Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-10-17
.ROCkH|LL HAS RETURNED|
American Commissioner to China Ar
rives at Victoria on His Return
Trip from the East.
Fears no Further Trouble as Affairs
in Celestial Empire are Resuming
Shape.
Trade will be Enormous When Com
ercial Relations with the Chinese
~ are Resumed.

Victoria, B. c., Oct. NV. ".
Rockhill, the commissioner who repre-
sented the United States in the nego-
tiations between the allies and China,
has arrived by the steamer Empress of
Japan on his way to Washington. He
has with him a copy of the protocol
between China and the powers which
was recently signed by the representa-
t1veS OF the various nations interested.
Affairs in China have resumed their
normal state, the commissioner said
in an interview. He did not anticipate
any further outbreak, but there was
no telling what would happen in Chi
ma. The so-called instructions in
Kansu and Manchuria, he said, were
Simply local uprisings which had been
very much exaggerated. Three hun
dred Chinese troops entered Peking on
Sept. II and the keys of the gates
were handed over to Prince Ching
with elaborate and brilliant ceremoa-
les. All the foreign troops were with
drawn with the exception of the lega-
tlon guards at the railway stations.
oAASS IAC lCA L Sill dud1I IucIt Has
been no trouble over the railway from
the coast to Peking, which is controll-
ed by the British, in fact the CONNER
cial interests seemed to be taking
charge Of the country and commits
sion was being organized to conduct
commercial negotiations with China.
This commission will revise the treat
les and arrange for the opening Of
more ports. The commissioner is of
the opinion that the work of the COM
mission will bring about much better
state of affairs.'
Benefited by Foreign Occupation.
Before Mr. Rockhill left Peking the
Chinese troops had commenced to po-
lice the city. The people, he said, had
been benefited by the occupation,
they having been given work rebuild
ing the legations and on other works
at wages which they never had
dreamed of. On the other hand many
of those who were well off before the
occupation had been rendered desti-
tute as result of it. The legation
concessions had been greatly increas-
ed and the British legation is being
built in the form of fort, with moat
and guns mounted.
Mr.. Rockhill said he expected to
hear very shortly of the return of the
court to Peking.
While missionaries were murdered
and tortured in other parts of China,
Roman Catholic missionaries had lived
under the protection of the court at
Hsiang Flu. British officers and mis-
sionaries since had visited the court
and were very warmly received.
Mr.. Rockhill says many people are
starving in the district in which
Hsiang Flu is situated, but the reports
of the famine in other parts of the en-
pire sent out to the press have been
greatly exaggerated The famine is
the result of the failure Of crops.
Mr.. Rockhill said that while Ii
Hung Chang retains his mental vigor,
he is breaking down physically. He
has a splendid appetite but suffers
much from indigestion and high fe-
vers.
The Russians are having considera-
BILE difficulty on the China-Manchuria
railway on account of the floods. MT.
Rockhill does not look for boom
when conditions in China are again
settled. but says the trade will be
enormous.