The Atlanta constitution., 1900-08-27
NO DECLARATION OF WAR YET.
Report That Russia, Germany and
Japan Had Done So Not True.

ttSpOTL 1naL Russia, 0cILl@1y ohA
Japan Had Done So Not True.
Washington, August 26.-Russia. Ger
many and Japan have not declared war
upon China, either separately or IN con-
cert. This statement is made upon au-
thority of the highest character. what
those nations may do within the next
forty-eight hours, within the next
fortnight, is n question which no one
In Washington is prepared 10 answer
A brief dispatch from Che Foo con-
veying rumor current there that Rus
sia, Germany and Japan had Joined in
declaration of war upon China is not
taken seriously In either official or dipio-
matte circles.
From no official source has the war de-
A~rtment learned of the departure OF
forty Americans from Pekin for Tien
Tsin. as reported in d special dispatch
to a London newspaper under date of
August 1th Advices from General Chat
fee are expected hourly, as the military
telegraph line between Tten TSin ana
Pekin. which has been interrupted, pre-
sumably is being or has been repaired
Imperative instructions We're sent yes
terday to the commander OF the United
States forces at Tien Tsin to have the
line restored at once under the protec-
| ton of cavalry detachment.
A suspicion exists here that the delay
| in messages both from and to Washing
ton is rather between Che Foo and ShanS-
| hal than between Tien Tsin and Pekln.
| From Che Foo to Shanghai the telegraph
! line IS in control of the Chinese authori-
ties and il is suspected that they are not
| so prompt in the transmission or mes
! sages as they might be.
| A dispatch received at the japanese
| legation from the foreign office of Japan
| conveys the latest and most authentic
| information of the situation In ana aToEhu
| Pekiu. In a measure thS adVlccs We're
of a disquietinS nature. as they lnul-
/ Gated that the Chinese had rallied their
] forces and We're preparing for an attilcH x
/ upon the allies III Iekin. III II snould
| prove that the allied forces were besieSeti
/ in Pekin il would account for the lack
1 of advices from General Chaitec. AS
/ made public by Minister Takanlra, the
/ dispatch from the Japanese foreign olhco
I is follows:
/ IAN official telegram dated Pel1in, Au-
! gust 18th, was received at Toxic from
I General Yamaguchi, commander OF the
I Japanese forces, TO the eitecS' ne Catl-
/ tai is now entirely cleared of the enemy.
/ a cavalry regiment which had been sent
/ to Wan Shau Shan. where the empress
/ doNager's palace is located, reports that
/ the imperial family. which had left Pekin
August 18th, started, after snort reS.
at Wan Shau Shan. fOr the west ana was
I under the escort Of General Ma and ms
I troops. consisting OF only about hFe nan
: Japanese forces occupied the treasury de-
/ partment in which over two million taeiS
/ in silver and large quantity o. rice
/ We're found.
/ Another teIeEraphic dispatch. dated
Taku, August I'D. states that as the Cnl-
/ nose troops and boxers who had gathered
/ at Nan Xuea were about 70 attack the
/ foreign forces at Pekin, Japanese and
/ Russian cavalry We're expected 10 en-
| counter them on the goth. The dispatch
| further states that Chinese infantry. some
. 600 strong. with fifteen guns are ad-
vancing forward from Shan Tung to
make a rear attack upon the allies.
While the news of a possible rear at
tack unon the comparative small force
Of the allies was not received with sur
prise It was generally not regarded as
serious. as the foreign forces are believed
to be abundantly able to take care OF
themselves against any force of Chinese
likely to be sent against them.
Origin of the Rumor.
The rumor of a declaration of war ny
Russia may have grown out of the oper-
ations of Russian troops in the protec-
ton of the southeastern frontier OF ne
empire; or it may have arisen from the
reported statement of the commander pf
the Russian forces at Pekin that this
government was at war with China ana
therefore we must prohibit communi "a
tion with the Chinese. Neither the Oper-
ations of Russia on her frontier. nor the
prohibition by a Russian general of COM
munication with the Chinese would CON
stitute, it is said, a declaration of war -
Russia No general. by a mere dictu.n.
could declare war. n declaration OF wdr
is a perfectly distinct and obvious pro
ceediug. In this country Il declaration
of war may be made only by congress
Only once in the present century has
such n declaration been made, namely
in 1872 against Great Britain. War may
exist actually between the United states
and another country, as was the case
/ between this country and Mexico, without
| action BY congress. The Mexican war
| had progressed fourteen months before
action was taken by congress. Troops
of the United States had invaded Mexico
and several battles had been IouSht De
fore congress, to insure the legality o:
the contest and to protect the rights OF
the United States as probable conquer
| or declared that state of war existed
from a date fourteen months prior 10 the
action of congress. Congress did not de,
clare war against Spain. IL declared
simply that a state of war existed from
| a specified time.
Among EUROPEAN nations the method of
procedure is simpler. and quite as obvious
and the news of such action Is puDIlSAed
to the world Immediately.
Within three hours after the official
declaration of congress that the United
States was at war with Spain the Span
| ish government had on the wires an iden-
tical note to all governments TO which
II had accredited representatives, notify
| ing them of the existence of state of
war between Spain and the United
States.
The understanding among Washington
| officials of RuSSia's action is that the
| empire has declared the three provinces
/ on its southeastern frontier in a state of
siege. This is altogether different from
/ a declaration of war. 1t corresponds 10
| "a declaration of martial law by Great
| Britain and to a suspension of the right
| of habeas corpus by the United States.
/ 1t Is a supercession of civil by military
| authority Ii has no effect upon such
| treaties as may he In force between The
| countries, whereas a declaration of war
| or a declaration that a state of war
/ exists would annul ali treaties.
IL is pointed out further that Russia
| has two objects in Der military opera
/ tions I'm China-the rescue and protection
| of the foreign legatiOners and the pro-
! lection of her menaced frontier In car
! rying out her second object. Russia has
| seized New Chwang. This was done tC
| obtain base of operations of which
| the frontier could be easily reached
! precisely as Taku was seized as a base
| of operations by the allies in their oper-
ations against Pekin.
Chinese Wanted Time.