Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1900-09-27
REDEEMING OUR PLEDGE
In China Am Accordance with the
Promise Made to the Russian Gov
ernment General ChaTce TO Hold
Only 400 Men rs 81 Legation Guard
-Thirty.Fivc Hundred Soldiers 10
Possible.

the first step towards the redemption Of
its pledge made TO the Russian Gov /
ernment August 2Sth last by cabling an
instruction 10 General Chafree 10 re-
duce the American forces in China to
the proportions OF legation guard .
Nearly a month ago the Russian Gov
ernment was told through NJ. De VOL
liant, its charge here. that II the Rus
sian forces and Ministry were with
drawn from Pekin. We shall give in
struCtions 10 the commander OF the
American forces In CHINA TO withdraw
our forces from Pekin, after due confer
ence with the other commanders as 10
the time and manner Of withdrawal"
That time has now come and to-day's
action marks the beginning OF the dis
appearance OF the American army from
China. for although some military force
Is to remain, IL will not be OF the char
acter OF an army but under the conii-t
tions laid down in the order OF General
Chaffee. and especially under It's ON
cial designation as a legation guard.
VIII be rather OF the nature or civil
guard. This small force Will not be in
cluded in any military operations which
may be conducted by the allied armies
tion of Field Marshal Count Won Wal
derSee, the COmmander-in- chief Tn"
text of the order to General ChafTce Is
as follows:
Adjutant-Gencrars Department.
Washington. ID. c., September rs.
ITO General Chaffee. Pekin:
September 25th No 4l.-Pending ne
gOtiatOns for ii settlement the SeCTe-
tary OF War directs that legation guard
M OF pf N fa al
cavalry, with rapid fire guns and light
battery, with complete equipment and
reserve supply of ammunition adequate
for any emergency, be retained In Pc
kin under your command, and that you
send the remainder of your force in
China to Manila to report to MacAr-
thur The guard should be amply pro-
visioned, etc. until navigation opens
next Spring Retain such officers for
staff duties as you deem necessary; all
others of whatever corps or department, /,
will be sent to Macarthur for duty as
soon as possible. All stores. trans .
portation and materials not required
for the legation guard sent to Manila.
Place yourself in close relations with
our Minister, acting with him on the
lines that will best subserve our inter .
ests, keeping this department fully ad-
vised. 1t Is important that you have
the confidence of the Generals Of the
other powers General Wilson, with his
aides. Will remain in Pekin for the
present. Special instructions may be
sent to him Gable to Macarthur con-
cerning requirements to carry these in :
structiOns into effect. Inform Generals
commanding forces of other powers Of
our intention to withdraw part OF our
forces. Show this to COnger.
BY order OF Lieutenant-General
Miles CORBIN."
pi Ia n
proper number of troops to be allotted
for this purpose, and it Is believed that
the fourteen hundred men selected wlII
be quite sufficient to protect tho Amcri-
can legation against any force that
could be brought against 1t. 1t IL
noteworthy, too, that the most com
pIete arrangements have been ordered
| for the maintenance Of the men " tile
care has been taken that there shall
not be q shortage Of ammunition, as
there was in the British legation during
| the siege. 1t Is estimated that about a
week will be required to bring the $500
| soldiers away from Pckin, but as the
start cannot be made Immediately Il
will be at least about the end Of the
| first week Of October before the move
| ment can be completed
| 1t is stated at the quartermaster'
! department that there are enough
| transports available to bring off the
| force which will come out OF China.
| Three or four vessels Will be at Taku
| by the time the troops are ready TO
move. Besides the transports for the
| men, a number Of animal ships will
! take away the horses and mules which
| will not be needed in China. General
| Chaffee is authorized to take from theI
| ships now at Taku such stores az Will
| be necessary 70 last him through thel
Winter.
There were no developments IN thel
| diplomatic side of the Chinese question:
| to-day, and although Baron Stcrnbcrg |
| the German charge. and Minister Wul
| called separately at the State Depart
! ment they brought no communicatlonsl
| which were made public. The instruc-l
| ton to Minister COnger relative 10 es
| tablishing relations with the Chinese
| ENJOYS Is withheld, presumably to al
| low the President to administer gOmel
| finishing touches. This instruction Isl
| regarded as Of much Importance and
| will make a part OF the case of theI
| Government TO be laid before Congress
| at the next session. II is settled that
| Minister Conger is to be a member of
| the commission to settle the various
| questions remaining TO be adjusted.
| The reported adhesion Of the British
| Government to the position assumed
| by the United States Government re
| specting the proposition TO make the
| surrender Of the Chinese ringlcaders al
condition Of precedent to negotiations|
| has given the greatest satisfaction inl
! official circles here.
The reports that Prince Tuan has
| been signally honored by the Chinese
| Government have not yet been officially
confirmed. although the authorities have
received word Of Chinese runors that
| some action has been taken. The mat
| ter was referred to to-day in the talk
before Acting Secretary Hill and Min
! lister WI, and the latter stated that ne
| did not credit the report, for the reason
| that the place Of grand secretary, said
| to have been conferred on Tuan, IS one
| Of comparative untInportance. mainly a
| sinecure. and not Aeld by a Prince OF
the blood. as Prin& Tuan is. In view
Of this information the State Depart.
Importance to reports. but IL IL
should prove trrF that Prince Tuan has
been advanced tB high station IL doubt
less will be <hken cognizance Of by
the State Department and may lead
70 serious consequences. The Govern
nent has laid down the principle that
no one in any way connected with the
sutrages shall have anything to do with