The Washington times., 1906-02-15
Suggestion That Fleet Be
Sent to Pekin Meets
Favor.
BOYCOTT YET IN FORCE
Southern Provinces Aflame
With Ill Telling Against
American Goods.

Considerable apprehensfon was
aroused in official ana diplomatic cir
eies today as a result OF the report
from Pekin that all the British lega-
tion guards have been We rned that
trouble is impending, that the secre-
tary of the German legation has OBJ
tanned an additional field battery, and
the statement that Is attributed TO Ed
ward NJ. Conger. former minister TO
China, TO the effect that serious trou-
bic Is imminent, and the United States
should issue TO China a warning in
unmistakable terms The reported
suggestion Of the former minister that
the Asiatic fleet be sent TO the sea
shore Of Pekin is approved by many
Government ofaciais,
These reports only tend 10 cOrrObor-
ste recent reports that have come out
of the Celestial empire TO American
business houses, and representatives Of
foreign governments, as we'll as to the
state Department. Many American
concerns heavily interested in China
are receiving detailed reports and keep
ing in close cable communication with
, theiT agents in Chinese cities. and
sthei- advices are almost generally 10
the effect that the situation is even
more threatening than it was previous
10 the Boxer outbreak in 1900.
Alarming Reports Sent.
! Equally alarming reports il IS
N<nown, have reached the State Depart
me0t the past few weeks. from the
~ merioan diplomatic and consular rep
resentatives in different parts Of the
Chinese empire, and ii was on the
strength Of these adVices that the
War and Navy departments were
asked 70 augment their forces ia the |
Orient
Much hope was placed by the Admin /
istration in The visit of the Chinese
imperial commission to this country, |
and it was thought that it would be
the means of bringing the two coun-
tries closer together. Of creating a
stronger and closer friendly interest
between the American and Chinese gov
eTnments as well as between the com |
mercial interests of the two countries.
Favorable reports were cabled by the
commissioners from Washington TO
their government, and even after hav-
ing visited New York and Boston, when
the reports indicated the conditions more
serious the Chinese visitors cabled !
urgent assurances and appeals TO their |
government, insistiag that their dis
patches be published by the viceroys
of the different provinces.
These reports most likely would have
had good effect. but when it became
known here that the American Gov
ernment doubted the sincerity of the
Chinese government in discouraging the
boycott and general anti-foregn move
nlent, these reports have reached China /
with 10 desirable results. Through an
European news agency this information
has been disseminated TO the trouble
some classes throughout the Chinese
empire, and now, ii is understood, re-
ports of the i'll effects of this pub
Hcity are being cabled to Washington
by representatives of this Government ]
In China This only arouses a more
bitter feeling it is said. and the Ad-
ulfnistration nas already manifested a
sudden determination to give a less
alarming complexion to the situation. :
Money Needed for Transportation.
The Administration still is having It's 1
troubles with the Senate Committee on /
Appropriations. and the indications are /
now that Secretary Taft viii not be al !
lowed tie 100000 needed for the trans /
portation of extra troops being sent to |
the Philippines and housing them while /
they are being kept in the islands.
Although it was announced Tuesday !
that Secretary Root would appear be- |
fore the committee Wednesday and ex- /
plain the Chinese situation as il really /
exists, shift In the program suddenly /
was made. and the Senate committee I
still Is ignorant of the real situation
The State Department this morning /
rave out extracts of reports on the sit /
udtiOn.
In neither of these reports is there any
mint of threatened violence or of an |
intention TO inture the persons or prop |
ertS OF foreigners The movement Is. /
IN fact. confined strictly TO trade limits. !
according to this information.
South China Aflame.
South China, which has been the
storm center Of boycott activity from
the beginning, continues to furnish the
most radical tendencies OF the move
naeht- singapore merchants are among
the most rabid of the boycotters.