Evening star., 1900-07-26
HAS HAD BAD EFFECT
Ediot Published by Viceroy TAX
Causes Disagreeable Impression.
POINTS TO DECLARATION OF WAR
Chinese Minister Sees Acting Sec
retary Hill.
COL. ROBE ORDERED TO TAKU

Notwithstanding signs Of activity, the
State Department had nothing this morning
of interest touo hing the Chinese situation
The Navy Department sent over a copy Of
the dispatch received from Admiral Remey,
noting some changes in the marine body,
and Minister WI came down and talked for
a full half hour with Acting Secretary Hill,
but he declared that he had nothing from
home, though he was confident of important
developments in the immediate future.
The imperial edict promulgated yesterday
by Niceroy TAX at Canton has left dis
agreeable impression here. Despite the
Chinese minister's view to the contrary,
this edct is looked upon as suspiciously
like a preliminary to a formal declaration
of war, and only one step toward secur-
ing time to move Chinese forces into bet
ter position for defense against the inter-
nationals.
After his conference with the Chinese
minister Acting Secretary Hill said that the
minister had received no communications
from China and had no information to i'm
part.
The State Department had no information
of any kind from the officers in China, and
the conference between the minister and
the Secretary simply exchange of
courtesies The Chinese minister expressed
to Secretary Hill his continued hope that
the ministers in Pekin still safe and
said he believed that he would soon be able
to deliver to the department a message from
Minister Conger which would make that
hope certain.
No Fighting in COrea.
Mr.. Tam E. Ye, the Corean charge. called
at the State Department this morning to
see Assistant Secretary Hill. He said that
the recent reports of an invasion of Corea's
northern boundary by Chinese Boxers lad
proved to be groundlcss as he had received
a cabiegram from his government saying
that all is quiet there. He said that he lad
no news bearing upon recent events in
China. Corea, Mr.. Ye said, has had no
diplomatic representative there. A minis
ter has recently been appointed, but has
not yet started for his post.
The news that Corea is free of the BOX
err agitation was we'll received at the de-
p;trtment, for it is believed that Russia will
thus be enabled to spare many more troops
from her Siberian army for use in the in
ternational columns.
Mr.. ROckhill to Leave Saturday.
Special Commissioner Rockhill will leave
for San Francisco. stopping on the way 4
day or two at Chicago This will enable
him to reach San Francisco in time to take
the Japanese liner American Maru, which
sails for Yokohama and N&gasaki on the
I'd of August. If Secretary Hay returns. as
is expected. to Washington tomorrow morn
ing Mr.. Rockhill will have final confer
ence with him before leaving for China.
1t will not be necessary for him to again
see President Mckinley.
He has received the fullest instructions
from the President already. Mr.. Rockhill
appeared this morning to believe that his
task has been made much more difficult
by the developments of the last day or two,
particularly those indicating the gradual
drifting of China into a regularly estab-
Eshcd state of war with the powers. He
Is Chary about accepting, without full con-
fiImat ion. any advices as to the situation at
Pckin, that pass through the hands OF the
notorious viceroy at Shantung, Yuan Shih-
kai, who is well known to him, by reason
OF his former residence in China Yuan
was the Chinese governments representa-
tive in Corea, in the period just preceding
the Chino-Japanese war, ard it is said here
that he was the one official directly respon-
sible for that war.
Ascendnncy of LII Hung Chang.
The Chinese minister at London, Lo-
Fung-Lo, is understood to be one of the
most intimate of Ii Hung Chang's peculiar
Chinese circle. He was personally at
tached to the great viceroys household,
also Mr. WI, the present minister
to Washington, and 1t Is assumed that the
a-scendancy of Ii Hung Chang in the Chi
nese councils at this time will mean the
free employment of these two agents in
the effort to re-establish amicable relations
between the Chinese government and the
powers
Col. Robe Ordered to China.
Colonel Chas. F. Robe, formerly heuten-
ant colonel of the 17th Infantry, who sue
ceeded to the command of the 9th Infantry
on the death of Colonel E. H. Lscum while
gallantly leading his forces at Tien Tsin,
has been ordered to proceed at once to
China for the purpose of assuming COM
mand of his regiment. Colonel Robe has
been on active field duty with his regiment
in the Philippines for several months past,
and is now at Manila awaiting transporta-
ton to Taku. On his arrival there he will
report to Major General Chaffee for in
structions.
OBTAINING VESSELS WITH ARMS