The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-19

oucH state OF af1a1rS would mean IN !
calculable loss of life, and complications |
would arise that would make medley of
the whole situation fer years. The seiz-
ing of territory would not be accom-
Pushed without hard struggles, and there
would be rebellions in the provinces and
internal revolutions throughout China.
Whether this alternative, or the peace
full termination of the trouble will result
one can only guess; for 1t all depends
upon the developments to follow the set
Element of the indemnity question. My
guess is that in some way and somehow
there will be a settlement of the diff
culties.
I'm case the situation resolves itself
into a struggle for territory, Russia will
probably come out with more gain than
any other nation, obviously because of
her proximity and her intermingling of
interests.
LAS to the commercial outlook, at pres
ent business in the North of China is
paralyzed, and tit is hindered and much
interfered with in the south. 1t is i'm
possible to go inland for more than twen-
ty miles with safety, and for that reason
neither the native merchants nor the
syndicates can do any active business.
The commercial future depends also up
on the developments; If it all terminates
peaceably, it is reasonable to expect a
great impetus to business and a stimula-
ton of commerce. If peaceable set
tlenent is not reached, the commercial
situation will be as it now is, and much
worse
When Minister Conger was asked about
his experiences during the siege of Pc
king, he said that he preferred not to
talk about them. "It has all been
thoroughly gone over by the newspa-
pers, said he, land what / might say
would furnish but little enlightenment.
All descriptions fall short of describing
the situation; / can only say that it is
a great marvel and past all understand
ing that any one of the 434 people with
in the Legation are alive today. 1t is
impossible to understand how it was that
we were not massacred. Any one who
understands the situation must marvel,
for it was indeed miracle
Mrs. Conger, Miss Conger and Miss
Pierce all of whom experienced the
horrors of the siege, preferred to speak
but little of the terrible weeks within the
legation walls. Mrs. Conger said that
their only salvation, during the long
two months, amid the unspeakable ter
rors OF the situation. was work. OF this
they had plenty. You know we were
without Qualifications" said Mrs. Conger
land we had to make bags which were
filled with sand and used to stop the
; bullets and other n1lssiles-and they were
no common sand-bags either: we had to
utilize the finest kind of silk hanglngs,
our own dresses and skirts, and anything
and everything that we could get hold of.
We were kept very busy during the
whole time, and think 1t saved us from
much suffering. There were about $50
women, and we had two sewing machines
in the place. How we did work, and how
the Boxers did fire and threaten outside!
1t seemed every time that they made
an attack that they would come through;
one th!ng-horrible massacre. 1t all
seems like a dream now. 1 think the
great danger and the long weeks Of ter
ror and horror kind of affected our
/ minds so that we could not realize keen
! ly: if it were not So dc not see how
we could have survived
Miss Conger and Miss Pierce told of
the dreadful days and nights that they
spent in the legation, hopeless, and in
momentary apprehension of being them
selves massacred. and seeing all their
friends and the little children meet with
the same fate. Miss Conger said that
when she was a child she had often read
of Indian rnassacres, and been terrified
in the reading of the stories, but her
most vivid mental pictures could not
surpass in horror the terrible impress
sions of those awful days OF the siege
the seemingly endless succession of hope
less, despairing days anu nights stretch
ing away into weeks ana months, with
the same nightmare of apprehension oy-
err the whole legation.
Notwithstanding their terrible expert
ences. the ladies will return with Mr..
Conger to China Il am so glad, said
Miss Conger, that we did not leave
right away after the siege was ended.
We should have retained only the mem
DRY of those awful times. and we should
never have cared to return. AS it is, we
have had long, beautiful Picking WIN
ter and we are all restored TO health
and spirits again. The happy times we
had before the troubles began come back
to us, and the siege Is merely black
spot that we feel we have left behind.
we are all very fond of Picking, and we
shall go back again.
Mr.. j. d. Jameson. VINO Is traVeIns
with Minister Conger and 4lis party, is
an engineer. and is said to be possessed
of more scientific knowledge in regard &c
all parts of China than any other OF the
profession He will accompany Mr. Con-
ger on his return to China, and is
warm friend and devoted admirer of the
American Minister. Il just want to say
this" said he, "Mr. Conger knows thor
} ouShly where he is at. l am well &C
ouainted with all the foreign Ministers
and have been present at all the discus
sions and during the whole trouble, ane
} T have found that Mr.. Conger is mar
slow to make up his mind, but when M
:. makes 1t up. it Is made up Tor gooa
: Furthermore he never has to change M
: mind, nor to retract anything tnat IN
has said or done. In this particular M
record shows that he has surpassed al
the other Ministers Personally all nj
: actions impress one as being directed 0!
a mind that is at once cautious. prompt
thoroughly balanced and sagactous- III
? had the whole situation at MS hnge
e tips. so to speak, during the enur'
s time, and yet he was never nasty an'
: a1wavs acted in a calm, deliberate wa!
. that admitted of no mistake or error
e Mr.. Conger is man that the nation
should be proud Of"
e