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Show China Blames Zbe Powers Washington, July 11. Wu Ting Fang the Chinese minister to this country, this morning delivered to Secretary Hay a copy of a cablegram received by him purporting to be from the Chinese Chi-nese imperial government disclaiming responsibility on the part of the imperial im-perial government for the Boxer troubles, trou-bles, asserting that the engagement .at Tien Tsin was the direct result of the bombardment of the Taku forts by the ! foreigners, and declaring that the di-i di-i plomats were protected. Admiral Kempff has scored another credit through the statement, as the bombardment of the forts at Taku was-j done over his protest and without his j participation. The imperial decree is dated 3rd day I of 6th moon, and was received by tele- graph today by Minister Wu from the j Taotai of Shanghai, transmitted on ' July 1 from the treasurer of the Chih Li province, who received it by special j courier on June 30 from the board of I war, who in turn received it from the ptivy council in Pekin. The decree is as follows: "The circumstances which led to the commencement of fighting between Chinese and foreigners were of such a complex, confusing and unfortunate character as to be entirely unexpected. "Our diplomatic representatives abroad, owing to their distance from the scene of action, have had no means of knowing the true state of things, and accordingly cannot lny the views of the government before the ministers minis-ters for foreign, affairs of the respect ive powers to which they are accredited. accredit-ed. Now we take this opoprtunity of going fully into t;ie matter for the information in-formation of our representatives aforesaid. afore-said. "In the first place there arose in the ! provinces of Chi Li and Shan Tung a band of rebellious subjects who had been in the habit of practicing boxing and fencing in their respective villages and at the same time clothing their doiners with spiritual and stranee rites. The local authorities failed to take due notice of them at the time. Accordingly According-ly the infection spread with astonish-nig astonish-nig rapidity. Within the space of a month it seemed to make its appearance appear-ance everywhere, and finally even reached the capital itself. Every one looked upon the movement as supernatural super-natural and strange, and many joined it. . "Then there were lawless and treacherous treach-erous persons who sounded the cry of 'Down with Christianity.' About the middle of the fifth moon these persons began to create disturbances without warning. Churches were burned and converts were killed. The whole city was in ferment. A situation was created cre-ated which could not be brought under control. At first the foreign powers requested re-quested that foreign troops be allowed to enter the capital for the protection of legations. The imperial government, having in view the comparative urgency ur-gency of the occasion, granted the request re-quest as an extraordinary mark of courtesy, beyond the requirements of international intercourse. Over 500 foreign for-eign troops were sent to Pekin. This shows clearly how much care China exercised in the maintenance of friendly friend-ly relations with other countries. "The legations at the capital never had much to do with the people. But from the time the foreign troops entered en-tered the city the guards did not devote de-vote themselves exclusively to the protection pro-tection of their respective legations. They sometimes fired their guns on the top of the city walls and sometimes patrolled pa-trolled the streets everywhere. There were reports of persons being hit by stray bullets. "Moreover, they strolled about the city without restraint, and even at tempted to enter the Isung Hua gate (the eastern gate of the palace ground). They only desisted when advance was positively forbidden. "On this account both the soldiers and the people were provoked to re-! sentment and voiced their indignation with one accord. Lawless persons then took advantage of the situation to do mischief and became bolder than ever in burning and killing Christian converts. con-verts. "The powers thereupon attempted to reinforce the foreign troops in Pekin, but the reinforcements encountered re-, sistance and defeat at the hands of the insurgents on the way, and have not yet been able to proceed. "The insurgents of the two provinces of Chi Li and Shan Tung had by this time effected a complete union, and could not be separated. The imperial government was by no means reluctant to issue orders for the entire suppression suppres-sion of this insurgent element. But j as the trouble was so near at hand, there was a great fear that due pro-lection pro-lection might not be assured to the legations le-gations if the anarchists should be driven to extremities, thus bringing on a national calamity. There was also i a fear that uprisings might occur in the provinces of Chi Li and Shan Tung i at the same time, with the result that both foreign missionaries