Evening star., 1901-10-16
Special Envoy to China Arrived at
Victoria Yesterday.
he TELLS OF CONDITIONS In PEKIN
Says the Country VIII Soon Set
tie Down to Business.
TRADE WILL BE ENORMOUS

VICTORIA. B. c., October 18.-Mr. W.
w RockhiIl the commissioner who repre-
sented the United States In the negotiations
between the allies and China, arrived yes
terday by the steamer Empress of Japan
on his way to Washington. He has with
him a copy of the protocol between China
and the powers which was recently signed
by the representatives of the various ma
tions interested He will proceed direct to
Washington.
Affairs in China have resumed their nor
NAL state. the commissioner said In in
terview. He did not anticipate any further
outbreak. yet there was no telling what
would happen in China The so-called in
surrection in Kan Su and Manchuria he
said, were simply local uprisings which had
been very much exaggerated. Three hum
dred Chinese troops entered Pekin on Sep
tember IL and the keys of the gates were
handed over to Prince Ching with elaborate
and brilliant ceremonies. All the foreign
troops were Withdrawn with the exception
of the legation guards and guards at the
railway station. Since the Tien Tsin affair
there has been no trouble over the railway
from the coast to Pekin. which is con-
trolled by the British in fact, the CONNER
cial interest seemed to be in charge of that
country and commission was being or
ganized to conduct commercial negotiations
with China. This commission will revise
the treaties and arrange for the opening
Of more ports. The commissioner is of
opinion that the work of the commission
will bring about much better state of
anairs- The British and Chinese members
Of the commission have already been ap-
pointed and the other nations had been
asked to name their representatives.
Pekin Policed by Chinese.
Before Mr.. Rockhil left Pekin the Chi
nese troops had commenced to police the
city The people, he said. had been bene-
flied by the occupation. they having been
given work rebuilding the legations and on
other works at wages which they had
never dreamed Of On the other hand, many
OF those who were well off before the oc-
cupation had been rendered destitute as
a result of it The legation concessions
had been greatly increased and the British
legation is being built in the form OF a fort
with a moat and guns mounted.
Mr.. Rockhill said he expected to hear
kin.
While missionaries were murdered and
tortured In other parts of China Roman
Catholic missionaries had lived under the
protection of the court at Hsiang Flu Brit
1sh officers and missionaries had since Wis
ated the court and were warmly received
Mr. RockhllI says many people are
Starving In the district in which Hsiang
Flu is situated, but the reports of famine
IN other parts OF the empire sent out to
the press have been greatly exaggerated.
4oAAlAIIt Is IIe result OF tle failure Ef
the crops.
Mr.. Rockhin said that while Ii Hung
Shang retains his mental vigor, ne is break
ing down physically. He had a splendid
appetite, but suffers much from indiges-
tion and high fevers
The Russians are having considerable diff
hculty on the China Manchuria railway on
account of the floods They do not aIlou,
ofncers of other nations into the country
but have no objection to civilians travelling
through. Mr. Rockhill does not look for
Z D0om when conditions in China are again
setueo, but says the trade will be enor-
nous
News of More Trouble.
News was received by the Empress of
Japan of further rebellions in China
pitched battle occurred on September 30
between the imperial Chinese forces under
General Tsen and a force of 1000 insur-
gents near Hsinho In Chill Ii, sixty miles
south of Pao Ting Flu. Thirty rebels were
killed, many were wounded and the re-
mainder fed. Several villages were taken
by the troops.
In Chou Chou a rebellion has also taken
place and the missionaries have been driven
out At kiang Shan several of the rebels
have been seized and beheaded Mission
aries also tell of troubles in Kaing 81
Many letters have been written 10 the
North China Daily News telling of the
rlsings IN the vicinity, but giving few de-
tails
Inc North China Daily News reports
much military activity by Russia i'm tbe
north and states that a number of troops
nave been sent south, where II is believed
they Will be massed on the Corean from
tier. -
The japanese minister to Pekin Mr. Ko-
moura. has returned to Toxic and in an
interview he says that there are 40 600
Russian troops in Manchura He saws as
soon as the Chinese court is established at
Pekin the question of the evacuation hv
Russia Will be taken up
Russia has offered China 5000 900 taeIs
Jor her Meet OF warships. according to the
Shanghai Mercury Many papers print re-
ports that the return 10 Pekin of the court
had been postponed for two years.