New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-07-24
ENGLAND STILL IN DOUBT.
FOREIGN OFFICE REFUSES TO BELIEVE
IN MINISTER'S SAFETY.
ICopyrIght 1900: BY -he New-York Tribune
[BY CABLE no THE TRIBUNE.l

ICopyright 1900: BY -he New-Yorl Trbunel
IBY CABLE no THE TRIBUNEI
. London, July q, a. m.-The British Foreign
Office has not been impressed with the American
disclosures regarding the trend of happenings in
China It declines to accept Afr Conger's letter
as anything more than a belated communication
Of al bout the same date as Sir Robert Harts
despairing appeal for succOr, and it regards all
Chinese assurances as TO the safety of the lega-
tons whether from the Niceroys, the Minister,
the correspondents or the Emperor himself, as
tainted with suspicion.
This attitude OF unbelef prevents cooperation
between the Foreign Office and the State De
partment in expediting the marcn Of all the
allied forces from Tlen-Tsin 10 Peking. The
Foreign Ofice is TO courteous to say it be-
Ieves that the State Department has been i'm
posed upon 10y Chinese officials and tricksters.
but that is the sum of the whole matter.
The daily press reflects the opinion Of the
Foreign Office Several journals highly
amused by the credulity of England's American
cousins One or two are contenptuous in their
comments upon their amateur diplomacy.
One important detail has escaped the obserVa-
ton q both the Foreign Office and the Eng
lish press This is the plain inference from the
logic q the situation that Mr.. CcnRers Dispatch
# il had been sent out late in June in an emer-
gency. would not have been in secret cipher but
in plain English so that il could nave peeh
read az once by any consular official American
OF Enyieh. a. Tien-Tsin. The fact that cipher
was employed is prima facie evidence mat the
message was in reply TO Mr.. Hays dispatch OF
inquiry This view is taken by some OF 'he
shrewdest commentators upon the Chinese mys-
terry but neither the Foreign Office nor the press
has considered it worthy of reflection
NEGOTJATIONs WITH BRITAIN.
Communications have been exchanged in the
last forty-eight hours between the American
Embassy and Lord Salisbury, special messen-
gers having gone with them 10 and from Hat
field, but the nature Of the proposals has not
been disclosed II is conjectured that the State
Department has either proposed some scheme OF
mediation based upon an appeal to the emperor
d China upon suggestions to ii hung
Chang, else has urged an immediate au-
vance Of the allied army on Picking. Whatever
may have been the substance of these proposals
II is certain that the Foreign Office is strongly
Heludlced against the trustworthiness OF the
evidence upon which the State Department is
acting ana attaches more Importance tc the
dispatches Of the halfpenny papers describing
tAe massacres at Peking than it does to either
III. Congers message or TO official declarations
the Chinese Viceroys Those dispatches were
HOt based upon the testimony of eyewitnesses'
Oat upon leakage from sheng's servants.
Il Is evident that the mystery of Picking VIII
s'eeolly be cleared up for the British, French
'o other Governments following the lead
me State Department and insisting upon
ing placed in communication with their Min
isterE
BELIEF IN cONGER'S SAFETY.
lie Chinese Minister here is confident that the
-1p'hSes VIII be favorable In every instance ex-
pi that Of Germany, but there is a well
11"aed belief that even the Empress Dowager
'elAng half truths at best. and that only
.eahhant Of the legations is alive Ernest WEE
Hy has expressed this view In THE west
E411eter Cazsffs8 sS+sr SravvinR a striking