Evening star., 1901-03-26
NO WORD FROM PEKIN
Minister Wu Not Advised Rerardin,
Action on the Russian Treaty


The Chinese minister left this morning
for New York, where he takes mar, TODAY
In the ceremonies connected with the
Baron Hirsh memorial Up to the time of
his departure Mr.. WI had received no word
from Pekin as to the final course to he
taken on the Manchurian agreement Az
thlS Is the last day within which the agree
ment can be signed or rejected, the final
outcome Is expected to be made known
very soon. 1t has developed, however
that the signing Is likely to occur at St
Petersburg instead of Pekin as the Chi
nese minister at the Russian capital Mr.
Yang Yu, formerly the minister here has
been furnished a copy of the twelve-artic1e
agreement, which Russia expects to have
executed At the same time a supple
mentdry agreement may be executed at
Pekin, although the one pending before
1ans 1u is Just now attracting chief at
tentiOn "
Since Minister Wu's return from Chicago
ne mas held several conferences with Sec
retary Hay, each time in reference to the
Manchurian agreement the last one or
yesterday being in line with those before
m seeking to develop the purposes of this
ana the other powers. But there Is reason
10 believe that some of the cable dispat ches
stating that the Chinese ministers at vari-
Gus capitals have made final appeal of
protest rather miSapprehend the real pur-
pose OF the chinese representations which
nave not been so much by way of protest
as they have been of inquiry as to whether
the great powers would unitedly and firmly
support China in case she took the serious
responsibility of refusing to sign the agree
ment with Russia. The general result Of
these inquiries has been to show that while
the powers did not approve the agreement
they were not ready to commit themselves
10 packing up China in firm rejection of
the Russian proposal and the consequent
oreach between Russia and China.
Destruction of the Forts.
While attention has been centered upon
the crisis connected with the Manchurian
agreement, an entirely new and important
phase of the Chinese question has been
presented by the action of the ministers
at Pekin in agreeing yesterday to submit
TO their various governments whether artt-
cies 5 and 3 of the Chinese protocol shall
be carried out by the military authorities
or all the powers interested In China or
only by those powers who are continuing
to take part in the application of these
articles The action of the Pekin min
lsters has been communicated to several of
the foreign embassies and legations here
and doubtless MIR. Rockhill has made or
will make known the same facts Articles
ana D. on which the governments will
now be asked to express their views. are
as follows:
Article s-The destruction of the forts
which might obstruct free Communications
between Pekin and the sea-
Article SIThe right to maintain occu-
patton OF certain points be determined nv
an understanding among the powers. in
order to obtain open communication be-
tween the capital and the sea-"
Ihese TWO questions appear to involve
territorial affairs. and 1t may become of
considerable moment whether the deter
minatfon Of such affairs is not to be left
with the military authorities of all the
powers. or only with such powers as con-
tinue their military forces in China
May Shut Out This Country.
IN the latter case the United States gov