New-York tribune., 1900-07-19
Inv TELEGRAru TO THE ra1Rrsr.J

START FOR CANTON TONIGHT
tRY TELEGRAPH THE TRIRrNEI
Washington. July 1S-The President and the
Cabinet have looked for direct news by wav
OF Taku to-day from Minister Conger OF. other
surviving Americans. if there are any. az
Peking. II is known that Colonel Liscun. under
spec1hc instructions, set in motion a plan 70 oh
tain direct news by courier from Peking. in
Volvtng message taken by a Chinauan from,
Tien-Tsin to Peking and reply from Minister
Conger or any member Of the Legation This
reply according to agreement. was expected
yesterday. The test has not, however been
confined to the employment OF A single runner.
Several natives have undertaken. under the in
ducNment Of rewards, to get word from the be-
sieged foreigners. and they have inspired the
commanders Of the allies with firm confidence
in their ability In turn. the authorities here
have strong hopes that they Will have absolute
knowledge Of the condition OF the legations bv
tomorrow.
The State Department to-day received a dis
pstch from Consul Fowler at Che-Foo saving
that the Governor OF Shan-Tung teIegraphs thar
his courier left Peking on July o. when the
legations were still holding out
The hopeful feeling Of yesterday was strength
ered by this dispatch. Mr.. FowIer's information
came from the same source as did Minister Wu's
Of yesterday. namely. Yuan Shlh-Kai the milf
tary governor Of Shan-Tung province Because
Of the intimate relations that have existed up
to a recent date between this official and the
imperial court at PelHing, he having been com
mander of the imperial bodyguard. there Is a
disposition here to attach more credence to his
dispatches than would be given to those OF
other Chinese officials. This IS based on the
presumption that he has no inducements TO
falsify the facts.
The Japanese Legation to-day received the
following dispatch from the Minister OF Foreign
Affairs at Toxic
Baron Nissi's Japanese Minister at Peking)
letter OF June % was received at Tien-Tsn
July u. The letter was brought bv a n1eSsen-
ger. 1t says that the legations are daily bonn
barded. Ammunition is running short Danger
Of massacre is imminent. Prompt relief is ear
nestly desired. The messenger says foreign
Ministers considered il impossible TO procure
provisions after July l.
CABINET MEETING TO-DAY.
A special meeting Of the Cabinet will probably
be held tomorrow before the Presidents de-
parture for Canton 1t is said that this meeting
has no special significance as the Chinese sItua-
ton is regarded more hopeful and the onIv
purpose of the meeting tomorrow is to allow
the President to have final conference with his
advisers The President intends TO start for
Canton tomorrow night. He VIII be in con
slant communication with the members OF the
Cabinet there by telephone and telegraph and
consider 1t necessary TO return 10 Washington
Having decided that the situation does not
warrant the calling OF an extra session OF Con-
gTess at this time and having agreed on the
number OF troops and marines which viii be
sent to China. the position Of the Administration
is described by a prominent official as one Of
waiting. Until authentic news from Peking
arrives nothing remains TO be done but to mo-
bilize and push forward the troops and marines
States.
There will be no further Withdrawals Of
troops from the Philippines for service in China.
That is the policy determined upon, and that
will be adhered to- A Cabinet officer to-day
made this statement. and then added:
General MacArthur's dispatches on the
necessity Of retaining there all the troops save
those already under orders are clear. 1t would
be unsafe 10 take any more away
Then under no circumstances will the forces
in the Philippines be drawn On?" he was asked
NO CHANGE OF POLICY EXPECTED
"I an, not going TO say that any conclusion
reached is an absolute inaIity. but this much Is
positive: No development in the situation is
apprehended such as will call for a change in
this policy as to our troops in the Philippines
in the present light of events. We do not an
ticipate an extra session Of Congress-" he said
What If Minister Conger and the other Amer
leans are found uurdered?'' he was asked
We are proceeding at this present moment
on the assumption that our people are rnur-
dered. I do not see why that should cause an
extra session. An extra session is hardly neces-
sary."
What if the murder was by or with the con-
nivance of the Chinese Governments"
'.I do not believe an extra session Of Congress
would necessarily follow"
What about the decision Of the commanders
of the international forces that 10000 troops
are necessary for the campaign"
THAT is an old story was the reply. "Ad-
rniraI Kempn cabIed that a week ten days
ago-6O 900 men for the forward movement on
the capital and 10000 to protect Tien-Tsin and
with Peking.'
Asked as 10 the possible effect Of the Chinese
attack on the Russian transport and Russian
towns along the Manchurian border, the reply
was:
This may compHcate the situation I cannot
saw whether or not it means actual war between
the Chinese Government and Russia. The mat
ter Is between those two Governments. We have
nothing to do with it. We DO not know either.
what the actual facts are in the case
The Chinese Minister called on Secretary hay
this morning and had short conversation Win
him Mr. wa said ne had received no additional
information but thought the SITUATION looked
much brighter as a result Of dispatches received
The Secretary made known 20 MI
Vu the dispatch from Consul Fowler at Che
stating that the LEGATIONS at PekinE were safe
on July O. and this was accepted by him as con
1rming his dispatch Of Yesterday Minister Wu
said there was not the slightest doubt as 10 the
late being the 9th although London dispatches
suggested that the 9th referred 10 the Chinese
,aIendar and meant the 9th by the English cal
andar.
SLIGHT RAY OF HOPE.