The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-18
A f ON THE NINTH.
Chinese Official C~ablegram Makes the
Plain statement.

Plain statement.
WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE Chinese
minister has received a dispatch from the
minister at London. authenticated by
Sheng. the imperial inspector of posts and
telegraphs at Shanghai, and by two vice
roys, declaring that the foreigners i'm Pek-
ing were safe on July 8, and were receiving
the protection of the government. This is
two days after the reported massacre. Min
lister WI has laid the message before Sec
rotary Hay. The text is as follows:
The utmost efforts have been made to
protect foreign ministers, who were well
on the 18th Chinese calendar corresponding
to our July 81. If Tien-Tsin city should be
destroyed 1t would be difficult to restore the
same in 100 years. Request the powers to
preserve 1t, as the consequences would af-
feet Chinese and foreign commerce. Earl
Ii Hung Chang is transferred as viceroy to
Chilli. Please transmit this dispatch to
the ministers at other capitals"
This dispatch. which is dated July Is, was
signed by Viceroys Lui Kun Yei and Chang
Chi Tung, of Marking and Wu-Chang, re-
spectively, and also by Sheng, director of
posts and telegraphs at Shanghai. 1t was
addressed to the Chinese minister in Lon
don, and by him transmitted to Minister
WI under to-day's date.
Minister WI received the dispatch about
IL o'clock this morning. and was greatly
pleased with this satisfactory turn of
events. He started at once for the State
Department, where he remained with Sec
rotary Hay for some time. Besides pre-
senting to Mr.. Hay the contents of his dis
match Minister W., Ico a 40 ii.
the direction for an appeal to the powers
not to destroy the walled city of Tien-Tsin.
So far as the United States is concerned
there has been no purpose wantonly to de-
stroy this walled city. although the latest
news from the scene of action indicates
that the walls themselves have been bat
tered down and a considerable portion of
the city destroyed. Mr.. WI said after
ward that he feared the destruction of the
city was little short of complete.
The minister expressed the most COM
plete confidence in the accuracy of the mes
sage showing that the foreign ministers
were well on the 9Th inst. When a by
stander expressed some doubt on this SUBJ
iect, Mr.. WI inquired with some warmth:
why is it that you believe the exaggerated
reports coming from unknown sources, and
yet you choose TO doubt this report, signed
by our highest officials and containing in
herent evidence of accuracy?"
The minister then went on to show that
this dispatch contained three distinct state
ments. One of them, the appointment of
Ii Hung Chang as viceroy of Chilli, had
been confirmed already by the State De-
partment. Moreover, he said tina all three
statements bore evidence of having orig
mated at Picking, including that as TO Ii
Hung Chang. whose appointment necessar-
lily must originate with the government at
Picking.
IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT.
The appointment of Earl Ii as viceroy
of Chilli is considered by Minister WI as
one Of the most important developments
in the entire situation. Chilli Is the great
province in which Picking is located, and
is the very heart of the Boxer movement.
so that the great viceroy now assumes
supreme power at the point of greatest
danger. Minister WI is satisfied that il
Ii Hung Chang had been at Picking there
would have been no such outbreak as has
occurred, as the viceroy is a stern military
man who believes in nipping such move
ments in the bud. The State Department
officials are anxious to accept Wu's mes
sage as accurate, but there are some clouds
Of doubt about it. The question naturally
arises, as 1t has many times i'm the last
two weeks, IL the Chinese government can
communicate in this way with its repre-
sentatives abroad, why can il not permit
the foreign ministers represented to be I'm
der its protection also 10 communicate with
their governments? In answer to the other
question. as to what purpose would be
served by a misrepresentation of facts in
this fashion. IL is pointed out that one re-
suit desired By the Chinese would be the
preservation of Tien-Tsin. and another
would be the abatement of the popular re-
sentiment against the Chinese. temporarily
at least.
l. Hung Chang will replace as viceroy of
the great province of Chilli a mar who
has been VIGOROUSLY anti-foreign i'm his
sentiments and actions. The mmo To
have been inspired by two motives: First.
the great viceroy may have been called to
Peking by the imperial government In or
der that il might avail itself of his wis
dom and experience with foreigners TO ex-
tricate IL from the present position. The
second motive. and one not so promising
for a speedy settlement Of the trouble, is
that old ii has been called upon TO estab-
lish communication with the foreign CON-
maaders and diplomatic representatives
with the deliberate purpose of sowing dis
sension among them. and paralyzing all
efforts at joint action. The officials here