New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-14
HAYS NOTE MADE PUBLIC
NEUTRALITY OF CHINA.
Question of ADMINISTRATIVE Entity
in Manchm~ia Left Open.

Washington. Feb. 13.-The State Department
issued the following statement to-day:
After some preliminary exchange Of views
between this government and the governments
OF other powers interested In Chinese matters
the department on February 10 sent the follow
ing instruction to the American representatives
in St Petersburg. Toxic and Picking:
you will express TO the Minister for Foreisn
Affairs the earnest desire Of the government or
the United States that in the course OF the mill
tary operations which have begun between kus-
STA and Japan the neutrality OF China and IN
all practicable ways her administrative entity
shall be respected BY both parties, and that the
area Of hostties shall be localized and limited
as much as possible. so that undue excitement
and disturbance of the Chinese people may DE
prevented and the least possible loss TO the
MAY be oeoasioned. JOHN HAY"
At the same time this government Informed
all the powers signatory or the pI0IoGol al
Peking OF its action. and requested similar
action on their part
NJ Jusserand. the French Ambassador called
on Secretary Hay at mis- residence to-day. Off
cially TO inform him OF Frances acceptance and
.nferentiaIy Il Is known that Russias acqui-
escence VIII be communicated very soon. At
England wants a more definite statement Of
the purpose and scope Of the note Secretary
Hay is not inclined TO yield to tn wish He
thinks 1t would be Impossible TO get the powers
together IL an attempt Is made 10 define the
purpose OF concurrent action very exactly. so
as 10 Manchurfa. the question as to whether or
not Chinese administration Is or IS not In force
IN that territory f. left open purposely. That IS
why the term administrative entity was used
in Secretary Hays note. II IS n question Of
fact to be determined. perhaps. later on whether
OF not China does possess administrative en-
tity" IN Manchuri1.
no ND
The suspicion engendcred by the issue OF the
note is inexplicable 90 the authorities here. Ii
is declared that the government has been ami
mated by the most simple and direct purposes.
ana has tried to express that fact in its note.
There is grave danger OF the flight from Peking
Of the Chinese Court ~ 1t is not speedily con-
WINGED that there is no danger OF an invasion
Of China by one or the other Of the belligerents.
The State Department has been warned by
China itself that the result Of this flight would
certainly be a general uprising against foreign
ers, which might result in massacres, and the
end would perhaps he the disruption OF China
In this event it is believed here that the neutral
powers would make of with the lions share. the
belligerents being too much occupied to prevent
them. This conviction on the part OF officials
here causes them freely TO express the opinion
that Russia will be guilty OF grave mistake
she does do co. It IS said. no attempt will be
made by the United States TO secure the pur-
poses stated in the note by force OF arms In
other words. the United States is not TO be
dragged into hostilities in the East.
Sir Chentung Lang Cheng. the Chinese minis
ter here called at the State Department to-day
and gave formal notice TO Secretary Hay that
the Emperor Of China had issued proclamation
OF neutrality. The minister's dispatch contained
the further Information That in issuing this
proclamation the Emperor had in the strongest
terms enjoined the viceroys and the COVER
nors OF the provinces TO adopt every precaution
for the protection OF foreign life and property in
their territories. The minister feels that no
danger OF attacks foreigners in China is to
be feared in view Of the strong language OF the
proclamation and its speedy distribution.
The japanese Minister Mr. Takahira. also
called at the State Department. He had no
news regarding the progress Of the war, and
rather expected a lull for the next few days.