VICTORY AND DEFEAT, CHINESE MANIFESTO, CIGARS FOR SMOKERS, NOT GUILTY MR. FARRELL, AND NEW MATH BOOK

 

Count Von Waldersee reviews Russian troops in Tien Tsin, China.

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, July 20, 1900.

VICTORY AND DEFEAT.

Russians In China Have Different Experiences.

CHINESE ROUTED IN MANCHURIA.

Boxers Force Russians to Retreat Through Two Towns and Take Refuge In Niu Chwang, Where They Are Hard Pressed, Losing Heavily.

   LONDON, July 20.—The Russians, according to the latest news from St. Petersburg, have now completely defeated the Chinese, and have occupied Blagovetchensk, capital of the Amur government, with a large force. Since General Gribski, chief of staff at Port Arthur, has taken over the supreme command in Manchuria, reinforcements have been rapidly pushed up, and the general situation has been greatly improved.

   The Russian minister of the interior has issued a notice that the Siberian railway is closed to private traffic. There is little doubt that the Russian authorities were not prepared for such an organized Chinese movement in Manchuria, but they have taken brisk measures, and they believe that China will soon be too much preoccupied with military operations around Pekin to conduct serious operations in the north.

   The Daily Mail's Shanghai correspondent says:

   "Advices from Vladivostock state that the Chinese invasion of eastern Siberia has stopped the Russian advance from the north on Pekin. The Russians have burned the Chinese town of Halampo and are adopting very vigorous measures."

   Berlin telegrams dwell upon the immense German interests in southern Siberia. They say that the many German merchants, the numerous German employees, and the immense stores of merchandise belonging to Germans in that territory will compel Germany to co-operate with Russia in resisting the Chinese.

   General Sir Arthur Power Palmer, commander-in-chief in India, said in the course of an interview in Simia, that no more British troops could be sent from India to China unless they could be replaced from South Africa.

 

RUSSIANS LOSE HEAVILY.

Compelled to Evacuate Two Towns and Are Hard Pressed at Niu Chwang.

   LONDON, July 20.—The Daily Express publishes the following from Che Foo, dated yesterday: "The Russians are hard pressed around Niu Chwang, and have been expelled from Tien Chwang Tai, the scene of the great fight during the Chino-Japanese war, where they have sustained heavy losses.

   "They have also been compelled to abandon Tashi Chai by a large body of Boxers and armed peasants. Here again, the Russians lost heavily; but it is reported that they succeeded in killing 700 of their assailants. The Chinese have completely demolished the railway north of Tashi Chau. The Russians are now at Niu Chwang."

 

SENT TO INVESTIGATE.

Blame For Boxer Outbreaks to Be Ascertained.

WILL HAVE IMPORTANT EFFECT.

W. W. Rockhill Sent to China to Report on the Situation and How Far China is Responsible For the Present Trouble.

   WASHINGTON, July 20.—The cabinet meeting yesterday developed nothing of importance regarding the Chinese situation beyond a decision to send W. W. Rockhill, formerly secretary of the legation at Pekin and assistant secretary of state, and now chief of the bureau of American Republics, to China to investigate the situation and report to the authorities here.

   Mr. Rockhill will go as a special commissioner to ascertain the extent of the responsibility of the Chinese government, if any, for the existing disturbances and to otherwise furnish the administration with the information upon which the case of the United States against China for indemnity and reparation will be based.

   He is well equipped for the mission, having been secretary of the American legation in Pekin for several years. He speaks and writes Chinese fluently.

   The administration expects authentic news from Pekin soon; in fact, both the president and his advisors can hardly understand why some absolutely reliable news has not arrived before this time. In the absence of any additional information the discussion in the cabinet took wide range, covering tentatively many contingencies which may possibly arise.

   There was unanimous concurrence in the president's action in appointing General Chaffee to a major generalship to make his rank commensurate with his command in China and that of the commanding officers of the forces of the other powers.

   After the cabinet meeting the president entertained the members at an informal luncheon. The president then left for Canton, Ohio, but will be ready to return here at a moment's notice.

 

Edwin Hurd Conger.

MINISTERS STILL ALIVE.

OFFICIAL DISPATCH RECEIVED FROM MINISTER CONGER.

Sent July 18 in Response to Secretary Hay's Cipher Cable—"Are in British Legation Under Continuous Fire of Shot and Shell from Chinese Troops—Quick Relief Only Can Prevent General Massacre."

   WASHINGTON, July 20.—The Chinese minister has just received a cipher cable message from Minister Conger. It is in the state department cipher and is transmitted through the Tsung Li Yamen and the Shanghai Taotai. It contains about fifty words and is signed in English with the name Conger.  The minister has just taken it to the state department.

   WASHINGTON, July 20.—At 9:45 Minister Wu handed the Conger dispatch to Secretary Hay who immediately called his assistant secretaries and private secretary and began work on the translation. No doubt was expressed by the state department officials as to the authenticity of the message.

