Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-21
AN IMPERIAL ED|CT
Chinese Government Announces Safe
ty Of the Legations on the 18th.
CABLE DISPATCHES TO MINISTER VII
Admiral Remey Transmits Reassur-
ing Russian Adviices.
GEN. WILSON GOING TO TAKU

The first official news received from
China today was a message from Admiral
Remey in regard to conditions at Tien Tsin
and Pekin. 1t is as follows:
TAKU, July 90, 1900.
Received Washington, July q. 1900.
Bureau of Navigation, Washington:
Tien Tsin quiet. Latest report Russian
sources July 13, legations Pekin still hold
ing out Relia bility Of this information un-
certain.
Major Regan, Captains Noyes and Book
miller, First Lieutenants Lawton and
Schoffel wounded. 9th Infantry officers, and
Second Lieutenant Jolly, marine corps.
Sick now aboard Solace. Expect about
thirty wounded men. VIII then send all
Yokohama hospital. REMEY, Taku.
An Imperial Edict.
The Chinese minister, Mr. WI Ting Fang.
communicated to the Secretary of State
this morning two important kilograms. The
first Is from Sheng. the director general of
posts and telegraphs in Shanghai. and fol-
lows:
Fortunate that Minister Conger's tele-
graphic reply has come. Imperial decree
of the 22d of this moon corresponding to
July 1S) stated that all ministers were safe
Insurgents are fighting and killing each
other Ii Hung Chang in proceeding north
to suppress riot will find 1t difficult to CO."
The second telegram is from Liu Kun VI,
viceroy of Nanking, dated the 21st OF July
and received by Minister WI at o'clock
the same day follows:
According to edict Of 22d of this 9th
moon July 1s), with the exception Of the
German minister, who was killed by an
archists, with regard to which rigorous
measures are being taken to investigate
and punish the guilty parties, all the other
ministers, to whom strenuous efforts are
being made to afford protection are fortu-
nately unharmed."
Belief in ConRer's safety.
After twenty-four hours deliberation and
after giving due consideration to the tncred-
ulous criticisms to the European authori-
ties as to the Conger message, the State
Department remains unshaken in Its first
conclusion-that that message was authen-
tic. and that Mr.. Conger was alive July Is.
Corroborative evidence came to the de-
partment this morning through Minister
Wu from two widely removed sources-the
one from Sheng at Shanghai and the other
from the viceroy at Nanking. They make
1t clear that an edict has certainly been is
sued relative to the condition of the for
elSn ministers, ana contain OtHtr HdtttIs
of information of the greatest value and
interest, If they be true 1t may. however,
be mentioned-and that consideration was
duly considered by Secretaries Hay, Long
and Root this morning-that all of these
communications from Pekin at two points
passed through the same channel. At Shan
ghai Sheng receives everything in Wash
ington Mr.. WI is the medium. The point
of this Is that this additional evidence is
deprived of a good deal of its corroborative
value.
Notwithstanding that fact our govern
ment Is proceeding upon the presumption
that these communications are authentic. 1t
has not been influenced in this attitude by
European criticism, but, convinced that 1t
had everything to gain and nothing to
lose by reposing confidence in the Chinese
minister here, the State Department has felt
1t to be not only good policy, but duty,
to make use Of the friendly disposition OF
the pro-foreign Chinese officials, to alleviate
the condition of the legationers. if they are
still alive. 1t has certainly lost nothing by
entering on this plan: for so far from abat-
ing the execution of its military program,
the government has sought to infuse addi-
tional energy into the commanders of its
forces in China. as was exhibited in Secre-
tdry Long caDlegrdm yesterday 10 Auml-
raj Remey.
FOrebOdin9 of Evil.
Therefore the Shanghai report that Ii
Hung Chang is to be detained and prevent
ed from going to Pekin is received here
with foreboding of evil. 1t cannot be con-
ceived how Ii could materially add to the
Boxers strength, even if he were so dis
posed, by going to Pekin. On the other
hand, it cannot be doubted that to interfere
forcibly with his freedom of movement
would precipitate a crisis in the southern
provinces of China, and would certainly
prevent him from doing anything for the
foreign ministers. If he is acting in good
faith. Feeling that the powers themselves
are now willing to admit the tremendous
error made by their naval commanders In
not following Admiral Kempff's advice at
Taku, the officials here deprecate the adop-
ton by any Of the powers of further meas
ures in the same wrong direction. Possi-
bly, that subject may form the basis OF
some rapid diplomatic exchanges.
Made More Hopeful.
Besides Mr.. Wu. who came with the two
cable messages, Secretary Hay this morn
ing saw Senator Burrows, and succeeded in
converting that senator in a half an hours
talk from a pessimist into an optimist re-
frankly stated that he had all along felt
that the legationers had been killed, but he
was now satisfied that they were alive and
being protected by the Chinese officials
Gen. Leonard Wood also saw Secretary
Hay. He is deeply concerned over the fate
of Miss Mary Condit Smith, his sister-in-
law, who was in the United States legation
in Pekin: but he also is now disposed to
believe that she has been saved with the
others.
There have been no fresh orders to the
troops over night, and, in in fact there is
nothing new in the military naval situa-
ton. save the brief casualty list from Ad-
miral Remey.
Gen. Wilson Ordered to China,
Favorable action has been taken upon the
application of Brig Gen. James H. Wilson,
L. S. W. for active service in China An
order was issued today relieving him from
duty in command of the department of Ma
tanzas and Santa Clara, Cuba, md direct
ing him to proceed without delay to Taku
China, and report to Maj. Gen. A. r. Chat