New-York tribune., 1900-07-01
TIE MINISTER'S IN PEKING.

News of the foreign Ministers in China has
come at last-of them. though not from them.
They are reported TO be still in Peking, or to
have been there as late as Monday last. This
news comes through three channels Admiral
Kempff reports it directly to the Secretary Of
the Navy, Mr.. Choate reports it from London to
the State Department, and Mr.. WI Ting Fang,
the Chinese Minister at Washington, also i'm
parts il 10 the State Department. We are justi-
fed therefore In regarding it as probably true.
Yesterday we reviewed briefly the varying tales
concerning the Ministers that have come to
hand since communication with them was
broken off To-day's news completes the chap
ter. though what supplementary chapter may be
written TO tell of occurrences since June % is
ma jrer for speculation.
1t is to be observed that on more than one
occasion the Chinese reports concerning the Min
listers. which have been so generally regarded
with distrdst were true. The present announce
ment is that on June 10 the Ministers received
twenty-four hours notice 10 leave Picking; they
refused 10 go, and as late as June % were still
there. Now. on June "a the Chinese Minister at
Berlin reported that they were still in Peking
and safe. His statement was disbelieved, and
there were many reIAarks about the duplcity
of Orientals, but he now appears to have spoken
the truth. Again. June % Mr.. Sheng Ia Jen
repeated that story. AZ we said at the time, his
reputation for truthfulness is not the best in
the world. and little credence was placed in his
report, but he also appears TO have told the
truth. And at still later date the Viceroy Of
Nanking declared that the Ministers were still
in Peking, receiving full protection. What A
grim joke upon the Christian world for the
truthfulness Of the Heather Chinee" thus to
be vindicated.
But there is something more than that. The
date mentioned is significant. 1t was on June
10 that twenty-four hours were given to the
Ministers for their departure from Peking That
was the day after the bombardment Of the
Taku forts by the allied fleets Now. in con-
noctiOn with that suggestive conjunction of
dates let us recall the dispatch which the Chi
nesc Foreign Office sent TO the Chinese Minister
in Washington June 10. 1t said
The Boxers are giving trouble in Peking The
foreign legations, with consent obtained
marines 10 protect them Subsequently they de-
sired 10 increase the force. but we tried TO dis
suade them from doing so, but were unsuccess-
frll. Suddenly the commandant-general in
Tien-Tsin sent dispatch TO the Vceroy Of
Chill stating that the admirals Of all the for
eign nations had demanded that the Taku forts
be turned over 70 them Immediately This looked
like invasion, and communicated the fact
20 the Foreign Ministers In Peking They are
leave IN a short time with their guards for
Tien-Tsin.
In that is food for thought It gives further
color 20 the suspicion that the fleets may have
acted too hastily in attacking the forts At any
rate, here we have it categorically set down
that the Ministers were undisturbed until the
attack made upon the forts, that then the
Chinese Government, deeming that the Powers