The National tribune., 1900-08-16

our leaving Pekin, which would be GER
tain death. Rife firing upon US daily by
| Imperial tfnops.. HIVE abundant courage,
| but little ammunition or provisions. Two
| progressive Iamens Ministers beheaded.
Al connected with Legation OF the United
States Wei at the present moment:
This cabiegram. received Aug. Z, was
the subject of an important conference
ut the White Holse, in which the Presi-
| dent, at Canton, participated. Its gray-
| ity was felt. 1t was decided that the al
lied forces must go. to the Ministers and
| held to strict accountability for any in
| jury to American interests in the present
| crisis 1t was announced that a message
| to the Imperial Government had been de-
| livered to Minister WI for transmission.
the text being prepared by Secretary Root
and Acting Secretary of State Adee, and
approved by the President. Then the De-
partment sent cipher to Conger respon-
sive to his message and intended to test
the assertion of a Chinese edict of Aug. D
that free cipher communication would be
| allowed. This was on Aug. s. This last
| note to China was almost an ultimatum.
being practically a demand for complete
and immediate compliance with the terms
of the letter of the President to the En-
peror sent July %. The most important
part of the message reads:
I'VE demand the immediate cessation
OF nOStle attackS Dy lmperldi tTOOpS upOH
the Legations, and urge the exercise of
every power and energy of the Imperial
Government for the protection of the Le-
cations and all foreigners therein.
"We are also advised by the same dis
patch from Minister COnger that, in his
opinion, for the foreign Ministers to leave
Pekin, as proposed in the edict Of Aug.
2, would be certain death. In view of the
fact that the Imperial troops are now hr-
ing upon the Legations, and in view of
the doubt expressed by the Imperial Gov
ernment in its edict of Aug. as to its
power to restore order and secure absolute
safety in Pekin, it is evident that this
apprehension is well founded, for If your
Government cannot protect our Minister
in Pekin it will presumptively be unable
to protect him upon journey from Pc
kin to the coast"
The message urges that the Chinese
Government put itself in communication
with the relief expedition so as to CO.
operate for the liberation of the Lega-
TONERS, the protection of the foreigners
in Pekin generally and the restoration of
order. Such action, the note adds, would
be deemed satisfactory demonstration OF
the friendliness of the Imperial Govern
mcnt.
Ii Hung Chang was heard from with
this statement, dated Aug. s, just after
the receipt of the Conger dispatch:
I'm case the troops advance the Chi |
HpSe inuSt USnL. IHe SUGGESTION tndL tHe
allies should be allowed to enter PekiD
in order to escort the Ministers to Tien
TsiD is absolutely impossible"
This was transmitted TO William Z.
Morgan, NJ. p, by his agent at Shanghai. |
The agent had carried to Earl Ii a mes
sage from Mr.. Morgan, urging that the
allied troops be allowed to enter the Capi |
tai, and stating that settlement could |
be made at Iien Tsin whereby a war
Of the world against China would be |
averted, but Ii failed to hold out the
slightest hope Of its feasibility, although |
he reiterated his declaration that the |
Ministers hid left Pekin Aug. 2 (the I'm |
safe conveyance Of all Europeans in Pc |
kin to Tieno Tsin was issued on Aug. % |
Lis words TO many clearly indicate the |
purpose of The Chinese Government to re-
sist the advance Of the allies to the full |
extent Of its power.
Ii was 'sh0wn to be G falsifier once |
more when, Sir Claude Macdonald, the |
British Minister at Pekin, stated, under |
date of Aug. 3:
Il have to-day received your cipher tel |
egram, forwarded to me by the Chinese |
Minister The shell and cannon fire |
ceased on July is, but the rifle fire has |
continued from the Chinese positions held
by Government troops and Boxers inter |
mittently ever since. The total |
Of killed is 60 and of the wounded 10. |
We have strengthened our fortificafiOn. |
We have over 200 women and children |
refugees in the Legation"
The French Minister cabled that:
SHOULD we not depart from Pekin the |
foreign forces coming to our rescue should |
be Of sufficient number TO insure the safe
ty and convoy of 800 foreigners, of whom
200 are women and children, and 80 |
wounded and more than 1900 native
Christians. whom we cannot leave to be
massacred. In any case, a Chinese escort
should not be considered"
The German Government received a |
statement from Herr Below, First See
retary in Pekin. that the "F'rench Lega-
ton building, although half destroyed by
the Boxers, not only affords shelter to the
members of the French Legation, who are
all in good health, but also to the mem.
bers of the Austrian Legation, who sought
refuge there after the complete destruc-
ton Of their own building. The French
Legation building is surrounded by Box
crs." The Beleians, it as revealed by
another dispatch, are with the French.
THE ADVANCE ON PEKIN
The advance OF 10000 allies toward
Pekin proved to be reconnaissance in
force. 1t is now stated that 10000 will
90 on Aug. u and all will push on to
Pekin. 1t remains TO be seen how soon
a real advance will be made