Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-21
THE WHOLE woRLo RELIEVED.


operation for the immediate relief OF
the foreigners at Pekin.
A message also was sent by Secre-
tary Long to Admiral Remey convey
| ing the intelligence of the desperate
situation in Pekin and instructing him
to use and urge every possible endeav-
or for relief" This message Secretary
Long explained meant for Admiral
Remey to himself "use' and to urge
upon the commanding officers of the
other powers the use Of every endeavor
| for the relief OF Pekin.
| Secretary Root sent similar notlnca-
ton to Col. Coolidge, the senior Amer
lican officer ashore at Tien Tsin.
| This action was the result of the con-
ference of Secretaries Hay, Long and
Root. 1t was realized that the land
and naval forces of the United States
now in China could not, single handed,
| push on to Pekin and the other powers
accordingly were appealed to, on the
basis of Minister Conger's message to
co-operate for instant relief.
Secretary Hay explained his reasons
for placing reliance in the authenticity
of Minister Conger's dispatch, saying
that it was a complete reply in code
to the code message sent to him and
that its authenticity was vouched for
by the Tsung Ii Yamen.
"Of course" said Secretary Hay
smiling, Il am not omniscient and may
be fooled, but I cannot see how the
authenticity of Minister Conger's cable
can be questioned.
Secretary Hay said he attached no sig
nificance. to the use of the words Chi
nese troops in the message They did
not in his opinion, mean that the Chinese
government troops were besieging the
foreigners. He seemed to entertain little
was doing all in its power to suppress the
Boxers Instruction.
In this connection the message from
Consul Fowler that Gen. Yuan Shih Kai.
governor of Shan Tung province, report
ed that the Chinese authorities were do
ing all in their power to put down the in
surrecton is exceedingly welcome intclli-
gence. 1t not only confirms the theory
of the state department that the position
of the Chinese government is correct, bat
ii is assumed to indicate that Yuan Shih
kai has thrown the weight of his infiu
ence on the side of the government.
Yuan is considered one of the ablest II
not the ablest general in China. He has,
according to a statement made by Lord
Charles Beresford to a prominent state
department official when he was here last
fall, the best-drilled and equipped army
in China under his command. Some doubt
was entertained as to which side he would
ally himself with in the present insurrec-
ton. and the fact that he appears to have
come 10 the side of the government is ac-
cepted as evidence that his best iudg-
ment is that Prince Tuans rebellion is
destined to fail
Throughout the day the Conger mes
sage remained the absorbing topic OF dis
cussion. Secretary Hay was congratu-
lated on the success of the steps he had
adopted to open up communication be-
tween Pekin and Washington. for while
the chancellories of the whole world
stood hcsitating and inactive, he had
adopted a course which had brought a
message from our minister.
The Chinese minister, Mr.. WI. shared
also in the universal appreciation of what
had been done. He seconded Mr.. Hays
effort from the outset and it is due TO the
official machinery set in motion by him
that the communications were gotten
through.
1t is appreciated by the officials both
American ana Chinese, that there will be
suspicion in some quarters. Against this
it is declared that message authenti-
Gated by the American cipher code and
backed by the integrity Of the officials
tbrtilub ,,bn bas 10
cepted as authentic until something bet
ter than mere suspicion is brought forth
Later in the day. several messages were
received from United States Consul
Fowler at che Foo, all strongly confirm
atory Of the news that the foreigners
We're alive.
The fact that the cablegram from Mr..
Coneer was given SCant credence in Lon
don official circles. had no dampennS
effect on the optimism of the administra-
ton officials. 1t was pointed out by one
of the officials most interested that the
weight of international evidence in the
dispatch was in favor of its genuineness.
Besides there were the several strongly
corroborative dispatches from Consul
Goodnow and Consul Fowler. The fact
that Minister ConGer mentioned the bonn
bardment of the British legation was
considered good evidence that the dis
patch was written subsequently to July
6, as the best information here is that the
bombardment of the legations did not be
gin prior to that date.
1t was said at the state department
that it was not thought eXpedient to give
out either the text or u paraphrase of the
message sent by the state department,
July II, to Minister Conger.
Secretary Root, this evening, made the
positive statement that no more troops
had been ordered for Chimes service He
added: The chief effort of our govern
mcnt just now must be directed to aiding
the friendly Chinese officials. 1t is evil
dent from the dispatch that the imperial
government has been acting in good faith
and on the 18TH was still using its best
efforts to protect the legations. We must
do everything we can to second their eff
forts
Secretary Root said that the military
movement already outlined, that is to say
the dispatch of the cxpeditionary force
under Gen. Chaffec. was being pushed
with the utmost expedition.
LONDON SILL DEPRESSED.