The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-21
AMERICA's REPLY TO CHINESE
NOTE WILL BE CONSIDERED
IN CAPNET TODAY
IDVICES FROM PEKIN VAGUE
CHINESE TROOPS, HOWEVER, APP
PEAR TO BE UNDER SIEGE In
THE INNER CITY
EMPEROR MAKES HIS ESCAPE
Court and DOwager Empress Have
Left Pelkin for Parts Unknown
Situation seems to Be
Improving.

Improving.
WASHINGTON, Aug. a.-The Ameri-
can reply to Chinas latest appeal for a
cessation of hostilities received TODAY
from Ii Hung Chang has not yet been
made known, and 1t Is likely that the
matter will be one Of the main sub
1ects Of consideration at the cabinet
meeting tomorrow. But there is rea-
son to believe that the overtures will
In effect be rejected on the ground that
the conditions laid down in the Ameri-
can note of Aug. r have not been com
piled with and until complied with the
governments course must proceed with
out reference to China's appeal for a
malt in the proceedings. The dispatch
OF Aug. IL said principally that the
United States was ready to enter into
an agreement between the powers and
the Chinese government for a cessation
Of hostilities on condition that the relief
forces should be permitted ito enter
Pekin unmolested" and escort the Iega-
doners theFeform, under such circum-
stances as the commanding general
might lay down. But up to the present
time there is no evidence that the allied
forces are unmolested at Pel1in, or have
received the sanction of the imperial
government to convey the legationers to
T1en Tsin without further trouble and
under the circumstances laid down by the
commanding general. On the contrary.
all of the dispatches Indicate that the
allies are meeting with stubborn resist
0nce and there is an entire lack of com
pliance with the conditions laid down by
the United States in its dispatch Of Aug.
IL AS stated, however, the government
has given no authoritative statement of
It's purpose, In reply to China's applica-
ton of today. and there is still a slight
chance that complete compliance with the
demands Of Aug II may be announced in
the Pekin dispatches before the final de-
termination on the reply is made. But
the disposition tonight is clearly In the
line Indicated
Ii HUNG WANTS A TRUCE.
China's last application for peace ne
godations was received early todav at
the Chinese legation, and was transmitted
by Mr. WI to the state department Sec
retaries Hay and Root were out of the
city, but acting Secretary of State Adee
went over the subject with the president.
Earl LIS request IS that the United
States shall name Minister Conger or
some other official to act as peace envoy
for the cessation of hostilities. He ex-
pressed his willingness to go to such a
point as the powers may desire and under
the lntlma uons made 1t is thought that
Pekln or Tien Tsin would be selected for
the negotiations. The Chinese envoy
proposed no terms as to the withdrawal
OF troops and made no other suggestion
as to what was to come before the com
mission, his sole anxiety being to secure
the cessation of hostilities. The appli-
cation is understood also to have been
made to the powers in the hope that
If all would name a commissioner there
would be general council of peace be-
tween Ii Hung Chang, on the one hand
and the several representatives of the
nations on the other. Aside from the
fact that the conditions on Aug. 70 have
not yet been complied with by China il
Is probable that this government would
desire to take sufficient 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 LII Hung Chang's application
one OF them being that while he asks
the allies to cease hostilities he gives no
assurance that he has the power to make
the Chinese army and the rebellious
Boxers cease their hostilities.
PEKIN NEWS CONFLICTING
The situation at I'ekin was made more
clear today from many sources. The
latest advice appears to be that from
Consul Fowler. at Chefoo, repeating a
dispatch received from Consul Rarsdala
pf9f Tiar FTci0 ba
nese troops surrounded in the palace
grounds" The Japanese legation re-.
ceived dispatch of the same general
tener but more in detail, stating that the
Chinese troops retreated on the 18th
within the imperial palace and that tbev
were surrounded there with the Japanese
military headquarters located in the Ian
anese legation. Admiral Remey also
transmitted an authentic report from Pc
kin on the 18th, saying troops moving
on the imperial city" These several dis
patches from different sources establish
clearly that the imperial palace and
grounds were under siege But not one
of the dispatches is clear as to how late
this condition of affairs existed. The
Fowler dispatch is the latest to be re-
ceived and is dated the 2Oth, but, probably
that is the date on which it left Tien
Tsin. The Japanese dispatch also refers
to the Chinese taking refuge in the i'm.
perial palace on the 18th. but does not
bring the situation beyond that day. So
that the latest information while showing
the imperial city surrounded does not dis
close the issue Of this situation nor how
long it has continued.
EMPEROR HAS LEFT PEKIN.
Teday's dispatches seem to make clear
that the emperor and empress dowager
have made their escape from Pekin and
that about the only present service of
the imperial palace and grounds is as
an asylum in which the demoralized Chi
hese soldiers are making a last stand.
The Japanese legations advices TODAY
showed that the banners CT the imperial
family were seen leaving Pekin on the
18th and probably the empress dowager
as well as the emperor had left the cftv
Consul General Goodnow- advised tie
State department he had information
from Chinese sources that the eulnress
dowager had left Pekin The attitude
which the International forces will OBJ
serve toward the emperor and empress
doWager is understood to have received
official consideration among the powers.
Resulting from request by the southern
fViceroys that no personal irdign:ty be
shown 20 Chinese rulers. In response to