The age-herald., 1901-04-09
The State Officials Believe
 There is DiscOtd BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA Belief Arises from Mr. Rock hills Latest Dispatch TRUE STATUS IS NOT NOW KNOWN In Case it is Found That Friction Has Occurred, 1t Is Not Expected To
 Disarrange Negotiations
 Now Pending.
TRUE STATUS IS NOT NOW KNOWN

Washington, April S.-The Chinese min- ister was an early caller at the State Department to-day to seek information as to the report based on advices to the State Department that there had been an interruption of the diplomatic proceedings between Russia and China.
 Mir Wu had not been advised of any such development and the information before the State Department was so con- tradictory that 1t did not permit any clear explanation Nof the real state of affairs.
 The doubt arises from the fact that MT. Rockhills latest dispatch does not men, ton any such disagreement and the off, cials feel bound to accept this as pretty strong evidence that prior intimations of discord have not taken actual form
 Yet the dispatch received from MT. Squires, the American charge d'affairs, In the absence of Minister Conger, ap- pears to have been quite implicit that the difficulty had already made itself mani- fest. It is thought possible at the State Department that the circumstances to which MT. Squires referred occurred prior
 
 sian note, and that the trouble may have been adjusted subsequently,.
 An Attitude of Doubt.
 The State Department maintains an at titude of doubt and expectancy, and Is not yet prepared to admit that there has been an Interruption of intercourse be- tween the two countries, either limited or complete.
 Aside from the ,ssegraphic adyices there are some attending circumstances which indicate that at least some strain or par t.al interruption of intercourse has oc- cured. The fact developed In Washing ton about week ago that Russia had delivered to China what amounted to an ultmatum on the signing of the Man churian agreement. This followed the usual course of ultimatums, and fixed a definite limit of days within which China could act. It also conveyed the clear in- timat.on that unfavorable action by China would lead to a severance of diplo- matic relations between the two countries.
 The limit of time fixed Is believed to have been one week and to have expired last Wednesday. China did not sign with in the time limit, and the next day CThursday) Russia addressed her note to the powers, which has been accepted as removing the pressure over the Manchur- ian agreement.
 This at first seemed to be a waiver Of her prior intimat ton of an interruption or diplomatic intercourse, and yet there was no such explicit waiver, and the latest advices from Pekin, reporting that an. in- terruption has now actually occurred, seem to be directly in line with the threat previously conveyed.
 Eriotion Lae 0ceIrred
 The peculiar state of diplomatic rela- tions between the Russian foreign of- flee and the Chinese minister at St. Pet ersburg give further evidence that fric- tion has occurred The illness of Yang Yu was the cause ascribed for his failure to sign the agreement There Is good reason to believe that the Russian authorities did not regard this sickness of Yang Yu as occurring in good faith. but looked up- on 1t as a device to avoid acting. The St Petersburg dispatches now state that Yang Yus' sickness has so increased since his last interview with Count Lamsdorn that he may have to withdraw. This is &C., cepted here in well-posted quarters as delicate intimation that the Russian gov- ernment has expressed it's disapproval Tn such way that Yang Yus' withdrawal will follow in consequence.
 In case there proves to be an interrup- ton of the relations between Russia and China it is not expected to disarrange the negotiations between the other powers and China or between Russia and the powers It probably would be confined to a termination of the close entente long maintained between Russia and China.