Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-08-09
ENGLISH HAVE THE BLUES.
EASTERN SITUATION LOOKING
DARK TO THEM.
Hope That Pei Tsang Will Show Pow.
ers che difficulties England
Had in Africa.

New York, August 9.--A dispatch to the
Tribune from London says: In spite Of
the message received from Sir Claude
Macdonald, announcing the safety, or the
comparative safety Of the Pekin legations
up to August 8, official circles here are full
Of pessimism. Doubts still prevail, and it
Is felt even now to be more than doubtful
whether the allies can strike hard and
quickly enough to save the ministers.
The publication here of the latest Conger
message confirms this despondent opinion
On the other hand it is worth while to
remember that the British foreign office
has from the beginning displayed a tend
ency to look at the worst side of the
Pekin situation It unhesitatingly accept
ed as authentic the reports from Shanghai
and Che Foo, which gave lurid accounts
of the wholesale massacre of the foreign
ers, and it seems to have made up its mind
that Its representatives had been slaugh-
tered weeks ago. A curious example Of
this despairing frame of mind is found in
the ,,. queens speech, read at the close Of
made to say that it is a matter of un-
certainty whether the British minister and
his family have been among the victims Of
Chlnese Violence. yet shortly before this
document was submitted Mr.. Broderick
read to the house Of commons a cipher dis
patch from Sir Claude which showed that
at any rate the British minister was alive
on Friday last.
Outside Of the foreign office there is a
strong hoEe that the emphatic message
the United States may have some effect
Men who know the Chinese and their
methods believe that the mandarins will
deliver up the ministers unharmed, but moi
until the last moment and when they set
the game n pEevarication and resistance
is up. This would be In accordance with
the attitude OF LII Hung Chang, after the
/ Ten Tsin massacres Of 1870 and with
! Celestial precedent generally, but the ex-
perts admit that the position Of the Man
chu and Tartar fanatics. like Ii Ping Heng
and Tung Fuh Slang, at the head Of large
bodies of well-armed troops Introduces
a new factor whose value they are unable
Nothing Is known here officially as to
the alleged suggestion of the German en-
peror that Count Won Waldersee should be
allied troops in China. II air the proposition @ lon
should be made. it would probably be
welcomed in this country. The British gov
general is possible candidate for the
Office Of generalissimo, and it would as
soon see a German appointed to the post
as one from any other country from this
Her ma5esty's government is extremely
anxious just now to keep on good terms
with Germany iE the far east.
There is considerable seriousness in
Downing street as to the attitude OF
France In regard to the Yang Use valley
English statesmen will have to move with
great caution If they intend to assert the
| paramount lHtcCtSlS OI 1T6dI foTlJdlH III
central China without provoking dangerous
/ opposition on the continent OF Europe.
The accounts Of the battle of Pei Tsans
are too fragmentary for military men here
| to form an opinion on It Of any value
One distinguished soldier said that hi
thought that the stand made by the Chi
nese would, at any rate, give to the for.
/; eign officers a more just appreciation Of
the difficulties encountered by England ir
South Africa.
The Chinese seem to be adopting Boel
foat huf fortunately
Of the fighting quality of the Transvaa
h,lrehers