Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-07-05

lieving that he may not be in Tien
Tsin, although yesterdays dispatches
report the relief column there. This
fact is considered conirmatory of the
latest intimations that the legation
representatives are still in Pekin and
some fears are entertained for them
If still in the Chinese capital. Yester-
days developments in Chinese affairs
were meager and general opinion here
Is that the two messages received
one from Kempff and the other from
Ii Hung Chang-could not be settling
the important question as to the
fate Of the foreign ministers at Pc
kin and their families and attaches.
The secretary of the navy, by special
instruction of the president, had been
particular to cable Admiral Kempff
several days ago to keep the navy
department informed of everything
that happened within the zone of dis
turbance in China, and it is believed
that his omission to make any refer
ence in his cablegram of yesterday
morning TO the whereabouts of the
ministers was based on the absence
of any information at Taku, where
the admiral is with his flagship,
Newark. If any information could be
had at Taku, only 80 miles down the
river from Tien Tsin, of the pres
ence of the ministers in Admiral Sey-
mours column, but eight miles dis
tant, then officials here cannot un-
deratand how any other government
could have superior facilities and
they feel justified in waiting for fur;
ther advices before accepting the
Chinese statements on that point as
accurate. Minister WI, who brought
Lis message to the state department,
could not explain away the points of
variance between the yiceroy's state
ments and the cable message received
from other sources. However, he
pinned his faith to the accuracy of
the message, and pointed out that it
agreed closely with Admiral Kempff's
message of Wednesday, stating that
the ministers were reported to be
with Seymour.
The navy department has had fur
ther communication with Admiral
Kempff, in the shape of two messages,
one touching the strength Of the for
eign forces ashore in China, and an
other, which the officials stated had
no bearing upon the military situa-
ton, but in neither was there any
mention of the ministers. One con-
sideration which makes against the
unreserved acceptance by the officials
of the assurance of minor Chinese Of
ficials, including Ii Hung Chang and
Minister WI, that state of war does
not exist, is the fact that Mr., Conger
is not permitted to communicate with
his own government by the same
means employed by the Tsung Ii Va
men in getting news to the outside
world, leading to suspicion that he
is not at that perfect liberty which
marks the existence of a state of
peace. 1t is possible that the Chinese
government may he able to offer a
satisfactory explanation on this
point, but at the present the officials
say that our future relations with
China depend altogether upon what
Minister Conger has to say when he
is finally brought again in touch with
the state department.
A significant piece of INFORMATION
furnished by the navy department is
the report of the sailing of the Cindia
yesterday from Gibraltar for Cardiff |
for a cargo of Welsh coal, which she
is to carry back to Manila or China.
The ship was on her way home from
Manila via the Mediterranean route.
Al American Mission Destroyed
Che Foo, June 29.-The American
mission at Wuh 81 En-, Shan Tung
province, has been destroyed. The
missionaries escaped. The governor
hRs notified foreigners inland that
he is unable to protect them.
Arranging Terms of Peace.
Shanghai, June 29.-lt Is asserted |
here that Liu, the viceroy of Nankin,
has received instructions from Pekin |
to inform the foreign consuls here
Immediately that the legations at |
Pekin "have been arranging peace
terms"
washington, June 30.-The presi,
dent was full of confidence last night
that the situation in China has i'm
proved, though 1t is fair to say that
all the members OF his official family |
10 not agree with him in that conclu-
sion. Indeed, yesterdays news, lin
tied though it was to a single cable
gram from Admiral Kempff and the
preparation Of instructions to Gen.
Chaffee, set out nothing calculated to
strengthen the hopes Of the friends
Of the foreign ministers and the mis-
sionaries who have now been silent