The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1900-06-23
ANXIETY At THE CAPITAL.
News From China Interrupted and
Government Officers Get
ting Uneasy.
ADMIRAL KEMPF NOT EVEN HEARD FROM.
Efforts TO Open Communication and
win. Meanwhile, Dispatch Land Force
From Manila to Aid tho international
Column.

Washington, June 1s.-The third da!
passed without a single line of new
from any official source respecting thu
critical situation il China. All day tn,
telegraph offices at the White House
and in the state, war and navy depart
ments were manned, but no word came
Inquiries of the cable companies
showed that not onlJ were the communi
cations by wire with Pekin, Taku, Tier
Tsin and all northern China suspended
but the notices conveyed little encour'
agement for the hope that they would
be soon reopened.
Com municAtiOn Cut ON.
The war department early in the day
received the following message from
the Western Union headquarters al
New York:
1.-THE only news from the east to-
day is notice of the interruption OF
the Great Northern lines between
Blagowestchensk and Tschita, which
cuts off all communication with China
and Japan via that route"
| The line referred to is land wire
running out of Pekin TO Tschita to the
north and connecting with the Russian
Siberian system. Thence land wires
run through Corea and by short ca
BILE across to Nagasaki, Japan.
No News From Admiral Kempm.
The navy department, during the
DAY, made an effort TO reach Rear-Ad-
miral Kemptf on his flagship Newark,
at the Taku Office at the mouth of the
Pei-Ho river. A cablegram was ad-
dressed to the commander of the Unit
ed States steamship Yorktown at Che
Foo. the nearest treaty port to Taku,
on the northern side of the Shantung
peninsula, repeating the message in
dited to Admiral Kempff last Thurs
day, inquiring as to his situation, the
conditions at Peki1 at last report, and
into his need for more men and ships.
and directing the commander to take
the message at once to Taku and re-
turn with the answer
Did the Best 1t Could.
The department does not know
whether the message to Chefoo can be
delivered, but made the effort. From
Chefoo to Iaku is only single days
run for the Yorktown, so that an
answer from Admiral Kempff should
be received by Monday night, if Chefoo
can be reached to-day.
Will Resort to other Means.
Failing in this effort, resort will be
speedily had to other measures, If,
meantime word is not received from
some one in authority in China. Just
what course will be followed is not
yet determined. Admiral Remey, at
Manila, is probably too far away from
the scene; the run to Taku would oc-
cupy a weeks time. 1t is probable
that the nearest United States consul
to Taku, who is still within reach of
the cables, will be wired instructions
to charter speedy merchant steamer
at once to run to Taku with the de-
partment's message. Nagasaki, Japan,
is the nearest port, but because the
wires from that point to the United
States cross Siberia and Europe over
land. perhaps, the best route would be
via Shanghai and the system of brief
cables via India anu the Red and the
Mediterranean seas.
Dispatch Force from Manila.
Meanwhile if the communica tions re-
main interrupted with Taku, it is GER
tain that message will be ordered at
once at Manila to dispatch more naval
fc
inforce Admiral Kempff and extend
aid to the international relief column,
which, it is beginning to be feared, il
itself in sore need CT help.
Inevitable Delays.
Gen. Macarthur probably would re-
quire few days to prepare military
expedition, owing to the inadvisability
OF reducing his present small garrison
in Manila. Even Admiral Remy may
be obliged to delay sending ships, ow-
ing to the absence If the smaller craft |
suitable for such service as is re-
quired on scouting duty among the ISL
ands of the archipelago.
Anxious About Friends.
The state department to-day received |
kilograms from relatives and
friends of Americans in northern
China and in Pekin. praying for news
touching the welfare of their friends.
Mr.. Ledyard, of Detroit, father of the
wife of the German ambassador at
Iekin, reported to Lave been killed by
the Boxers, was one of the most
anxious of these in9uirers, and ex-
Secretary Alger was another, each in
willingness to meet any ex-
pense that might be involved in an or
der from the department to some re-
sponsible officials near the scene of
trouble to secure information by any
means in their power.