The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-16
WI HAS AN ANSWER.
1T is FAR FROM CHEERING IN
ITS LANGUAGE.
TUAN WAS ABOUT TO USE GUNS
MESSAGE WAS FROM A CHINESE
OFFICIAL At SHANGHAI.


Was of July 7-suspicion That
Shens Knew That All Foreigners
Had Been Killed but Desired to
Break 1t GentIy-Protection Guar
anteed Cinnamon in America.
Washington. July 15.-Such news as
came to Washington to-day from China
was distinctly bad. II consisted of a
cablegram to Minister WI from Sheng,
the imperial director of posts and tee-
graphs at Shanghai, and, according to the
minister. was in reply to the urgent mes
sage he himself had sent yesterday to
that official asking him to try to secure
some news from the Chinese capital. This
cablegram Mr.. WI regarded as of sufi-
cient Importance to carry in person to
Secretary Hay. who was waiting at his
home for news.
The message, as resolved from the ci-
pher, was as follows:
"Pekn news of July Z says that Gen.
Tuan Fuh Slang, in disobedience of mpe-
rial orders. was about to use guns Le-
cations and the government will be in
peril"
This news is corroborative Of that con-
tanned in a recent cablegram from Consul
General Goodnow at Shanghai, although
the consul generals dispatch gave his Pc
kin news the date of the 9Th. saying that
the final attack upon the legations with
suns was about to begin on July T. 1t is
surmised here that Mr. Goodnow got his
news from Sheng, who is certainly in po-
sition to secure the first news from Pekin
Aside from the gloomy forecast given of
the end of the terrible struggle of the
legations against the inevitable, the sig
nifcant feature of the message is the
coupling of the fate of the imperial gov
ernment with that of the foreign minis
ters. Officials here derive some satisfac-
ton from this position of the dispatch, as
it sustains them in the position they held
from the first that the Chinese govern
ment is not at war with Christendom, hut
confronting formidable insurrectiOn.
There still remains a suspicion that
while MI WI is undoubtedly acting with
sincerity. that Sheng, who is represented
10 be a clever and adroit man, may know
more of tho actual happenings at Fekin
than he is willing to reveal at once. 1t is
feared that he is trying TO prepare the
way for the disclosure Of terrible news,
hoping that by letting it come out gradual
~ the blow will not fall with such sever
ity and, perhaps with such disastrous re-
suits 10 his own people as might De the
case if the whole, sad story were impaired
TO the world at once. This news ii may be
noted comes entirely from Chinese
sources.
Has Been Tyventy-One Days.
1t is now twenty-one days since a word
has come directly from any of the un-
fotunates besieged in the legations at Pc
kin. The last message from there was from
Sir Robert Hart, the Englishman in charge
of the Chinese customs service, and was
Of undcubted authenticity. II represent
ed the situation Cf the legations as des-
perate and impiored help.
The last word from Minister Conger
came to the state department from Pekin
under date of June II. At that time he
asked that Seymour's International relief
column which was even then doomed to
fail, should signal its approach when near
Pekin. That was just one month and
three days ago, and it would be an ur-
precedented defense for such an made
quate and ll-fitted and provisioned force
as was at the command of the foreign
ministers TO hold out for that length of
time.
Minister Wus cablegram from Sheng,
above given, should not De taken as an
answer to the cipher message he forward
ed al Secretary Hayls request to China in
the effort to get it through to Minister
Conger. That message went to Yonan
Shih Kai, the governor of the province of
Shan Tung. That official has replied in
formally that he has no news himself
but il is assumed that he will take prompt
steps to forward the cipher message. His
status at this critical juncture is unfor-
tunatey not beyond suspicion, though Mr..
WI retains full confidence in him.
Long Had CabIegrams.
Secretary Long had two cablegrams to-
day from China, but he was inclined to
set a negative value upon them because
they made no mention of a massacre of
the legations in Pekin. He reasoned that
Admiral Remey was in a good position
to get as early news as any one of such an
event The Admral's message was from
Che Foo of to-day's date, though as he
is supposed 10 be himself at Taku it is
assumed that it was sent from that place
Yesterday The Admiral stated that he
had ordered the Buffalo to Taku. She was
coming out to the Orient by way OF Suez,
and was to report for orders at Singa-
pore where she was to be directed to pro-
ceed TO Manila Orf.be detected 10 Ncftn
China She is carrying out cargo of
coal and a number of sailors to recruit
the American fleet
The second was from Capt Bowman of
the gunboat Castine. which is stationed
at Shanghai and also was dated to-day.
1t was as follows
Shanghai July 15-Secretary Navy,
Washington: Rodgers sends word Ore
gon passed Che Foo 18th, Nashville con-
voyng.
Ii rs supposed at the navy department
that capt. Rodgers of the Nashville sig
nailed this information from his ship AS
he pessed Che Foo. The distance from
che Foo to the Kure docks where the
oregon is bound, is about 100 miles and
as Che Foo was passed last Thursday. It
is estimated here chat the crippled pattle-
ship is now nearing the straits of Shi-
rnoniseki, through which she must pass to
get up TO the docks.
Chinese Not Returning Home.
Minister WI feels a natural irritation
at the statements printed in some quar-
ters that the Chinese in the United
States are making ready to return to
| China and that they sympathize with
| the Boxers and are lending them financial
ala. He declares in the most earnest
manner that there is not word or truth
in these statements. He says that ali
| of the Chinese In the United States come
| from Southern China, and are altogether
out of sympathy with the Northern Chi
nese. In fact. they do not even speak the
1 l..