The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-29
FATE OF MINISTER'S
STILL UNKNOWN
CHINESE SITUATION ENVELOPED
IN UNCERTAINTY AND
DOUBT
HU TING FANG CONFIDENT
Explains LACK OF INFORMATION
As DUE TO CHINESE
METHODS
II HUNG CHANG IS INDIGNANT
Protests Against the Doubts Express
scd by Various POwerS-WashImg-
ton Authorities Disposed TO
Take Hopeful View.

ton Authorities Disposed TO
Take Hopeful View.
WASHINGTON, July 2S.-The day
brought forth the usual crop Of edicts
and reports from various quarters, and
.ht usual visit from Minister WI TO the
state department, all bearing directly
anon the welfare Of the foreign ministers
FelSin. This constantly growing mass
1l assertion is beginning to have Il cumu-
aIiy, effect upon the sIleptics and there
a.s notccably more hopeful view taken
.r the state of affairs today. Beyond the
Fact that it is scarcely conceivable that
'hiucse authorities should persist in re
porting and strengthening these stories
lp 90 The rapidly approaching moment
Nheu the whole truth must be disclosed
3y other agencies it appeared upon care.
nl consideration Of the reports that
here really was little ground for hope
s- TO the safety of Mr.. Ccnger ard his
.oIlcagues at Pekm today than there
was yesterday. The depressing fact Is
always i'm mind that the Chinese aUthori-
i,s.~by their own statements are able to
Communicate with the legatoners, for
some mystery.
FLIMSY EXPLANATION
Reason does not permit these unfortu-
Mates to communicate with their own
government. Minister Wu's explanation
ul this is that the Chinese methods arc
different from our own, is scarcely suf-
neieut for the officials here. The min
lister. however, is honestly trying 10 get
81 further communication through from
Mr. Conger, and It may be that success
in ihis undertaking will afford him a
brilliant Vindieation.s At least he main
tains a wonderful show of confidence in
the safety Of the legations, and. manages
to impress this in some degree upon the
officials and others with whom he comes
In contact.
CHAFFEE- AT TAIIJI.
There was nothing of interest from
China respecting the military OF naval
forces there. The war department or,
n.iaIs now calculate that Gen. ChaffeN
with his troops Oh the Grant Will arrive
sat TaHu this evening, though It may be
several days before his report of the
TACT can reach the department The IL
regular and unsatisfactory character of
The present system of communication be-
tween Tal1u and the cable and at Shang-
hal has been taken into account by the
war department .and it is said that one
of Chaffee's first acts upon taking com
mand of tbs United States forces ashore
at Taku and Tien Tsin will be to estab-
i'h, perhaps in cooperation with the
other military commanders, d line of
rapid despatch boats running from Ten
Isin to Shanghai or Nagasaki.
MORE TROOPS MAY GO.
While the positive statement is made
that it is not the present intention to
send any more troops from Manila to
China at the same time it is known that
all contingencies have been canvassed
and that if an emergency should arise in
China which made it imperative to have
additional troops they would be Drawn
- from the Philippines for temporary duty
at least Some time ago, Gen. Macarthur
was advised by Secretary Root to main
tain sufficient transports to carry sup
plies between Manila and Taku. and
these transports would be available for
emergency troops. The Pennsylvania
Indiana and Sumner. when the latter ar
IlVes at Manila, probably will be held
fer service between Manila and Taku and
VIII be available for the contingency
which may occur, but which the depart
mcnt does not expect to arise A stub,
born resistance TO the advance of the in
tenational armies might make addi-
tional troops necessary. In that event a
speedy relief column no doubt would be
sent from Manila.
CAUSES SPECULATION.
The dispatches from Consul Fowler,
conveying assurances from Yuan Shih
kai, the governor at Shan Tung, that the
foreign ministers were well on July "a
and had been proVisioned in connection
with constantly reiterated assurances
from other Chinese sources of the safe
Jy Of the minister's have raised anew
}he theory at the state department. which
is being speculated upon. These assur-
ances have been given in answer to the
repeated and urgent demand of the Va
Ilous European governments that they
be- placed in communication with their
ministers. the last assurances of Yuan
WAS in answer to the specific demand
of the foreign admirals for direct com
munication. - Yuan's announcement that
The imperial government at Pelin not
only asserts the safety of the ministers
but declares that they have been provi-
stoned, if accepted as true, indicates.
thar the ministers have been communf-
Gated with. The inquiry then naturally
arises: IF the ministers have been
proyisioned. why does not the Chinese
government. knowing as it does that the
whole world is demanding a direct mes
sage from the besieged legationers, allow
.hcm to communicate with their govern
ment? Why not furnish direct and I'M
rquivocaI evidence of the safety of the
ministers, instead OF this repetition of
assurance, which The world hesitates TO
accept?"
DOUBT IN LONDON
LONDON, July 2S-The hopes of Eu-
rope for the safety of at least some OF
the members Of the legations at Pekin.
which, earlier in the week had COM
menced TO revive, are now Pickering and
at the point of eXtinguishment. II has
been pointed ont here that there has
been ample time TO get authentic mes
sages signed and dated by the ministers
This is the only continuation OF Chinese
assurances that will be acceptable UntiI
''ch adVices have been received or until