Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-17
WANTSTONEGOATITE
China Desires to Consider Terms of
Peace.
REQUEST FROM CHING PRESENTED
Renewed Talk of an American
Commission.
MIR. ROCKHILL AT TAKU

| The desire of China to actually begin the
| negotiations for peace was evidenced today
| in dispatch from Prince Ching, delivered
| by Minister Wu to the State Department.
The dispatch was dated at Pekin September
| 8 and had been forwarded by courier to
Tsfnan Flu and thence by wire and cable.
| 1t was interesting as the first communica-
| ton from any Chinese authority other than
| Ii Hung Chang, and as coming from an Of
| fetal very closely identified with the i'm
| perial household. Prince Ching states in
the dispatch that he has been clothed with
| full authority, along with Ii Hung Chang,
| TO negotiate for peace. He expresses a de-
| sire to proceed in the matter and asks
| Minister WI to submit a request to the
Secretary of State to send instructions to
| Minister Conger to begin the negotiations
at once.
| Mr.. WI took the dispatch to the State
Department and laid it before Acting Sec
| retary Adee, who is still in charge pending
the continued indisposition of DR.. HILL
| No Immediate Response Probable.
| 1t is probable that immediate response
| to the request for instructions to Minister
Conger can be given, as Prince Ching's re-
| quest will have to be laid before the Pres
| ident and ample time given to consider the
| question of the sufiiciency of his creden-
| tials as we'll as the desirability of proceed
| ing at once. Moreover, it is likely that
| Minister Conger's judgment as to when the
actual negotiations should open would gov
ern to q considerable extent.
Mr.. Adee had call during the morning
from NJ Thiebaut, the French charge daft
fares, and the status Of Chinese affairs
was gone over. 1t appears that Prince
Chings request that Minister Conger be in
structed to proceed with the negotiations
has been communicated also to The other
powers each being requested to authorize
| their several ministers to go on with the
ne gotiationS, at least in the preliminary
stages. This may make necessary some dis
Cussion between the powers as to the de-
| STABILITY of acceding to the request, al
| though there appears to be rather gen.
| eral idea that there will be no immediate
! instructions to go
In this latter connection, the names of
| several persons being mentioned as
available in case a commission Is deter
mined upon to carry forward the negotia-
tions, including President Schurman OF
Cornell University; John Barrett, late min
| lister to Siam, and DR.. Hill, the present first
assistant secretary of state. The mention
of these names is quite informal and un-
official, however, and is due wholly to the
contingency that a commission may be
called into service in view of the Chinese
| desire to actually set in motion the ma
| chinery of negotiation.
Minister WI pays high tribute to Prince
| Ching as a man of learning, force OF char
| acter, progressive spirit and OF marked in
| fluence with the ruling authorities of the
empire.
Dispatches From Gen. ChaRee.
Two dispatches were received at the War
Department this morning from General
Chaffee, commanding the American forces
in China. They were both filed at Taku.
but the date is omitted in each case. One
is follows:
"Adjutant General, Washington:
"Pekin, September IA, No. Al Expedi-
ton Tien Ts.n to Tuliu, thirty miles south
ward, two companies 14th Infantry particl-
pating; returned Tien Tsin, slight opposi-
ton. Town destroyed by British troops;
no casualties. Filed cable office go pm,
18th. CHAFFEE.
The following is the text of the other dis
patch:
.Adjutant General, Washington:
September 13, No. 46. Russian COM
mander assures me he has ordered repair
material from Port Arthur. Vladivostock
and United States, and that he feels sure
railways will be repaired in two months.
Need fifty storm flags and 5000 more small
flags; latter required for Chinese houses to
show our protection. Goodnow telegraphs
7th, at request Ii Hung Chang, that the
"CHAFFEE'
Commanders of Brigndes.
1t is expected at the War Department that
in case the United States forces remain in
China, and, in fact, if they should stay
lneTe Il month longer, tne Drlsdue DIT chill
will be under the immediate command of
Brig. Gen. James H. Wilson, while the
brigade at Tien Tsin and Taku will be COM
manded by Col Samuel S. Summer Of the
9th Cavalry, who is the senior colonel in
China. Col. Sumner had the rank of major
general of volunteers during the Spanish
war.
Gen. Chaffee will, however, still retain
supreme command of the American forces
in China, regardless of his movements in
that country.
Russian Railway Construction.
Gen. Chaffee's telegram, speaking Of the
Russian railroad construction. is regarded
highly important, in view of the disclos-
ure of the purpose of the Russian govern
ment to reconstruct the railroad from Taku
to Tien Tsin and thence to Pekin. Reports
have reached here to the effect that this re-
construction work had ceased, and the fact
that it is to continue may be significant OF
the expectation on the part of the Russian
government that at least some Russian
force will be maintained at Pekin through
the winter.
Gen. Chaffee's later statement to the ef-
feet that the British had destroyed the Chi
nese town at Tuliu goes to confirm the re-
ports that the American troops alone of the
international force are refraining from wan
ton destruction.
COmmfssioner RockhiIl at Taku.
Through Admiral Remey the State De-
partment has been advised of the arrival
of Special Commissioner Rockhll at Tahu
today from Shanghai He is proceeding
with dispatch to Pekin. and is only one day
behind Ii Hung Chang.
Whether in his new office as viceroy and
with the additional powers Ii Hung Chang
may have a peace plenipotentiary he win
be able to meet the demands of the foreign
governments for the complete restoration of
Order the preservation of peace and the
protection of foreigners are questions which
must answer themselves as time progresses
immigration Agent Levy Victim.
Assistant Secretary Taylor of the treas
ury has received a telegram from Galveston
announcing that Maj w. T. Levy. the i'm
migration agent there. had lost his life in
last weeks disaster. Mrs. Levy and their
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