The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-28
DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS
AS TO CHINESE MATTERS NOW OVER
SHADOW ALL OTHERS
RUSSIA'S ARBITRARY ACTION
She Forbids Communication of Any
Kind With the Chinese-Rumor of
Declaration of War Against China by
Russia, Germany and Japan-Secret
Instructions Sent Our Foreign Min
Listers - Germany Claims Her Attf-
tude to be Unchanged

Instructions Sent Our Foreign Min
Listers - Germany Claims Her Attf-
tude to be Unchanged
Washington, August 25.-The diplo-
matte feature of the Chinese situation
today took precedence over both the
naval and military features The Off
cials of this government were, if any
thing, more uncommunicative than
heretofore as to the relations between
the powers and China 1t was stated
authoriatively that no news of opera
tions had been received and that the
diplomatic negotiations could not be
| made public.
The most unsatisfactory development
| of the day, so far as the pacific pro-
| gramme of this government goes, was
| the receipt of a dispatch from Admiral
Remey conveying the reports which had
| reached him of a disagreement between
| the commander of the Russian forces
| in Pekin and the other internationalS.
| The text of this dispatch was not made
public, but it was said on good au-
| thOrlty to contain the statement that
| the Russian commander had forbidden
| communication with the Chinese on the
| ground that Russia was technically as
| well as practically ait war with China.
| 1t may be said that this information
| was not conveyed by Admiral Remey
| as official news, but merely as a re-
| port from reliable sources which he
| considered this government should
possess for it's own information. AS
| Stunning Admiral Remey's report to be
correct, this move on the part of Rus
| sia strikes the first note of diScord in
| the heretofore harmonious concert Of
| the powers. The possibilities of future
| complications that it opens up are al
| most infinite and would be serious to
| a degree. 1t may be said, however,
| that the news is not taken very serious
| ly by this government, and certainly
| will not affect our course in any way
| until it has been officially confirmed
| 1t was explained that the situation
| growing out of the joint occupation Of
| Pekin by the powers was delicate, al
| though not necessarily to be described
| as serious The interests of all the pow
| erS there represented were at least
| competitive if not antagonistic, and an
| i'll considered move on the part of any
| one government might easily entail
| diSa greeable consequences in which all
| would be more or less involved. At
| the same time it was explained that all
| OF the governments represented in
| China were anxious to avert any open
clash, if this could be done without
sacrificing what they considered their
| rights in the premises. In this situa-
| ton the United States occupied the
| position it had held all through the
| disturbance, namely of being the one
| power least under suspicion by the
others of selfish and Interior motives.
| This government is exceedingly
anxious to maintain the vantage
| ground and retain the confidence of the
| other powers so that it is now more
| than ever cautious as to the next step
| to be taken.
SECRET INTRUCTIONS TO OUR
| FOREIGN MINISTER'S.
The decision to address instructions
| to the United States representatives at
i the courts of the various powers was
| reached yesterday after the most ma
| tureG deliberation- 1t would have been
| a satisfaction to this government If
| the action could have been takeE with
| out exciting pup.ic comment of any
sort. Owing to the fact that this COM
| munication was not aGI"esS irect-
ly to the other governments AMI that
it contained merely instructions for
the guidance OF our dip .omatic repre-
sentatives abroad it was decided not to
make public either the text or the sub
stance of the instructions, lest their
premature publication should defeat
the very object for which they were
designed, namely, of ascertaining the
temper of the various governments in
tereSted, with view to determining
what form of procedure is most likely
to meet with general appreciation
among them and lead to a speedy So
luton of the problem.
THE IMPERIAL FAMILY CAPTUR-
london, August 25.-Street fighting
breaks out Internationally in Pekin,
according to dispatches from Shanghai
the allies not having sufficient forces
to police the vast city, AS small par
ties of the troops penetrate into new
districts they have to engage half
armed nobs.
A Shanghai dispatch of this date re-
peats the report that the Japanese
troops pursued the dowager empress
and the court and overlook them
eighty miles southwest of Pekin. The
emperor, it is added, threw himself on
the protection of his captors. The
prisoners have not yet reached Pekin
In the enga cement at Tien Tsin ,O0G
| American, British and japanese routed
5000 Chinese and killed 800 of them.
The foreign residents of Shanghai are
alarmed at the arrival Of the extraor-
| binary number of warSnipS and are
fearful of European complications, but
they have been assured by some Of the
naval commanders that the gathering
was accidental.
The viceroy of Sze-Chuen is reported
, at Shanghai to be sending troops te
the frontier and to be intend--
: ing to fight the French at Meng
Tsee. The bulk of the German flee
recently at Shanghai has gone to TAXI
as an escort to the new German min
ister DR.. Mumm Won Schwarzensteln
who Is bound for Pekin.
, FOREIGN TROOPS POURING INTO
CHINA.
Taku, Friday, August 24.-Trans
ports are pouring into Taku. Three
large German vessels have arrived ana
are unloading. One regiment that ha'
disembarked is on its way to Pekil
and another is bound for Tien Tsin
Three Russian vessels are also in th'
i ha r.hor The EHft.n-4l. r-n.-.-.- tl,.