The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-07-26
MINISTER CONGER HEARD FROM
Reports the Legation Under the Constant Fire
of the Chinese Guns.

e"gy had been lent toward meeting the
situation. and there was absolutely
nothing more that could be done. After
all, the cabinet officials felt, and so
stated, that the message was an eyi-
denle OF friendliness an good faith of
A. he pro-foreign element of the Chinese,
md that wisdom dictated a course
which would continue to utilize this
friendship.
The government accepted the mes
>aee as authentic, and Secretary Hay
transmitted it to all our ambassadors
and ministers abroad, with Instructions
TO lay it before the respective govern
.nents to which they are accredited
and urge upon them the necessity OF
cooperation for the immediate relief
OF the Foreigners at Pekin. A me sag ge
was sent by Secretary Long 70 Admiral
Remey conveying the intelligence OF
the desperate situation in Pekin, and
i@strrcting him to use and urge every
possible endeavor for relief"
This message, Secretary Long ex-
planned, meant for Admiral Remey to
himself use" and to urge upon the
commanding officers of the other pow
ers the use of every endeavor for the
relief Of Pekin. Secretary Root sent a
similar notification to Col. Coolidge,
the senior American officer ashore at
Tien-T&in, but without injunction. This
action was the result OF the conference
of Secretaries Hay, Long and Root. 1t
was realized that the land and naval
forces of the United States now in
China could not single handed push on
10 Pekin, and the other powers. accord
ingly were appealed to. on the basis Of
Minister Conger's message, to cooper
ate for instant relief. Secretary Hay
explained his reasons for placing re-
lance in the authenticity of Minister
Conger's dispatch, saying that it was
j complete reply in code to the code
message sent to him. and that its au-
thcnticity was vouched for by the
Tsung Ii Yamen.
OF course" said Secretary Hay
smiling. Il am not omniscient and may
BE- fooled, but | can not see how the
authenticity O: Minister Conger's cable
can be questioned"
Secretary Hay said he attached no
significance to the use of the words
Chinese troops" in the message. They
did not. in his opinion. mean that the
Chinese government troops were be-
sieSing the foreigners. He seemed to
entertain little doubt that the Chinese
government itself was doing all in its
power TO suppress the Boxers insur-
rection. In this connection the mes
sage from Consul Fowler that General
Yuan Shih kai, governor of Shen Tung
province, reported that the Chinese au-
thorities were doing all in their power
% put down the insurrecton, is eX-
ceedingly welcome intelligence 1t not
only confirms the theory Of the State
Department that the position of the
Chinese government is correct, but it
is assumed TO indicate that Yuan Shih
kai has thrown the weight Of his infu-
ence on the side of the government.
Yuan is considered one Of the ablest.
if not the ablest, general, in China. He
has. according to a statement made by
Lord Charles Beresford to prominent
State Department official, when he was
here last fall, the best drilled and
equipped army in China under his COM
mand. Some doubt was entertained as
to which side he would ally himself
with, in the present insurrection and
the fact that he appeared to have come
out on the side Of the government is
cepted as evidence that his best judg-
ment is that Prince Tuans rebellion is
destined to fall.