Arizona republican., 1900-08-15
MIR. CONGER WRITES
But Neglects 10 Date His Letter Which Is Unsatisfactory and Irrelevant. Something Exciting Is Confidently Expected to Happen Soon. - No Word From the Advance Column.

Washington. Aug. 14.-At the close of the official day at the state department the following announcement was bull letined:
 The department of state announces that a message from Minister Conger has been received, but of uncertain date and not in reply to the telegram sent to him on August s. It will not be made public"
 It was stated authoritatively that while the message was of a confidential character, and for that reason could not be given out, yet as a means of all laying possible misapprehension. it could be said that the dispatch showed neither a better nor worse condition on the part of the Iegationers at Pellin. It did not indicate whether Minister Con ger has or has not received any mes sages from this government Nothing was contained in the message which will cause any change in the instruc tiOns sent to General Chaffee.
 In fact it was stated in this same au- thoritative quarter that the only addi- tional instructions sent to General Chaffee since he left Washington were those of a more specific and explicit nature which the developments in China and the information received by the war department necessitated.
 Throughout the day word was anx- iously awaited from General Chaffee as to the development of the military situation near Pekin. but not a word came. nor did Admiral Remey send anything on the situation. The last heard from General Chaffee he was at Ho Si Wu and. according to calcula- tions. he must now be very near Pakin. unless events have occurred to delay his advance.
 Officials are taking into account that an advance even up to Pekin leaves much to be accomplished in military way. It was stated today by an official who has lived at Pekin that nothing short of the heaviest artillery could make any impression upon the walls of the imperial city. He said light artil- lery would be of no avail and for this reason the advance of the flying column even up to the walls of the city could effect little. if a stubborn defense were determined upon. The walls are some fifty feet high and wide enough on top for two coaches to pass abreast. From defensive standpoint the walls afford opportunity for the planting of guns, while from an offensive standpoint they could not be reached except by use of very heavy projectiles.
 Although the situation admits of the prospect of an assault upon Pekin, yet the government officials were decidedly more hopeful today that a solution of the Chinese problem would be found without recourse to such heroic meas ures. The improved feeling is based largely on the belief that China. req lizing that the sacred capital is about to be besieged by the armies of thet world, will yield everything and that terms of the allies.
 While the state department has no specific information as to the future movements of General Chaffee. it is thought that he may have covered the twenty miles between Ho Si WU and Tung Chow. The Pei river makes a great bend between Ho Si Wu and Matow, the next town of importance on the road. It is a low, marshy coun- try, where the river doubles back on itself in it's effort to get forward The road here cuts across the country. re- ducing about twenty-five miles or boat travel to eleven miles of a deep and almost impossible road journey through swamps and quagmires. This country presents no defensive features but about eight miles below Matow comes the important city of Ching Chai Wan.
 This is a strong. defensive point where the Chinese will make a stand if they make it at all, this side of Pekin l From Ching Chai Wan it is practically l all a continuous city for the next three miles until the walled town of Tung Chow is reached. Here are stored inn | mense supplies of grain. on which i Pekin would depend in case of a siege. l The city would be almost as hard. to !, carry as was Tien Tsin probably more | so, owing to the labyrinth of streets or houses outside it's walls.