The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-07-26
WILL INVESTIGATE.
Special Commissioner Sent to Look.
Over Situation in China.


Washington, July 20.-The cabinet
meeting Thursday developed nothing
OF Importance regarding the situation
in China beyond decision to send W.
w. Rockhill, formerly secretary of the
legation at Picking and assistant sec
rotary of state, and now chief Of the
bureau of American republics, to
China to investigate the situation and
report to the authorities here. Mr..
Rockhill will go as special COM
missioner to ascertain the extent of
the responsibility of the Chinese gov
eminent, if any, for the existing dis
turbances and to otherwise furnish
the administration with the informa.
ton upon which the case of the United
States against China for indemnity
and reparation will be based.
Well Equipped for the Mission.
He is well equipped for the mission,
having been secretary of the American
legation in Peking for several years.
He speaks and writes Chinese fluently.
The administration expects authentic
news from Peking soon; in fact, both
the president and his advisers can hard
ly understand why some absolutely re.
liable news has not arrived before this
time.
Likes the Plan.
London, July 20.-The Washington
idea of sending Mr.. Rockhill to China"
says the Standard, editorially, sis an
excellent one, and might advantageous.
ly be initiated by the British and other
governments" The Standard then pro.
ceeds to comment upon the great ig.
norance prevalent in Europe, not only
of recent events, but of Chinese affairs
generally.
ChRfree's Appointment Signed.
Washington, July 2O.-The president
appointed Brig. Gen. A. r. Chaffee, u.
S. ", who is to command the Ameri.
can military forces in China, major
general of volunteers, to make his
rank commensurate with his conn.
mand.~ Although Gen. Miles recon-
mended that Maj. Gen. Bates, now in
the Philippines, be assigned to the
command of the troops in China, he
is well pleased with the promotion OF
Gen. Chaffee. His recommendation
was made on the ground that the serv.
ices called for required an officer of
the rank of major general, and he
named Gen. Bates for the reason main
ly that Gen. Chaffee only held the rank
of brigadier general.
Oregon Can BE Patched.
Washington, July 20.-The navy de.
partment Thursday morning received
the following dispatch from Capt.
Wilde, commander of the Oregon, dated
Kure, July IS:
Secretary Navy, Washington: Oregon
and Nashville arrived Kure two o'clock
this afternoon. Expect to dock on the 18th.
Shall l make permanent or temporary re-
pairs? ] would suggest putting on steel
patches which can be done In very short
time and ship go back to her duty at Taku.
To make permanent repairs 1t will require
at least 60 days, probably more. Not sin
gle man injured in any way.
To this dispatch Secretary Long al
once replied, as follows:
Universal rejoicing over safety of Ore.
gon. She is the Constitution of this gem
Grafton. If safety of Oregon permits patch
and go to Taku. 1 commend your prefer
ence for service there,
"LoNG."
Viewed as Idle Tales.
Washington, July 20.-In the alb
Sence of direct news from China Thurs
day morning, attention was directed
mainly to the more or less speculative
stories emanating from European cap
itals indicative of discord among the
powers. 1t is realized, that these little
ebullitions of mutual suspicion always
characterize allied movements, and SO
are to be expected in the present case.
1t can be stated that, so far as official
record discloses, there is absolutely no
ground for them. Our government
having fully defined its intentions in
Secretary Hays note of July 8, the
other governments interested in the
Chinese situation have entered into the
spirit of that declaration of principle
with perfect accord.
At least that is the record both writ
ten and oral, and Russia, power more
than any other under suspicion in these
stories, has not been backward in as
surfing the state department of the CO.
incidence of Secretary Hays declara-
tion with Russia's purpose in China. 1t
is, of course, possible that some of the
powers are swayed by motives that do
not appear in their formal declara-
tions. The state department, however,
cannot go behind their formal express
sions and can now only await results.
WI Not Restricted.
There is not the slightest disposition
on the part of our government to fol
low the example of certain European
powers and restrict in any measure the
liberty of the Chinese minister here,
Mr.. WI, in communicating with the
Chinese viceroys and whatever remains
of the titular Chinese government. On
the contrary, crediting the minister
with an earnest desire to do everything
in his power to protect foreigners in
the Chinese empire, and confident that
he has no sympathy whatever with
the insurrectiopary Boxer element,
the state department regards it as good
policy to facilitate, rather than OBJ
struct, his communications with the
Chinese viceroys.
If there should be declaration Of
war by Russia upon china, based on
what is said to have occurred on the
Siberian border, the technical rela-
tions of the allied powers towards
China might, it is said, here, undergo
q radical change.