New-York tribune., 1900-07-29
MORE REPORTS OF SAFETY.
THREE STATEMENTS FROM CHINESE
SOURCES THAT THE MINISTER'S
WERE ALIVE ON JULY "a.
CBy The Associated Press.)

(By The Associated PressD
Washington, July 2S.-The Secretary Of State
to-day received the following dispatch from Mr..
Fowler. the American Consul at Che-Foo. dated
at midnight on the Goth:
This morning by request Of the allied Admi-
rails, I wired the Governor supposed to be the
Governor OF Shan-Tung) their wish to get news
from Ministers themselves. The Governor now
replies
Have received to-day edict from Emperor
saying that the Ministers are we'll They are
dent Ministers out of distress and request you
Fowler) transmit this preliminary announce
ment to Admirals. YUAN. Governor"
dispatch from Mr. Fowler. dated a. m.
July 81. to the State Department is as follows:
Another telegram from Governor:
Have just received Imperial edict 24th say
Ing various Ministers. excepting German are
we'll, and some days ago had supplied provisions
to legations Am satisfied Ministers out of dis
tress. YUAN, Governor
Secretary Hay also received cable dispatch
from Consul Mcwade. at Canton, saying that
Viceroy TAX assures him that the Ministers
were all alive and well on July "a.
STATEMENTS INCREASE HOPE.
Coming from three separate sources, the as
surance that the foreign Ministers at Pekng
were alive and we'll on July "a had tendency
to dissipate the pessimistlc view which the
State Department has been taking for the last
few days as to the situation in Peking. 1t is
true that a comparison of the various edicts and
statements appears TO demonstrate the fact that
they all came from fountain head-either
Yuan Shih Kai Ii Hung Chang. But the
persistence with which these stories OF the
safety Of the Ministers is circulated undoubt-
edly is shaking the belief of those who hereto
fore have been satisfied that all of them
dead. To-day's assurances came from Mr.. Fow
ler. the American Consul at Che-Foo; from Mr..
JNod DO
from Mr.. WI. the Chinese Minister here. The
latter came to the State Department early ex-
pressly to deliver edict received by him to
Secretary Hay 1t is similar in form to the edict
published yesterday in London. The Minister
gays that the only differences are those involved
IN separate translatons. Mr.. Wu's translation
OF Sheng's dispatch is as follows
Edict of 2Sth Of the sixth moon Correspond
Ing to July 24 states that fortunately all
and unharmed They are now being supplied
with vegetables. fruit and provisions by the Gov
ernment to show its sympathy for them.
MR.. WU's FAITH UNsHAKEN.
If Mr.. WI had any doubts as to the safety of
the Ministers 1t seems to have been disspated
by this edict. He labored earnestly with Sec
retary Hay to convince him that he was bound
to accept this official declaration from the Chi
nese Government. He pointed out that it diff
ments emanating from Chinese sources in the
important fact that 1t did not represent merely
the belief OF minor official or Viceroy; 1t was
the solemn declaration Of the Chinese Govern
ment In making the statement the Chinese
Government therefore assumed a serious re-
sponsbity to the world at large. He declared
that 1t, could not be conceived that such re-
fponslbfliy would be lightly assumed and there
fore he did not hesitate to assert his positive
personal conviction that the Ministers were
alive July "a.
When his attention called to the appar-
ent failure of Yuan Shih Kai to accede to Con
sui Flowers request that the allied admirals
be put into communication with the Ministers
Mr. WI shrugged his shoulders and merely re-
pied that the Chinese so different from
other people that the usual tests could not be
applied to them; IT would not be possible to
predict what they would do under conditions
that would be easily met by Europeans or
Americans. It was possible he added that
Yuan was really undertaking to do what the
admlrals wished, but IL would first be neces-
sary for him to consult the Pekng authorities
and that would take time He could not say
when answer might be exDected To his last
message to Mr.. Conger.
The dispatches from Consul Flower conveying
assurances from Yuan Shih Kai that the for
been provisioned, in connection with constantly
reiterated statements from other Chinese
sources or the safety Of the Ministers. have
raised a new theory at the State Department
These assurances have been given in answer to
the repeated and urgent demands of the Euro
pean Governments that they be placed in com
muncation with their Minister'S and the last
assurance Of Yuan in answer to the specific
demand of the foreign admirals for direct COM
munlCatiOn.
NEEDING EXPLANATION.
Yuans announcement that the Imperial Gov
ernment at Picking not only asserts the safety
Of the Minister'S but declares that they have
been provsioned, If accepted as true indicates
that the Ministers have been communicated
with The inquiry then naturally arises: IF
the Ministers have been provisioned why does
not the Chinese Government knowing as It
does, that the whole world is demanding a di-
rect message from the beseged legations, allow
them to communicate with their Governments?
Why not furnish direct and unequivocaI evil
dence of the safety OF the Ministers instead of
hesitates TO accept?" The failure to pursue the
direct method, which must be available, leads
almost irresistibly to the suspicion that some
thing has happened in Peking which the Chi
nese Government desires to conceal from the
Powers; that it is afraid TO allow the true story
to be revealed until some sort of terms have
been made. Just what that something is fur
nishes fruitful theme for speculation, but no
satisfactory conclusion be reached until
the forces enter Peking the Ministers arrive
at Tien-Tsin.
MESSAGE RECEIVED AT PARIS