and Chinese converts in the two provinces might fall victims to popular fury. "It was, therefore, 'absolutely neces sary to consider the matter from every point of view. As a measure of precaution precau-tion it was finally decided to request the foreign ministers to retire temporarily tempor-arily to Tien Tsin for safety. It was while the discussion of this proposition was in progress that the Oerman minister. min-ister. Baron von Ketteler, was assassinated assassi-nated by a riotous mob one morning while on his way to the Tsung Li Ya-men. Ya-men. On the previous ay the German minister had written a letter appointing appoint-ing a time for calling at the Tsung Li Yanien. But the Yamen, fearing he ; might be molested on the way, did not consent to the appointment as suggested suggest-ed br the minister. "Since this occurred the anarchists assumed a more bold and threatening attitude, and consequently it was not deemed wise to carry out the project of sending the diplomatic corps to Tien Tsin under an escort. However, orders were issued to the troops detailed for the nrntfctinn rf tVin lopotinna to ltAPn strict watch and take greater precautions precau-tions against any emergency. "To our surprise, on the 20th of the fifth moon (June 16), foreign (naval) officers at Taku called on Lo Jung Kwang, the general commanding, and demanded his surrender of the rforts, notifying him that, failing to receive compliance, they would, at 2 o'clock the next day, take steps to seize the forts bv force. "Lo Jung Kwang, being bound by the duties of his office to hold the forts, how could he yield to the demand? On the dav named they actually fired on the forts, which responded and kept up fighting all day and then surrendered. Thus the conflict of forces began, but certainly the initiative did not come from our side. Even supposing that China were not conscious of her true condition, how could she . take such a step as to engage in war with all the powers simultaneously, and how could she, relying upon the support of an an- I archist populace, go into war with the j powers?" ' "Our position in this matter ought to be clearly understood by all the powers. pow-ers. The above is a statement of the wrongs we have suffered, and how China was driven to the unfortunate position from which she could not escape. es-cape. "Our several ministers will make known accurately and in detail the contents of this decree and the policy of China to the ministers of foreign affairs af-fairs in their respective countries, and assure them that military authorities are still strictly enjoined to afford protection pro-tection to the legations as hitherto, to the utmost of their power. As for, the anarchists, they will be severely dealt with as circumstances permit. "The several ministers will continue in the discharge of the duties of their offices as hitherto without hesitation or doubt. This telegraphic decree to be transmitted for. their information. Repeat Re-peat this." The document gave great satisfaction here, as it showed, assuming there was some foundation for the first reports that the imperial government had encouraged en-couraged the Boxers and even participated partici-pated in the attacks on the legations, that an effort is about to be made i to retrieve that mistake. The note is said to have originated with the privy coun cil, and at the state department this body is declared to be identical with the Tsung Li Yamen. being the power ! next the throne, and one that, doals I exclusively with the foreign powers, j The curious means adopted of forwarding forward-ing the note are supposed to have been I resorted to because what amounts to martial law in civilized countries is now in force in Pekin and Shan Tung, I so that the Tsung Li Yamen would naturally confide the message to the I war board, now in supreme control, to secure its transmission to Shanghai. The announced purpose of the Chinese Chi-nese government to protect the foreign ministers is most gratifying to the officials here, for they have all along been more or less doubtful of the authenticity au-thenticity of the several dispatches which have emanated from Shanghai respecting the relations between Prince Ching and the legationers. It is said that the note does not call for an answer from the state department depart-ment at this stage, and will not materially ma-terially affect the military programme laid down by our government. Such forces as we can land in China will be pushed forward with rapidity to Pekin. The only, consideration that would induce in-duce the administration to relax that programme at any point would be the reopening of communication with Minister Min-ister Conger and his release from any sort of duress or restraint. Possibly now that the Tsung Li Yamen Ya-men is communicating with the outer world it will permit the foreign ministers min-isters in Pekin, if they are alive, to do the same. Our government probably will suggest to the Tsung Li Yamen, through Mr. Wu here, that this be j done. Much will depend upon the response. |