Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-21


peal for a cessation of hostilities, re-
ceived to-day from Ii Hung Chang,
has not yet been made known, and
it is likely that the matter will be
one of the main subjects of consider
alton at the cabinet meeting tomorrow
! But there is reason TO believe that the
overtures will in effect be rejected on
the ground that the conditions laid down
in the American note Of August 18th
have not been compiled with, and I'M
til compiled with che governments
course must proceed without reference
TO Chinas desires for halt in the pro-
ceedings.
The dispatch of August 18th specific
ally states that the United States was
ready to enter into an agreement be-
tween the powers and the Chinese gov
eminent for a cessation of hOstilities
on condition that the relief forces
should be permitted ITO enter Picking
unmolested' and escort the legationers
therefrom, under such circumstances as
the commanding general might lay
down.
But up to the present time there is
no evidence that the allied forces are
unmolested at Peking, or have the sane
ton of the imperial government to
convey the legationers to Tlen Tsin
without further trouble, and under the
conditions laid down
BY the Commanding General.
On the contrary all the dispatches in
dictate that the allies are meeting stub
born resistance and there is an entire
lack of compliance with the conditions
laid down by the United States in its
dispatch of August 18th. AS stated,
however, the government has given
no authoritative statement of its pur
pose in reply to China's application
of to-day, and there is still slight
chance that complete compliance with
the demands of August 18th may be an
nounced in the Picking dispatches be-
fore the final determination on the re-
ply is made. The disposition tonight
is clearly in the line indicated.
Aside from the fact that the conditions
of August u have not yet been complied
with by China, it is probable that this
government would desire to take suffi
cient time to learn what the other powers
intend doing on the same line, as all are
acting in unison. Moreover, there are
some unexplained features of Ii Hung
Changes application, one of them being
that while he asks the allies to cease hos
Titles, he gives no assurances that he
has the power to make the Chinese army
and the rebellious boxers cease their hos
tilities.
The situation at Pekin was made more
clear to-day from many sources. The
latest advice appears to be that from Con-
sui General Fowler, at Che Foo, repeating
a despatch received from Consul Rags
dale at Tien Tsin The latter reports
Chinese troops surrounded in palace
grounds" The Japanese legation receiv-
ed a despatch
OF the Same General Tenor,
but more in detail, stating that the Chi
nese troops retreated on the 18th within
the imperial palace and that they were
surrounded there with the Japanese mill
tary headquarters located in the Japanese
legation. Admiral Remey also transmit
ted an authentic report from PelIin on the
18th, saying that troops moving on the
imperial city" These several dispatches
from different sources establish clearly
that the imperial palace and grounds
were under siege. But not one of the des-
patches is clear as to how late this cOndi-
ton of affairs existed. The Fowler des-
patch is the latest to be received and is
dated the 10th, but probably that is the
date on which it left Tien Tsin. The Jap
anese dispatches also refer to the Chinese
taking refuge in the imperial palace on
the 18th. but does not bring the situation
beyond that date so that the latest infor-
surrounded. does not disclose the issue of
this situation, nor how long it has con-
tinued.
To-day's dispatches seem to make clear
that the Emperor and the Empress Dow
ager have made their escape from Pel1in
and that about the only present service
of the imperial palace and grounds is as
an asylum in which the
DcmoraIized Chinese Soldiers
are making a last stand. The japanese
legations advices to-day showed that the
banners of the imperial cortege were seen
leaving Pekin~ on the 18th, and that prob
ably the Empress Dowager as well as the
Emperor had left the city. Consul Gener-
al Goodnow advised the State Department
that he had information from Chinese
sources that the Empress Dowager had
left Pekin.
The attitude which the international
forces will observe toward the Emperor
and Empress Dowager is understood to
have received official consideration among
the powers, resulting from a request by
the southern viceroys that no personal in
dignity be shown TO China's rulers In re-
Spouse to this. it is quite generally under
stood that there will be no personal in
dignity to the Emperor and Empress Dow
aged. nat because il is felt that there is
any special consideration due them. but
because China would be precipitated into
a chaotic condition is the responsible
heads of the empire lost their functions
In view of the general desire of this gov
eminent and the others concerned to keep
China intact. and speedily restore quiet,
the disposition among officials is toward
refraining from any personal indignities
TO the Chinese rulers. 1t develops in this
connection that all of the powers recently
Rejected the Proposition
of the consuls at Tien Tsin TO destroy the
tombs of the Ming dynasty. The pro-
posed destruction was a threat held out
to the Chinese in the hope of bringing
them to terms. But the powers rejected
the proposal land thus gave significant
evidences that anything calculated to give
personal afTront or indignity to the Chi
nese Was not part Of the present cam