The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-28
1000 AVENGERS.
CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE.)

pected appearance i'm Picking of some of the
members of the Tsung Ii Yamen. A natural
construction TO be given to this statement
is. that these ministers wish to undertake
TO represent the Chinese government for
mally in negotiations with the powers. 1t
having been found impossible up to this
moment, according to Mr.. Conger's state
ment, TO meet any representative of the
Chinese government in Peking who was
competent to open negotiations, Ii may be
inferred that if these ministers actually APP
pear with proper credentials one of the
problems connected with the present diff
hcult- situation in China will be solved.
With some responsible person or persons to
deal with, 1t may be possible for the United
States to come to some agreement as to a
settlement of the Chinese trouble. Ever
since the fall of Picking the principal diff
hculty confronting the government here has
been to arrange for the next movement in
its programme. 1t could not withdraw it's
troops, even if so disposed, without arrang-
ing for decentralization for the heavy cost
1t has been put to in the Picking campaign.
Also, 1t must make arrangements with some
responsible authority for the future protec-
ton of American interests in China, as our
business interests cannot be withdrawn
along with the army of occupation. There
fore, as conveying a faint hope that in the
persons of these members of the Tsung Ii
Yamen there may be found some authorized
representative of the Chinese government
competent to make engagements on these
points, the message of Mr.. Conger was
very welcome to the authorities here.
Another statement in Mr.. Conger's dis
patch. relative to the decision of the gen.
erals not to enter the imperial palace, APP
pears to explain the movement Of the
American troops which the press dispatches
were unable to clear up, in relaxing the
attack upon the palace gates, after captur-
Ing all but one of them.
H CASTINE SENT TO Annoy.
Another event of the day of some interest
was the order dispatching the Castine from
SHANGHAI 70 Arn0u distant about fo,,r I,,,
dred miles. The little gunboat should make
the run in about two days, under favorable
conditions. Her force Ms small, but suf-
ficient to serve the moral purpose, if there
be need for such. 1t appears that she is
ordered to Annoy quite as much on account
of representations from the well-informed
business circles as from any official ad-
vice. The consul at Annoy, agreeing with
the representations of the business inter-
ests, it was decided to be proper to send a
gunboat to Annoy, not because of any par
ticular apprehension as TO Japan's aspira-
tons, but to prevent rioting at this dan
gerous point.
The first direct word from General
Chafee since Aug. IS came to-day in the
form of a cablegram dated to-day at
1aku. reporting the action of the Sixth
Cavalry with the enemy near Tien-Tsin on
the 18th. 1t adds nothing to the informa-
ton in the possession of the department
relative to military movements, as it is
simply General Chaffee's belated official
report of an engagement previously re-
ported by Admiral Remey in a cable dated
Taku, Aug. 20. in which he said: Morning
18th: Sixth Cavalry and about 400 English
and Japanese dispersed about 1000 Boxers
outside Tien-Tsin. About 100 Chinese killed,
five Americans wounded"
The description of the action reported by
General Chaffee tallies identically with
that previously reported by Admiral Remey
in the above c~ablegram and is identified
with it by War Department officials. The
explanation of the delay in the War De-
partment's report is that Colonel Whit.
who commands the Sixth Cavalry, probably
forwarded his report to his superior at
Picking, and General Chaffee then sent il
officially to Washington. Although General
Chafee's cableGram is dated Taku, it is
assumed that 1t was forwarded from Pek-
ing. over the field telegraph line or by
courier. 1t is assumed, however, that field
telegraph communication is interrupted and
that the dispatch reached Taku by courier.
The fact that the dispatch was sent from
Taku to-day was extremely gratifying as
it proves that the cable between Taku
and Che-Foo is working and thar
there is no longer any interruption on the
land lines from the latter point to Shang-
hal. There was general disappointment
that General Chaffee's message contained
no reference to the operations in Picking,
but this was explained on the theory that
perior. was simply forwarding the latter's
report. 1t is possible that Colonel Wint's
report may have reached him over the field
telegraph on the day of engagement Aug
49, and that his cable to the department
may have occupied the intervening seven
days. owing to the interruption of the field
~telegraphs, in getting back to Taku. This
theory is plausible in that it would account
for the failure to hear from General Chat
fee since the 18th, the day after the date
of his last previous message.