The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-26
THE PLOT THICKENS
RELATED MESSAGE FROM CoNGER
ADDS TO THE DOUBT.
WAS IN GRAVE DANGER JULY d.
TAF<'s MESSAGE MAY BE A PART OF
A CHINESE SCHEME.

tea DE ~ SOmDOn Nn1neSe
Ortgin-United States VIII Push on
TO Pekin with More Energy Than
Ever-Au the Powers Asked to
Mediate.
Washington, July 25.-The receipt at
Iien Tsin of an undoubtedly genuine and
autographic message from Minister Con-
ger has done nothing to d!sspate the
doubt as to the situation at Pekin. The
message, which was forwarded by the ma
val officers at Tien Tsin, Taku and Che
Foo has indeed served only to deepen the
darkest mystery of the century
The official conclusion remains unchang-
cd, of course, but it is admitted that
careful scrutiny of the autograph mess
age in comparison with the famous cipher
message from Minister Conger admits of
the belief that the two messages were
inGited by Mr.. Conger at about the same
tine.
The situation at the British legation is
Represented to be the same in each case,
and as Mr. Copger declares that relief
must come quickly, if at all, there is
ground for the supposition that conditions
could not long have remained unchanged
in such crisis. The assumption that this
reasoning is correct involves the further
conclusion that Mr.. Conger's cipher mess
age, If genuine was redated as of the
18th of July, two weeks later than the
date of actual writing, and of course, if
reda ed at all that was done by Chinese
officials.
Those Suspicious Messages.
On the other hand. and in support of
the state department position, came to-
day a message from another of the great
Ch nese viceroys, TAX, at Canton. he who
took charge after Ii Hung Chang's de-
parture This also affirmed solemnly the
safety of the legationers, and coming
from so many different sources and from
such important Chinese officials, these dis
patches must claim. attention.
p. pessimistic view of them, however, at
tributes to all a common origin, namely,
someone high Chinese parsonage at Pekin.
1t is noted that Tak's assurance brings
the ministers one day further towards
ultimate rescue than has any preceding
message. The fact that it allows only
three days to cover the transmission over
the great distance between Pekin and
Canton has attracted attention here. and
appears 10 demand explanation. if the
message is to be accepted as genuinely of
Pekin origin.
All Asked to Mediate.
Ii was not known to the state depart
ment until the pulca tion of the fact in
the news dispatches that the French gov
eminent also has been addressed by the
Chinese government in the effort TO Sc
cure mediation. Now it appears that still
other powers were addressed in a similar
strain 1t is known that Great Britain
and Germany and probably Russia have
received such messages. The language
is not the same, but the animatng 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 Powers TO resort to the
settlement of the difficulties between them
and China by the substitution of negotia-
tions for armed force.
This appears more clearly from a COM
parison of the various notes than 1t did
in the single note addressed to the Presi-
dent. Being so, the chances of a success
ful outcome of this attempt of the Chi
nese government to secure amelora tion of
the consequences of the Boxer uprising
are much diminished by the intimation
that the Powers are expected to refrain
from pressing the movement towards Pc
kin
Moving with Greater Energy.
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 con-
tingent in position for the task before it.
Gen. Chalfee reported 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
De gathered from the generals report
that he was about to push forward at
once with his big transport for Taku. He
VIII not even stop at Che Foo, and 1t is
even doubtful whether he viii detain the
Grant at Nagasah long enough TO take on
coal. He is also energetically taking
steps in advance to meet the evil of which
ell the foreign naval commanders have
complained, but none have remedied,
Iack of landing facilities at Taku. To
'hIs end he has instructed Lieut.. Col.
coolidge of the Ninth Infantry at Tien
lsin TO secure at once all of the tugs and
nshters necessary to a speedy landing of
'He endorsements and stores that are be-
ing carried out by the United States
transport Grant
Preparations Unnbnted.
IN spite of the alarm with which the
NH'hese officials, including Ii Hung
NHang. processes to-view the advance Of
he allied forces on Pekln, so far as it
'"ee's the safety of the foreign minis
'ers 1t may be said that none of the
IoWers has evinced any tendency TO
"'ate their preparations or to accept an
escort of imperial troops for the minis
'eIs from Pekin TO Tien Tsin.
IAls government has acted all the while
un che theory that the ministers were
awe and has accepted in good faith the
assurances Of the Chinese government TO
'''s enect but 1t has not recognized in
any way the suggestion contained in