The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-06-23

Washington. June 1s.-The third da,
passed without a single line of new
from any official source respecting tn,
critical situation in 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 companie,
showed thatnot oniyI 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 oon reopened.
Communication Cut on.
The war department early in the day
received the following message from
the Western Union headquarters al
New York:
The only news from the east to.
day is a 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 a land wire
running out of Pekin TO Ischita to the
north and connecting with the Russian
Siberian system. Thence land wires
u through Corea and by a short ca
BILE across to Nagasaki, Japan.
No News from Admiral Kempn.
The navy department., during the
Cay, made an effort to reach Rear-!Ad-
miral Kempff 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 Pekin at last report, and
into his need for more men and ships.
and directing the commander to taxi
the message at once to Taku and r.
turn with the answer.
Did the Best 1t Could.
The department does not know
whether the message to Chefoo ear be-
delivered, but made the effort. From
Chefoo to Taku is only a single day.
u for the Yorktown, so that an
answer from Admiral Kempff should
be received by Monday night, if Chefo a..
Il be reached to-day.
vii. Resort to other Means.
Failing in this effort, resort will b
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 &C.
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 Il speedy merchant steamer |
at once to II to Taku with the de-
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
via India anu the Red and the !
Mediterranean seas. |
Dispatch Force from Manila.
Meanwhile if the communications re-
interrupted with Taku, it is GER
tain that Il message will be ordered at
once at Manila TO dispatch more naval
force, or troops on transports, tC re-
Admiral Kempff and extend
aid to the international relief column,
which. it is beginning to be feared, is
itself in sore need Il help.
Inevitable Relays.
Gen. Macarthur probably would re.
luire a few days to prepare a military
owing to the inadvisability
of reducing his present small garrison
Manila. Even Admiral Remy may
De obliged to delay sending ships, ow-
ng to the absence IF the smaller craft
for such service as is re-
luired o. scouting duty among the isl.
lnds of the archipelago.
Anxious About Friends.
The state department to-day received
kilograms from relatives and
riends of Americans in northern
lima and in Pekin. praying for new;
ouching the welfare of their friends.
ir. Ledyard, of Detroit. father of the
wife of the German ambassador at
'ekin, reported to lave been killed by
he Boxers, was che of the most ,
of these i1quirers, and ex-
ecretary Alger was another, each in
a willingness to meet any eX.
ense hat might be involved in an or
from the department to some re-
officials near the scene of
to secure information by any
leans in their power. g.,