Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-07-27
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence Of the Alexandria esse''e'
I,,1xr OF

Pekin will start Tor lientsin DuI III view
of the press dispatches Of this morning
said that it would not surprise him If
several or all OF the ministers reached
Tientsin at any time.
At noon the cabinet met 10 the Office
of the Secretary of State, Secretaries
Hay, Root and Gage, and Postmaster
General Smith being in attendance. At
the close of TIE meeting Secretary
Root stated that Information from
Remey gave the total number OF foreign
troops in China at 2S,000.. He added
that Rsmey's dispatch contained moth
ing to indicate when the advance on
Pekin would be made. Secretary Root
also said that no word bad been re-
ceived of the arrival at Taku OF the
l4,h infantry and Rsilley's battery OF
the 9th artillery, and Remey's dis
patch contained nothing 70 indicate
that these troops had arrived.
Secretary Hay returned from Canton
this morning. Mr.. w. w. Rockh was
mis- first caller and received his final IN
structions as to his mission to China.
Mr.. RockhiIl starts on his journey to-
morrow and will probably arrive at
Shanghai about the 25th OF next month.
I'LL Hung Chang is still there, MIR.
Rockhill will probably have a confer
ence with him before proceeding north
to Tientsin. Mr.. Rockhill is still skep-
tical OF the truth of the various state
ments that have been given out by the
Chinese officials as to the safety OF the
legations in Pekin and adhers to his
belief that most, if not all, of the diplo-
mates with their families and guards
have been killed. He thinks that the
Chinese denials of the reported massa-
GRE are put out for the purpose OF de-
Law and to enable the Chinese to 80 dis
nose of their forces as to most etfec-
tually meet the expected attack OF the
allied troops.
The policy of suppressing news con-
tinues today in the Navy department.
IL is generally known that Admiral
Remey went to Tientsin under orders
to obtain and forward information re-
garding the situation there, the posi-
bility of allayiDg the petty jealousy OF
The various foreign commanders and
the probable date OF the advance on
Pekin. Remey, without doubt, has
made a responsive reply. 1t has been
received by the department and his dis
patches on the subject, several yester-
day and one today, are being withheld.
This morning long dispatch from
Remey occupied for 40 hour the time
of Admiral Crowninshield, acting sec
rotary of the navy and bis snbordinates
who said that it contained nothing SEN
sstional, neither good nor bad news.
The dispatch Was later the subject un'
der discussion at q special Cabinet
meeting. The only inference to be
drawn is that it contained exactly the
information which the public anxiously
waits, when, how, and in what
strength the relief column is to advance.
At the Navy department, it is learned
that the Remey dispatch is in answer to
Secretary Longs request to be inform
ed as to the streGgth of the forces Of the
several allies at Tientsin and Taku.
10 view OF the reported assembling and
intrenchng of large Chinese army at
a point en- miles from Tientsin on the
road to Pekiu ready to contest the adj
vance OF the allies TO the Chinese CAPT.
tai, it is believed that the commanders
NAV rege I'd heir forces as yet too weak
to attempt the task OF fighting their way
through aud that the advance on Pekin
may be delayed beyond the 30th OF July
The reported lack of artillery among
the allies would, II true, be sufficient
reason for this postponement. At the
State department the second letter from
Sir Claude Macdonald, the British Min
Ister at Pekin. was read. The news
from Berlin announcing That former
servant of Baron Won Ketteler had ar
rived at Tientsin and reported that the
legations were safe on July 8 and had
Oh that day SUCCESSFULLY repulsed an at
tack of the Chinese was greeted by Sec
rotary Hay as the most encouraging
news he had seen in the last three days,
Secretary Root said this afternoon
that the policy Of this government was
10 leave to the commander 10 the field
entirely the date of the advance on
Pekin. He said: I'VE are too far away
to determine that question in Washing
ton. To advance now might mean GER
taIf death to the soldiers, For that
reason we shall wait until Chafee ar
ryes and no orders will be sent from
this city fixing the date of the start for
PekiD."
Senator Stewart, who knows d great
deal about the Chinese, says II this
country goes to war with China, it will
be for years and will cost thousands
of American lives and millions of Amer.
lean money, and all to no purpose, for
if hundred million OF Chinese were
killed, their cOuntrymen would not
miss them, as there would then be three
or four hundred million of them left. 1t
is thought here that If the American lie.
CATION at Pekin be safe, the wisest thing
the democrats conld do, would be to de-
mand the immediate withdrawal of
avery American sailor and soldier from
China. The trade with that country
mas already been sadly damaged, and
as the Chinese believe that this is the
only Christian nation that has no inten-
ton of attempting to seize any OF their
territory, If that be done, they will
naturally be induced to do all their
trading with the United States.
Fifteen acres of land On Addison
Heights, in Alexandria county, between
this city and Alexandra, were to have
been sold yesterday syeniug, but as it |
was not generally known, only FIVE
people were present. one Of whom was
a negro, and SO there was no sale.
A well.known democrat. from one of
the nearby counties of Virginia, here
today, says the democrats OF his State |
are very quiet now and in good condi.
ton for electing every one OF tue cir con.
zressionaI candidates, and that they |