway from Taku to Pekin will delay
the proposed advance Of the allies to
Pekin. 1t is thought that this claim
is in pursuance of Russia alleged fixed
principle to prevent any power but
herself from penetrating to Pekin in
sufficient force to be effective, and to
procure for herself sole occupation,
either as conqueror or peacemaker.
oil toI,a Il
day from Berlin contrast the replies Of
president Mckinley and the German
minister of foreign affairs, Count Won
Buelow, to the Chinese Emperor's APP
peal from the standpoint obtaining at
Berlin, that the object OF all Chinese
assurances is to gain time
For Military Preparations
and undermine the unity of the pow
ers. The Morning Posts Berlin cor
respondent asserts that the attitude of
the United States government is re-
garded as decided triumph for Chi
nese diplomacy, while the Daily News
says the attitude of the Washington
authorities is regarded in Berlin as a
regrettable error. Similarly the Lon
don afternoon papers regret that the
President of the United States has
taken line that can hardly fail to
encourage the Chinese to further du-
plicity.' The Pail Mall Gazette says
Surely this is not the time for
amiable tea-table talk about agree
ments and settlements President Nc
Kinley has merely succeeded in con-
veying the impression to Pekin that
the United States will enter half
heartedly into a campaign OF repris-
ais. His exuberant courtesy may not,
however, have much bad result, as
generals must soon take the conduct
OF affairs out OF political hands"