Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-20
TIEN TSIN SITUATION.
Local Official View of the CompIfca-
tiOns in China.

Another communication was received to-
day from Special Commissioner Rockhill
touching the complications that have re-
suited at Pekin from the efforts of the va
rlous powers to reach a uniform basis for
their indemnity claims, but there Is noth-
ing to indicate that an agreement is any
nearer than it was when this subject was
first taken up by the ministers Although
the State Department is more than ever
convinced that it's suggestion looking to
the reference of the entire subject Of in
IDENTITIES to The Hague commission was a
true solution of the difficulty, that PROPOSE
tion having been definitely rejected early
IN the negotiations is not now before the
ministers No precise instructions have
been sent to Mr.. RockhiIl within the last
few days on this point, owing principally
to the absence of the President from Wash
ington, and he has been allowed to pro-
ceed under the very general instructions
that We're laid down for his guidance some
weeks ago, supplemented by a few short
cable notes touching some minor points.
1t Is presumed that now that the Prcsf-
dents attention Is again directed to the
subject there will be more complete defini-
ton of policy.
The situation at Tien Tsin still fails to
excite the officials here. Knowing that the
controversy Is already the subject of eX-
changes between the British and Russian
foreign offices the officials feel that the
critical point has passed, for in such cases
the great uduSeF lies III dl u1lautnOTlESu
clash between the military forces. That
point Is believed to be passed at Tien Ts.n.
A curious fact in connection with the
Nanchurian complication that so far
there is no trace of an off <ial protest to
Russia against the executions of her an
nounced program IN Manchuria 1t Is not
for lack Of disposition to oppose that policy
that the protest has not appeared but for
these two reasons: In the first place there
is no authenticated copy to be had of the
reputed Chino-Russia agreement; and in the
second place no one of the powers has yet
been found willing to take the initiative in
challenging Russia. Our own State Depart
ment has exerted what influence it could to
churta, the result of which has been to Sc
cure repetition of the Russian disclaimer
OF improper motives, but not definition
Of the program for the future, further than
1t was defined in the famous Russian pro-
nouncement of August last.
No official estimate has yet been made Of
the amount that the United States will de-
mand as indemnity for losses suffered on
account of the Boxer outrages In China A
rough estimate has been made however of
the general expense of military operations
In that quarter, including indemnity for
lives and property, which foots I'D about
s25.0Oo,00o. This total is made up princi-
pally of transportation, subsistence and
naval expenses, indemnity for sixty-eight
Americans killed and many Americans in
jured and for property destroyed.
Although there is no definite information
on the subject, ii is intimated that Germany
has already made up a list of losses and ex-
penses amounting to about $50 900 600 and
that the list is growing.