The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-27

Washington, July 25.-The receipt at
Tier Tsin Of an undoubtedly genuine
and photographic message from Minis
ter COnger has done nothing to dissi-
pate the doubt as to the situation at
Pekin.
TIL message, which was forwarded by
the naval officers AT Tien Tsin, Tdku
and Che Foo, has indeed served only
to deepen the darkest mystery of the
century. The official conclusion re-
mains unchanged, of course, but it is
admitted that a careful scrutiny of the
autograph message, in comparison
with the famous cipher message from
Minister Conger, admits of the belief
that the two messages We're indited by
Mr.. Congr at about the same time.
The situation at the British legation is
represented to be the same in each case. 5
and, as Mr. Gnnger declares that relief
must come quickly if at all there is
ground for the supposition that condi-
uOns could not long have remained un-
changed at such crisis.
The assumption that this reasoning
is correct involves the further conclu-
sion that Mr.. COnger's cipher message
If genuine, was redated as of the 18th
of July, two weeks later than the date
of actual writing, and of course, if re-
dated at all, that was done by Chinese
officials.
the state departments position came
to-day a message from another of the
great Chinese viceroys, TAX, at Can
ton, he who took charge after Lii Hung
Chang's departure. This also affirmed
SOleEnnly the safety of the legations,
from
sources and from such important Chi
neSe officials, these dispatches claim
attention. A pessimistic view of them
however, attributes to all a common
origin, namely: Some one high official
parsonage at Pekin. 1t is noted that
Tak,s assurance brings the ministers
one day further towards ultimate res
cue than any preceding message.
The fact that it allows only three days
to cover the transmission over the
great distance between Pekin and Can
ton has attracted attention here. and
appears to demand explanation, if the
message is to be accepted as genninely
of Pekin origin.
CHINESE DUPLICITY
II was not known to the state de-
partment until the publication of the
fact in the news dispatches that the
French government also has been ad-
dressed by the Chinese government in
the effort to secure mediation. Now ii
appears that still other powers were
addressed in a similar strain. 1t is
known that Great Britain and Ger
many, and probably Russia have re-
ceived such messages. The language
is not the same but the animating
idea is The state department. officials
feel that, generally speaking this idea
is not so much to secure mediation
pure and simple, as to induce the pow
ers to resort to the settlement of the
difficulties between them and China by
the substitution of negotiations for
armed force. This appears more clear
II from comparison of the various
notes than it did in the single note ad-
dressed to the president Being so, the
chances of a successful outcome of this
attempt of the Chinese government to
secure an ameliOration of the conSe-
quenceS of the Boxer uprising are
much diminished by the intimation
that the powers are expected to refrain
from pressing the movement towards
Pekfn-
GREATER ENERGY IN WARLIKE
PREPARATIONS.
On the contrary, the United States
war department is moving at present
with greater energy than at any time
since the original orders for troops to
get its contingent in position for the
task before it. General Chaffee re-
ported to the department formally to-
day from Nagasaki and there received
the orders which have been sent by
cable since his departure from San
Francisco. An idea of their general
character can be gathered from the
generals report that he was about to
push forward at once with his big
transport for Taku. He will not even
stop at Che Foo, and it is even doubt
full whether he will detain the Grant
at NagaSali long enough to take on
coal. He is also ,energetically taking
steps In advance to meet the evil OF
which all the foreign naval command
erS nave complained, but none have
remedied, a lack of landing facilities
at Taku. To this end ne has instruct
ed Lieutenant Colonel Coolidge of the
Ninth infantry al Tien Tsin to secure
at once all of the tugs and lighters nee
eSSary to a speedy landing of the rein
forcements and stores that are being
carried out by the United States trans
port Grant.
CHINESE ESCORT NOT ACCEPTED
In spite OF the alarm with which the
Chinese officials, including Lii Hung
Chang, profess to view the advance
of the allied forces on Pekin, so far as
it affects the safety of the foreign min
listers, it may be said that none of the
powers have evinced any tendency to
abate their preparations or to accept
an escort of imperial troops Tor the
ministers from Pekin to Tien Tsin.
This government has acted all the
while on the theory that the ministers
We're alive and has accepted in good
faith the assurances of the Chinese
government to this effect; but 1T has
not recognized in any way the sugges-
tfon contained in Sheng's cablegram
of yesterday that the Chinese govern
ment should furnish the foreigners an
escort out of Pekin. 1t was said at
he Sf ar arfr1 1ar1+ TODD 1zaf
American minister is not to be deliver
ed up by force of Chinese troops to
the allied forces or to any one else.
This government deems it more appro-