Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-26
WILL 60 AT ONCE
CONSULS APPOINTED TO MOUK-
DEN AND ANTUNG.
Expect to Reach Their Posts in About
Five or Six Weeks After
Their Departure.

Under the provisions of the treaty with
China, just ratified and exchanged, the
State Department intends to dispatch at
once the two consuls who are to take post
at Moukden and Antung, in Manchuria. 1t
was at first contemplated that these officers,
Messrs. Cheshire aid Davidson, should
make the trip eastward, crossing the At
lantic and travelling by rail across Europe
and Siberia to Manchuria; but as 1t Is re-
garded as desirable that the new consulates
be opened to business as early as possible.
and as there are many chances of delay on
the Siberian railroad owing to the winter
season. it was decided to send the officers
over the Pacific. Thus they will be able
to reach their posts in about five or six
weeks after their departure In some re-
spects the journey will be unique after the
consuls disembark at Port Arthur or Much
wang, as Manchuria is covered with snow
and ice and the rivers are frozen solidly
Mr.. Davidson, who goes T. ntung. mas
had an arctic experience W. Peafy that
will make it easy for him to combat such
advel5e climatic conditions as exist In
Manchuria, while Mr.. Cheshire has Travelled
in that country before in winter. In fact,
he knows more of China than the Chinese
themselves, for he has spent the greater
part of his life there.
He was appointed acting Interpreter at
Foochow by George Seward, United states
minister in September, 1877. He served In
that capacity until August Z, 1873, when ne
was appointed vice consul at the same
post and was in charge of the consulate
from November, 1878, to May, 1879 MT.
Cheshire was in charge of the consulate at
Canton from October IL, 1873, to April ~,
1880; was appointed interpreter to the con-
sulate general at Shanghai June 10, 1880.
He was appointed vice consul general at
Shanghai March %. 1882, and was in charge
of the consulate general from October, 1882,
to April, 1888, and also from December,
1888, to July, 1884. He acted as United
States assessor at the mixed court Shang-
hal from April, 1880. to July. 1884. and in
July, 1884, was transferred to the United
States legation at Picking, under temporary
appointment by Secretary of State Freling-
huysen as acting secretary and interpreter.
He was appointed interpreter September 2,
1884, nd Chinese secretary to the legation
at Picking on May 16, 1900 to take effect
July 1, 1900. He resigned this position on
April I, 1901 on being appointed Chinese
secretary to the United States commits
sioner, w. w. Rockhill, and served with
him during peace negotiations at Peking
He resigned this position in Washington on
expiration of leave in October, 1901.
During the siege Of the legations at Pc
king in 1900 Mr. Cheshire directed the cree
ton of sandbag barricades on the city
walls, leading the native Christians in this
exposed work: also acting as interpreter in
connection with the general work Of de-
Tense.
To Be Given Student Interpreters.
To assist the two Manchurian consuls
and Mr.. Morgan, who is to be sent to
Dalny as CONSUL the State Department has
authorized the detail of a student inter-
prefer to each place. At the suggestion of
Mr.. Rockhill some years ago provision was
made by Congress for the training of
number of such students in the Chinese
language. They were to be young Ameri-
cans, and were to live at the legation at
Picking, and In consideration of their train
ing in the Chinese language and the salary
or Sl,0OO per annum they agreed to remain
for a specified term of years in the service
of the United States. Some such scheme
was necessary because it was with great
difficulty that Chinese interpreters could
be found for reasonable compensation.
and their loyalty to the United States could
not always be depended upon
This plan has worked WELL and there are
now seven young men under instruction in
Minister Congers legation, while an eighth
is on his way to Picking. The details for
the Manchurian consulates and Dalny will
De made from the seven students, and to
Minister Conger will be left the selection.
Threat Disavowed by Russia.
The Russian government has entered a
formal denial with the State Department
of the authenticity of the interview as
cribed to M. Plancon, the Russian diplo-
matte agent at Port Arthur, wherein this
ofhcer is said to have intimated that Russia
intended to obstruct the admission of
United States consuls to Manchuria and
the exercise by them of their proper func-
lions.