Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-08-28
PLAY Of DIPLOMACY
IT'S NOW TO TAKE PLACE
OF GRIM WAR DIRECTION
Chafees Advance on Peking Was Call
ed FOOlhardy--lde Identical Note Sent
Previous to Relief Of
COnger.

Washington. Aug. l5.-The Navy De.
partment early this morning made pub.
lis dispatch from Admiral Remey an.
nouncing the arrival of General Chat
fee at Matow. the next town Of i'm.
portance after Ho 81 WI. which the
Americans occupied with slight oppo-
sition on the 9TH inst.
The date of General Chaffee's arrival
at MatOw Is uncertain. II Is taken at
the Navy Department to mean that
Matow was occupied on the previous
day, the 18th, and that the opposition
was slight both on the road and in TAX
ing the town.
Matowa Is about twelve miles by road
from Ho 81 WI and the road. as indi.
Gated on the War Department map, Is
Of the worst possible character. Ma
tow is not a walled city and no serious
opposition was expected there. II is
about eleven miles by road from Matow
to Ching CHA Wan. which is really the
suburb Of the walled city of Tung
Chow and the key to the gates of Pc
king. II General Chafree was at Matow
on the 18th. II is quite possible that by
today he is either in possession of
Tung Chow or engaged with the re-
treating Chinese army that It was
thought might make stand behind its
walls. The War Department Is highly
gratified at the report of General Chat
fees steady advance which for week
past has been secuted as a foolhardy
adventure by some of the European
war officials. g..
OF quite as much interest as the
record OF the army's advance is the
speculation now current about the
State Department as to the status of
diplomatic negotiations. The State
Department has thrown around these
proceedings sudden and unaccus-
toned veil of secrecy that is taken to
presage important developments. One
thing is well nigh certain. namely. that
the Conger message of yesterday which
was not made public. is one of series
OF Identical notes addressed by the be-
leagured Ministers to their govern
ments.
Minister WI, who. besides being the
Chinese Minister here. also Is the ac-
credited representative Of China to
Spain, received along with the Conger
message OF yesterday cipher message
from the Spanish Minister In Picking,
which Mr.. WI forwarded to Madrid. II
was not made public there. Sir Claude
MacDonald's despatch to the British
Foreign Office. evidently of the same
vintage as the two other dispatches
referred to. also was withheld from
publication. This is taken as fair in
dication that negotiations of import
ance are on foot but their nature Is
entirely speculative.
The State Department this morning
stated that not only was the text OF
the Conger dispatch kept secret, but
no questions would he answered in con-
nection with Its contents. II was point
ed out by the department that with the
international forces practically at the
gates of Picking, any statement OF Min
lister Conger might involve him and all
of the other Ministers In very serious
consequences. II was said, however,
that the statement from London this
morning, credited to a member OF Par
lament that negotiations were on foot
In Washington between the various
powers looking to a future form of
government for China was without
foundation. The State Department an
nounced that no note on this subject
had been exchanged between the pow
ers.
II is considered significant that no
preparations are being pushed for the
wintering of the American forces in
China. Both the cOmmissary and Quar-
termaster's Departments are ready to
purchase and ship supplies for the Chi
nese eXpeditionary force such as would
be needful In winter campaign.
There are certain supplies which
would he necessary for this contingency
and certain steps which would have to
he taken and that quite speedily, unless
there was strong hope that the Ameri-
can army would be out of China be-
fore the first of November. Prepare
lions made up to "A recent date looked
To the quartcrlng of the American
force on Chinese soil through the win
ter season. II cannot be said that this
expectation has been entirely abandon
ed, but II Is certain that some of the
hnal purchases and preparations are
suspended for the present, as though
there is considerable probability that
they would not have Ia be made al all.
The War Department has as yet given
no definite statement on this subject
but the suspension of operations Is
Significant.