Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-08-04
EARL LIS EVASION
Develops Another Serious
Phase in Chinese Situation.
Eyades Peremptory Demand for Direct
Communication With Ministers.
Their Situation More Grave -AIIied Forces Re-
port Opposition by Chinese.

/
uatiGn by the return of an evasive
answer by Ii Hung Chang to Secre.
tary Hays peremptory demand of Aug
1. to b" put in communication with the
| foreign ministers at Pekin. Lii.
answer is not final and leaves the mat.
ter open automatically. But Lis
actions, as reported by Consul General
Goodnow, are unquestiOnably sinister
and Will amount to final rejection of
the American proposition. if persisted
| in.
| Mr.. Goodnow's dispatch contains
| some further information bearing or
the question of responsibility for Pekin
conditions in the statement that the
commander Of the Chinese troops by
| inference ansWerable to the Chinese
| government, ordered the Pao TING
massacre.
II IS learned here that Ii Ding Hong
| the commander referred to. is a civ1
official, and well known to all the Chin
ese officials abroad as one OF the most
rabd anti-foreign leaders in China. He
IS close friend of Prince Tuan and the
| association Of these two in Pekin af-
| fairs. with power enough behind them
| ~ ''iuf'' tAif iSiltillIilbuS utdlll Oh LNG
| high officials is regarded here as a bad
| sign.
simultaneously with Mr. Goodnow's
| dispatch came characteristically Dip
| lomatic message from Yuan Shih Kai.
governor of Shan Tung, repeating the
| story of two days ago that the Chinese
government was arranging to deliver
| the ministers in safety at Tien Tsin.
| No effort is made to reconcile that
| statement with Earl LIS refusal to al
low communication with the ministers.
Gen. Chaffee's message as to the I'M
expected resistance offered to the Jap
| anese reconnaissance is regarded by mil
itary men here as forecasting greater
degree Of opposition to the information
al advance than had been anticipated
and they are now satisfied that the
Chinese troops will furnish material
Tor at least one severe battle before the
way is clear to Pekin.
The navy department. today issued
an order for the cooperation Of its
officers abroad with the officers Of the
army in landing and transporting
trops destined for Chinese service. This
revives the situation that existed in
Cuba when Skaters army was landed
largely through the efforts of the navy.
1t is thought in the department that
the navy can lend considerable assist
ance to Gen. Chaffee's troops. not only
aiding their debarkation but possibly
in furnishing them boat transportation
if move is made along the Pei Ho.
1t appears that some misunderstand-
ing exists as to a St. Petersburg dis
patch printed here. this morning. say
ing that the Chinese minister there and
his colleagues in Europe had cabled the
governor of Shan Tung demanding that
free communication be opened between
the Pekin ministers and their respective
governments. This communication was
In fact Joint memorial to the throne
concurred in by all Chinese ministers
abroad, including Minister WI in
Washington. 1t was forwarded by
Minister Yeng Lu al st. Petersburg be-
cause the latter is the dean Of the Chin
ese diplomatic service IT was trans
United through the governor of Shan
Tung to be forwarded to Pekin.
This action is considered very i'm
portant as indicating that the Chinese
ministers abroad have at last reached
a unanimous conclusion that the situa-
ton is no longer to be trified with.
Their action may be regarded as a final
effort on their part to influence the
home government and its outcome is
awaited with great interest.
Meanwhile the government of the |
United States, like the governments of |
Europe. has not abandoned its efforts |
to establish communication with its |
at Pekin by independent |
means and the state department has |
instructed Consul General Goodnow at |
Consul Fowler at Che Foo,
and Consul Ragsdale at Ticn Tsin. to
spare no effort or exDense to omen up |
direct communication with Minister
conger.
In addition to this short message rel
alive to the japanese check, transmit
ted through Admiral Remey and re-
eived, this morning. Gen. Chafree made
another and a direct cable report. this
afternoon. The message was withheld
rom publication by Secretary Root.
Who declined to make its purport pub
lie. 1t was presumably devoted to
'ecital of Gen. Chaffee's needs in a
nllltary way.
In view Of the London statement that
he advance from Tien Tsin actually
began with the present week. there is
,lso possibility that Gen. Chaffee's
Message has some bearing on that sab
ect though it is evident from his re-
'ort of this morning that the advance.
started, could not have progressed
ar beyond Tien Tsin as the OUTPOST
lffair described by him took place only
0 miles out of town.
Second Assistant Secretary Adee is
o act as secretary of state for few
weeks dusing the absence of Secretary
lay. who left Washington, this after
loon, to visit his family at their sum- ,,
ner home at Sunapee Lake, n. II.
A cabinet meeting was held. TODAY | .
'hich lasted about an hour The Rem ,
Y dispatch telling of the check to the |
apanese scouting column was read but
las not considered as of serious i'm
ortance as affecting the general adj
ance. II was stated that the govern
lent mas no official assurances that ,