Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-08-23
APPEAL FROM CHINA.
Ii Hung Chang Asks for a Cessa-
ton Of Hostilities.
EMPEROR And EMPRESS ESCAPE.
The Ban, ers II the Imperial COrtege Seen
Leaving PeRin on the 1Hth-Chinese
Troops surrounded In the Palaces
Grounds at Pektit

W dsHIlip loi, aug - ~
can reply to China's latest appeal Tor
cessation of hostilities, received
yesterday from Ii Hung Chang, has
not vet been made known, and 1t is
likely that the matter Will be one
of the main subjects of consideration
at the cabinet meeting to-day. But
there Is reason to believe that the
oyertures will in effect be rejected, on
the ground that the conditions laid
down in the American note OF August
IL have not been complied with, and
unless complied with thegoyernments
course must proceed without refer
ence to China's appeal for halt in
the proceedings. The dispatch of Au-
gust IL said specifically that the
United States was ready to enter into
an agreement between the powers and
the Chinese government for cessa-
ton of hostilities on condition that
the relief forces should be permitted
"to enter Pekin unmolested' and es-
cort the legationers therefrom under
such circumstances as the command
ing general might lay down. But up
to the present time there is no evil
dence that the allied forces are I'M
molested at Pekin, or have received
the sanction of the imperial govern
ment to convey the legationers to
Tien Tsin without further trouble,
and under the conditions laid down
by the commanding general. On the
contrary, all Of the dispatches indl-
cate that the allies are meeting with
stubborn resistance, and there is an
entire lack of compliance with the
conditions laid down by the United
States in its dispatch of August ~.
As stated, however, the government
has given no authoritative statement
of its purpose in reply to China's ap-
plication Of yesterday, and there is
still slight chance that complete
compliance with the demands of Au-
gust u may be announced in the Pc
kin dispatches before the final deter
mination on the reply is made. But
the disposition last night was clearly
in the line indicated.
China's LAST application for peace
negotiations was received early yes
terday at the Chinese legation and
was transmitted by Mr.. WI to the
state department. Secretaries Hay
and Adee went over the subject with
the president. Earl Lis request is
that the United States shall name
Minister Conger, or some other Off
cial, to act as peace envoy for the
cessation of hostilities. He expressed
his willingness to 60 to such point
as the powers may desire and, under
the limitations made, 1t is thought
that pekin or Tien Tsin would be Sc
lected for the negotiations. The Chi
nese envoy proposed no terms as to
the withdrawal of troops and made
no other suggestion as to what was
to come before the commission, his
sole anxiety being to secure the ces-
sation of hostilities.
The application is understood also
to have been made to the powers in
the hope that If all would name a
commissioner there would be gen.
era council of peace between Lii
Hung Chang on the one hand and the
several representatives of the nations
on the other Aside from the fact
that the conditions on August ~ have
not yet been complied with by China,
1t is probable that this government
would desire to take sufficient time
to learn what the other powers in
tend doing on the same line, as all are
acting in unison. Moreover, there
are some unexplained features Of Ii
Hung Changes application, one of
them being that while he asks the
allies to cease hostilities he gives no
assurance, that he has the power to
make the Chinese army and the re-
bellious boxers cease their hostilities.
The situation at Pekin was made
clear yesterday from many sources.
The latest advice appears to be that
from Consul Fowler, at Che Foo, re-
peating dispatch received from Con-
sui Ragsdale at Tien Tsin. The latter
reports N"Chinese troops surrounded
in palace grounds" The Japanese le-
gation received dispatch of the same
general tenor, but more in detail,
stating that the Chinese troops re-
treated on the 18th within the i'm
perial palace, and that they were sur
rounded there, with the japanese
military headquarters located in the
Japanese legation. Admiral Remey
also transmitted an authentic re-
port from Pekin on the 18th, saying
"troops moving on the imperial city"
These several dispatches from differ
ent sources establish clearly that the
imperial palace and grounds were un-
der siege. But not one of the dis
patches is clear as to how late this
condition of affairs existed.
Yesterdays dispatches seem to
make clear that the emperor and the
empress dowager have made their
escape from Pekin and that about
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