, 1900-07-30

that might encourage China to wage
war against Christiandom in the hope
that America would blunderingly de-
stroy the harmony Of the powers.
1t Is becoming more evident every
day how difficult, If not impossible. will
be the task Of conducting the joint mill
tary campaign while the present OBJ
stacles continue. The question OF a
commander-in-chief must be settled in
a few days. and it remains to be seen
whether the diplomatic authorities will
be more successful than the military
representatives on the spot in breaking
the deadlock. Pour-parleurs on this
point are now being exchanged and the
appalling suggestion is made that a
conference at Paris will be necessary to
settle it. 1t is discouraging, indeed, if
a formal conference shall be necessary
to settle the command of a punitive ex-
pedition, which should be already strik-
ing the first blow.
CountSan Martino, Italian minister of
war, who was formerly the Italian min
lister to China, takes a gloomy view Of
the Chinese situation in general and of
affairs in Picking in particular. He has
not the slightest doubt that the advance
Of the allied forces on the capital will
be the signal for a general insurrec-
tion In which the Yang Use viceroys
will have to Join. Count Mar
tino says he has received from
China the fullest proof Of a
plot, organized by the mild young
emperor, who is tired of his condition
of tutelage. 1t was arranged that he
should leave the place at night, take
refuge in the British legation and there
hoist the imperial flag and proclaim the
deposal Of the empress on the ground
Of senile decay. This whole business
was to have been managed by the mill
tary governor of Tien Tsin, who was
to march on the capital.
But at the last moment the governor
turned traitor and the empress, believ-
ing that all the legations were concern
ed in the scheme, commenced retalia-
ton by patronizing the Boxers, with
the disastrous results now known.
Count MARITIME is confident hat this
will be found to be the true explanation
of the whole business.
The British foreign office has pub
lished a blue book containing the diplo-
matte correspondence relating to China
! n the six months which ended about
the time Of the opening of the siege Of
the legations, on June 20. The rise and
progress Of the Boxer movement were
described in detail by the British min
lister at Picking and the dangerous ten
denotes Of the anti-foreign agitation
were clearly perceived and the imperial
government was warned of the conse
quences Of s%upineness and lack of en-
ergy in dealing with it.
A veteran o%ficial, who has given to
me many explanations respecting at
fairs in China, stated yesterday that he
suspected that the messages from Mr..
Conger and Sir Claude. NJ. Macdonald
of July 4 and 6 had been intercepted and
held back and finally allowed to go
through to the consulates at Tien Tsin.
He could not understand how seventeen
days could have been required for the
carriage Of these messages from Pek-
ing to Tie Tsin. He had made the jour-
ney himself in a single day with relays
of horses and he was unable to explain
why couriers should have required more
than three or four days at the outside
for the journey.
He considered 1t probable that the
messages had been held back by the
Boxer generals and then allowed to go
through when they had convinced
themselves that they had something to
gain by their delivery. He added that
there was nothing impracticable in the
rapid transmission of Secretary Hays
message and MI. Conger's reply IL the
delivery Of these dispatches had been
undertaken by the Chinese omcials.
Couriers were frequently enabled ia
travel 200 miles q day between Picking
and the southern capitals. This ser
Vice had been maintained for decades,
and, possibly, for generations, and was
managed by relays Of fresh horses and
riders Of the imperial government. and
the viceroys could easily continue &c
send messages At the rate Of 800 miller
in twsnty-four hours II they Mt ben'
on dhpatching them In hot haste.
The sensational announcement b,
news agencies that the state depart
nsnt has bssn convibcsd that the Chi