The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-16
BIG NEWS MUST COME SOON.
1t Is Believed That Gen Chaffee Is
Close to Pckin-ConRer's Mess
age Not Yet Given Out.

Washington, Aug. 5-The tension of the
Chinese situation has been intense
throughout the day, for 1t is appreciated
by officials that the crisis has reached
the acute stage, which cannot be con-
tinued many hours without bringing word
of momentous import determining either
for good or evil, the entire course of
events.
1t has been day of extreme anxiety,
of watching and waiting, with only mea-
ger and fragmentary information as 90
the military and diplomatic phases.
One Of the new Developments to-day
was the statement that messages are be-
ing received from Minister Conger which
are not transmitted through any of our
officials in China or through the Chinese
minister here, but directly to the state
department. These messages come by the
way of Tsi Nan. Some of them cannot be
fully deciphered and for this reason the
statement cannot be definitely made that
the dispatches sent by the government
to Minister Conger are received by him.
So far as the messages have been de-
ciphered, there is no indication that Min
lister Conger received any information or
dispatches from our state department.
Nothing could be learned of the contents
of the dispatches received, although it was
stated that there were quite a number
from Minister Conger, some coming from
the consular officers and Gen. Chaffee,
besides those which come direct. The
message transmitted through Minister WI
was entirely deciphered in the State De-
partment.
Hard Work Ahead of Allies.
During the course of a conversation to-
day between Secretary Root and Baron
Won Sernberg. the German charge
daffaires. Mr.. Root gained con-
siderable information concerning the
route which has yet to be ira
versed by the allied armies. Baron Stern
berg told him that Tung Chow was a very
should make a stand at this point the
international forces would find IL quite
difficult 10 overcome the forts and walls.
While it is not known what resistance
may have been, or will be, made to ad-
vance TO Tung Chow, Secretary Root and
other officials would not be surprised to
learn of a very serious battle at this
place.
1t is expected that the German force
now on its way 10 China will land in the
vicinity of Lin Yu, which is directly east
of Pekin. The advantages of this Doint
al in no
interfere with the going and coming OF
ships with supplies. 1T also is said that
the road from Lin Yu to Pekin is much
letter than that between Tlen Tsn and
Pekin as the ground is higher and the
country more suitable for military opera
tions.
Chnffee Nearing PeIkin.
Word came early in the day to the navy
department that Gen. Chanee had reach
ed Matow, about twenty miles from Pc
kin This occurred on Friday or satur-
day though the d spatch from Gen. Chat
fee, sent through Admiral Remey, was
not sufficiently definite to locate the ex-
act time OF reaching Matow. But, in any
event. three or four days have elapsed
SINCE tneu, ana lneTe mas Dcen time FOR
a still further advance toward the i'm
perial city.
The feeling amcng officials was shown
in the extreme circumspaction thrown
about oll m ssages relating to China, and
1t was announced both at the state and
war departments that any communca-
tons from Minister Conger or the United
STATES consuls concerning affairs in Chi
ma would not be made public. 1t was ex-
planned that this was In no way due to
any desire to keep from the public in
formation of an important character, but
was based soely on the fact that the
crisis involved SO many poss biliiies of ex-
treme hazard 10 he so legatloners in
Pekin that the greatest caution must be
observed against disclosures which would
further imperil those IN danger.
The actual developments OF the day con.
sisted OF the Remey dispatch heretofore
alluded to, and one from Consul General
5continued on Fifth Pagel