The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-28
SAVANNAH, GA, TUESDAY, AUGUST 2s 1900

week the dispatch OF an identical note.
Or rather, of practically identical instruc-
uons, TO the United States diplomatic rep
resentatlves in Europe and In Japan for
thelr guidance in replying to inquiries
that were flowing in upon them daily as
10 the purposes of the United States gov
erhment The State Department. itself
also received many such inquiries from
representatives of the Powers involved in
me Chlhese trouble. 1t is believed that
these were generally informal, but, never
theiess, as they called for statements of
polcy' 1t was regarded as expedient that
lhe replies should not be divergent, and TO
guard against discrepancy, by direction of
the President, formal instruction was
drawn up.
mat this did not exactly define the in
tehtlon OF the United States to withdraw
from CHINA at a specified date was made
tVldent by the continuance of inquiries
from the legations and embassies here for
information on this point There is
very manifest desire on the pare of Euro
pean governments to get some expression
from the United States government as to
lts purpose before committing themselves.
1t is believed that our answers have been
framed with the special purpose Of avoid
ing a committal of the government as to
its policy beyond the points specifically
laid down in the Presidents response to
Emperor Kwang Tsu's first appeal and in
the answer TO Ii Hung Chang's appeal for
mediation.
However this may be, the State Depart
ment does not regard it as expedient at
TINS moment to make public the last
phases of the negoiaIions so it is i'm
possible TO know from this side whether
or not they have touched upon PROPOSE
tions to divide China into spheres for mil
itary occupation; to provide for a tempor-
airy form of government at Pekin; or to
endeaVor 10 re-establish relations with the
existing dynasty in China, though it may
be fairly assumed that something has been
said upon these various points.
Reported Old News.
The first direct word from Gen. Chaffee
since Aug. is came to-day in the form of
a cablegram. dated to-day at Taku, re-
porting the action of the Sixth Cavalry
with the enemy near Tien Tsin on the 18th
The cable is as follows:
'Taku, Aug. 25.-Adjutant General,
Washington: Col. Wint on the 18th ce-
ports, marched at a. m. and engaged
large force of enemy seven miles from
city, dispersed them, killing about 100.
Americans lost five wounded VIII cable
names wounded as soon as ascertained.
"Chaffee."
tion in the possession of the department
relative 10 military movements, as it is
simply Gen. Chaffee's belated official re-
port of an engagement previously report
ed by Admiral Remey in a cable, dated
Taku, Aug. 20, in which he said; Morn
ing 10, Sixth Cavalry and about 400 Eng
lish and Japanese dispersed about 1000
Boxers outside Of Tien Tsin. About 100
Chinese killed, five Americans wounded" ="
The description of the action reported
by Gen. Chaffee tallies identically with
that previously reported by Admiral
Remey in the above cable, and is identi-
fed with it by war department officials.
The explanation in the delay of the war
departments report is that Col. Wint
who commands the Sixth Cavalry, proba-
bly, forwarded his report 10 his superior
at Pekn, and Cen Chaffee then sent it
officially to Washington. Although Gen.
Chaffee's cable is dated, Taku, il is as
sumed that it was forwarded from Pekin.