The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-05

POLICY LED TO siLENCfyG OF HIS
RECENT DISPATCH.
AMERICANS LED ADVANCE.
STARTED FOR PEKIN WITH BRIT
IsH AND JAPANESE.
1t Was Feared Chahee's Criticisms
of Foreign Troops Would Lead
Opposition Is Expected Twenty
Miles From Tien Tsin - Chinese
VicerOys Are Frightened and May
Give in to Demands of the Allies.

Miles From Tien Tsin - Chinese
VicerOys Are Frightened and May
Give in to Demands of the Allies.
Washington, Aug. 4-Some features of
the dispatch received from Gen. Chaffee
yesterday which the war department re-
fused TO make public, became known to-
day.
The first dispatch received by the War
Department from Gen. Chaffee contained
very little information, but closed with
the statement that he was going forward
to Tien Tsin, and would give his views
That is what he has done. His views, as
cabled in the dispatch OF yesterday would
be far from palatable to several foreign
governments, ard that is one reason why
the dispatch was not made public. This
much is asserted:
Gen. Chaffee and the United States
forces available under his command have
gone forward toward Pekin with the
British and japanese forces. The troops
of the other nations assembled at Tien
Tsin did not join in the movement, but
the reasons given by Gen. Chaffee could
not be learned.
1t is understood that the criticism con-
tained in the Associated Press dispatch,
received yesterday, of the sanitary condi-
tions existing at Tien Tsin is borne out
in Gen. Chaffee's dispatch. but in dis
cussing the matter with the War Depart
ment he has been more specific and the
names of the commands are given which
failed to take proper precaution for the
health of the international forces.
War department officials generally re-
fuse TO discuss the contents of the dis
patch, and Secretary Root announced en-
phatically that it would not be given to
the public, and, further, that no addition
al dispatches had been received from Gen.
Chaffee. The international questions In
volved make it impossible on account of
diplomatic relations to give the dispatch
to the public, and it Is further desired
that the proposed movement of troops
should not sefheralded to the world fol-
the advantage of the Chinese forces, which
are opposing the advance for the rescue
of the besieged ministers.
Viceroys Are Frightened.
The steady prosecution of the military
movements undoubtedly has frightened the
Chinese viceroys, who have been sparring
for time, endeavoring to use the diplo-
matte corps at Pekin as protection. The
Tsung-li-Yamen dispatch received this
morning through Yuan and WI fairly H.
Illustrated this condition and made it plain
that the imperial government sagain is
trying to force a suspension of the ad-
vance on Pekin by menacing the foreign
ministers. Having formally refused to
put them in communication with their
governments and this having proved in
effectual to stop the advance, it would
not be surprising if the Chinese govern
ment should next do one of two things
either come forward with a threat to re-
new the attack on the legations If the
advance is not stopped, or resort to the
plan of delivering the ministers safely
| at Tien Tsin, or at least to the comman-
ders of the International column, trusting
in that way to abate the force of the
invasion and induce the Powers to con-
sent to negotiations for settlement of the
| trouble.
1t is learned here that Viceroy Ii Hung
Chang actually undertook to do this, but
sought to make the condition for the
safe delivery of the ministers that the i'm
perial government should be held blame
less for what had occurred at Pekin.
This condition having been rejected abb
solutely by the terms of President McKin-
ley's reply to the Chinese government Il
may be that Ii is trying to arrange for
the delivery of the ministers without con-
ditons, trusting to the gratitude of the
Powers to secure the desired absolution.