The evening times., 1900-07-27

The Government has new information,
which it accepts without reservation, tha;
Yuan. the Governor Of Shantung Province,
and Sheng. the Director of Railways and
Telegraphs Of the Chinese Empire, through
whom the alleged Conger message OF July
IS was transmitted to Washington, knew
the contents Of Secretary Hays cipher
message of July II to Mr.. Conger and the
contents OF the cipher despatch signed
/ with the American Minister'S name which
came as a reply.
The Times reporter has the authority
! of an official whose standing is so high that
he speaks for the Government. for the
statement that the information that Sheng
and Yuan knew the contents OF both Sc
cret messages is practice .Iy convincing
But this is not the only evidence that has
been gathered by the Government 20 cast
| doubt on the authenticity Of the answer
signed with the name of the American
Minister Information has been received
from several sources that shows almost
cOnclusiveiy that the answer could have
been written by Chinese officials.
While these accumuIating bits Of evil
dence are not disclosed. it is significant
hat the authorities regard them as not on
ly reasonable but based on knowledge
which it : impossible TO gard as other
than absolutely trustworthy. It is now
semi-offcia.ly admitted that so many
doubts have been cast on the authenticity
% the "Conger" answer of July IS. that
The Government has practically abandoned
its hope ard its partial belief that it was
a genuine message Of the date given
The source OF the information Which
has reached the Government that the coz
tents Of both enquiry and answer were
known to Sherg and Yuan is withheld by
the officials. 1t viii Be re11em5e-ed that
the 'Conger' message Of July IS came in a
long telegram. purpo.ting TO have been sent
by the Tzung- -Ii-Yamen. OF Foreign Om-e. It
Pekin. to Governor Yuan. and By him trans
mit,ed to Sheng at Shanghai. who oab-ed
it to Minister Wa Ting-faug. in Washing
ton The Indications ali point TO the pos
session by one or both OF these oeicials Of
copies Of the State Department cipher de.
although yesterday the officials Of the de-
partment we're positive that 10 copy OF the
code had beer lost in China.
Cabinet Council SUMMONED.
Secretary Hay returned TO Washington
this morning from Canton and Cleveland.
and soon after arriving at his Office he sent
notice to those of MS Cabinet colleagues
who are in town that he would be glad
to meet them in conference at the State
Department at II O'Clock. At that h-ur
Secretary Gage, Secretary Root. and Post
master General Smith assembled in Mr.
Hays room. The statement was made by
one of these Cabinet officers that the con-
ference was not based on any important
information about the Chinese situation,
but grew out Of the desire expressed by
the President when he was in Washington
last week that ne would like the Cabinet
Officers to meet here occasionally and az
ter exchanging views about the conditions
in China and other impOrtan; matters 10
give him the benefit Of their conclusions
and advice
As MIR. Hay has just returned from Can
ton, fresh from long talk with Mr. Nc
Kinley, he deemed it well. it was explained.
to call his colleagues together in order TO
inform them Of the Presidents views on
certain aspects of the Chinese situation and
to hear what they thought Of conditions
over there
At the Cebinet council the information
that Sh,ng and Yuan knew the contents
Of Secretary Hays and the Conger cipher
dispatches was considered. The opinions
expressed by the Cabinet officers may be
summed up in the expression OF one of
them that while the light of hope that
the ministers were alive on July Is sim
shines, it is burning very dimly and may
go out at any time
knowledge that despatch in cipher had
been received by the Navy Department
this morning from Rear Admiral Remey
gave rise to a report that it contained i'm
portant news and that this news was the
reason for Secretary Hays call for Cab
met conference.
1t is denied, however, by all those con-
cerned that the telegram from Remey was
important enough to justify a Cabinet
council. but Admiral Crowninshieid. the
Acting Secretary of the Navy. deemed it
unwise to give the message to the press.
There was nothing in the despath TO in
dicate that the allied commanders intend
ed to carry out their agreement to begin
the march against Pekin on next Monday
The commanders had not agreed. up to the
time Admiral Remey's message was sent
on supreme command ier of the allied
Tnble d'Hote Dinner 95 Cents,