The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-19

PEKIN. Feb IS.-(5:40 p 1n-)-Last Sat
urliay was an uncomfortable one for Ii
Hung Chang and Prince Ching, the Chi
Rese peace commissioners DIT. Mumn
Won Schwartzenstein the German Minis
ter. visited the Chinese envoys on that
day and Informed them that Count Won
Waldersee would be ready 20 start great
expedition for singan-fu on Feb. -, II the
Chinese Government did not comply with
the demands Of the ministers before that
date.
The Chinese commissioners asked the
minister how many men would compose
the expedition. DIT. Won SchWartzeustein re
fused to tell, bat said tf-re would be suf-
fcient to get through TO the Chinese cap
ItaL
The Chinese commissioners Immediately
despatched an alarming message TO the
Empress Dowaser, IN which they informed
her that she must hurry and agree to the
terms and that the Germans would surely
start for Singan-fu if she did not settle
by the date mentioned
Later in the day an attache of the Brit
ish Legation visited Ii Hung Chang and
Prince Ching and told them that the En-
glish were tired OF waiting 20 hear from
the Chinese Government Their troops, he
said. were anxious and enthusiastic 10 join
an expedition and would start next Sat
urday with the Germans They would
never rest until they got the entire Court
in their hands. and, once they had sue
eeeded in doing this. there was no telling
what would happen
This alarmed the Chinese commission
ers still more and they rushed a second
telegram to the Empress Dowager in
which they urged the necessity for quick
action on her part
A little later an attache Of the japanese
Legation visited Ii Hung Chang's temple
and told the Chinese ENJOYS that the jap
anese were under Count Won Waldersee's
orders and would be compelled to join the
expedition next Saturday. The japanese
attache advised quick compliance with the
demands OF the ministers as the only way
OF preventing the despatch Of the expedi-
ton
Thereupon. the Chinese commissioners
hustled of a third telegram TO the En-
press Dowager. This time they tcld her
that there were only two heads in Ques-
tion-thase OF Chao Shu Chao and Ying-
Iien-whiIe If the expedition should start
thousands Of her loyal subjects would be
killed. and there would also be a tremen-
dous property loss.
All these kilograms are now in the
hands Of the Empress Dowager and the
Court, and 1t is very likely that thsy viii
interfere somewhat with the New Year
festivities. which are supposed to last
I've days
Meantime. the German. British. and
japanese headquarters show great signs
making every preparation to start on the
23d. II It should be necessary
Two edicts were received from the
Court today in favor Of reform One Of
them. which purports TO have been writ
ten by the Emperor, is particularly re-
markable- Kwang Hsu bewails the posi-
ton in which China is al present He
says that he and the Empress Dowager
hsd determined 10 commit suicide rather
thar see Pekin fall into the hands of for
eigners. They were about to kill them
selves when they were prevented by the
high ministers of state, who rushed IN,
hustled them out of the palace, and
forced them into carts
They left the city during a hail Of shell.
shot, and cannon halls and for days they
suffered awful privatIons- They had not
even sufficient to eat and their clothes were
so thin that the cold penetrated their mar
row The edict continues:
1T makes our hair stand on end TO
think Of it even now when We are living
surrounded by squalor. poverty. and mis-
cry. Al this is the fault of our wicked
ministers who advised the throne"
The ediet continues at great length on
the necessities OF reforms One would
think from this description of the priva-
lions which she suffered that the Empress
DOwager would be delighted to indulge in
some head-chopping. but the edict did not
offer to behead any more officials than the
ones she has already agreed to kill
The ministers at d meeting today de-
eided TO notify The Chinese commissioners
that the edict providing for additional
punishments was not satisfactory ard that
the Powers insist on full compliance with
their original demands
AN ULTIMATUM TO CHINA.