   The following statement has been given out to the state department: On the 11th of this month the state department communicated a brief message asking tidings of minister Conger in the state department code. Minister Wu undertook to get this into Minister Conger's hands if he were alive. He has succeeded in doing this. This morning the state department received a telegram from Consul General Goodnow at Shanghai saying:

   "The governor of Shan Tung informs me that he has received to-day a cipher message from Conger of the 18th."

   A few minutes later Minister Wu appeared at the state department with a telegram from Tao Tai Sheng dated 20th  July, which had been received by Minister Wu at 8:30 o'clock this morning, reading as follows:

   "Your telegram was forwarded and as requested I send reply from the Tsung Li Yamen as follows: 'Your telegram of the 15th day of this moon (11th July) received. The state department telegram has been handed to Minister Conger. Herewith is Minister Conger's reply to the state department.'"

   "In British legation. Under continued shot and shell from Chinese troops. Quick relief only can prevent general massacre."

   This reply was in the state department cipher and is regarded by the state department as genuine inasmuch as forgeries seem under the circumstances impossible. The message is not dated, but it is understood it was sent from Pekin on the 18th.

 

Wu Ting Fang.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

The Chinese Manifesto.

   One of the most interesting and possibly important utterances called forth by the existing Chinese troubles is the "imperial edict" which Minister Wu Ting Fang communicated a few days ago to the secretary of state at Washington. It purports to come from the privy council at Peking and is a lengthy defense of China's attitude and action. So much that is sensational and unfounded has of late come from China that it is difficult to know what to believe, and there may be some doubt as to the authenticity and truthfulness of the document. If it be regarded as a specious attempt to screen the Chinese government from blame due for its misdeeds, it is an extraordinarily adroit presentation and in the main tallies with the known facts in the case. On the other hand, if it be accepted as a substantially truthful or at least sincere statement of China's side of the case, it amounts to a serious arraignment of the powers and must be rather uncomfortable reading at all the capitals except Washington. Whether it be true or false as a statement of incidents and conditions there is not in the whole of it a single implied reproach of the American policy. This no doubt is largely due to the tact and discretion of Rear Admiral Kempff, who up to the time the edict was issued was in command of the American force in China. The specific act most bitterly complained of in the imperial edict is the bombardment of the Taku forts, which is now generally conceded to have been at least premature. In this, it is noted, the American admiral took no part, but is understood to have advised against it.

 

TO CLOSE AT 6 P. M.

Cortland Grocers and Meatmen Think They Should Have Less Hours.

   An agitation is being started among the grocery men and meat dealers to close their places of business at 6 o'clock through the month of August. The clothing, dry goods and hardware merchants all close their places of business at this hour and the grocers and meatmen think it is no more than right that through this month they should enjoy the same privilege. A paper will be circulated among these dealers in the near future by parties interested, asking that they close their places at the hour indicated.

 

CIGARS FOR SMOKERS

But the One Who Received Them Had to Give Them Away.

   The friends of Dr. E. M. Santee are smoking a very choice brand of cigars these days. He yesterday received a box from Llewellyn Whitehead, who was a patient of the doctor's while he was resident physician of the Hahnemann hospital in Rochester, and who is now a corporal in the Twenty-sixth regiment, United States Volunteers, stationed at Jaro on the island of Panay, P. I. The doctor does not smoke and for once his friends are glad of it. The cigars were made in Manila, are each wrapped in paper and tinfoil and are said to be a treat by those who have tried them.

 

NOT GUILTY, MR. FARRELL.

Umpire Kelly's Treatment in Cortland Was Excellent.

   A special from Auburn to the Post-Standard yesterday, in which are enumerated the many annoyances that President Farrell is experiencing with reference to the treatment of State league [baseball] umpires in the different cities of the circuit, states among the rest that Umpire Kelly officiated at Cortland last Friday and Saturday, but his treatment here was such that he refused to work in Albany this week.

   This charge is erroneous in every respect as far as Cortland is concerned in it. Kelly came to Cortland and umpired the game Friday in a very satisfactory manner. The game was almost entirely free from kicking, and there was not a semblance of rowdyism in it. On Saturday Mr. Kelly was not in condition to umpire the game, and a player from each of the two teams did the work.

   There is no doubting Mr. Farrell's assertion that the State league umpires have been shabbily treated, and Cortland fanciers of the game are glad to hear that the state president will take steps to remedy the wrongs at once by putting out of the game for the rest of the season any player who assaults an umpire, but they are surprised that Mr. Farrell should have gotten so serious an idea of Mr. Kelly's work and treatment here in Cortland.

 

MORE TROLLEY RIDES.

Chance to Cool Off During the Hot Evenings.

   The Cortland & Homer Traction company has arranged for a trolley ride to Homer and McGraw every evening this week. For the round trip to Homer, the fare will be 10 cents, and to McGraw 15 cents. Tickets will be good on the Homer car which leaves the Lehigh Valley station at 7:30 P. M. and on the McGraw car which leaves the Messenger House at 7:30 P. M. only, and will be good to return on the same car on the return trip. Tickets can be procured from the conductors of the cars mentioned.

   The same rate of 10 cents per round trip will be good for the Homer people on the car leaving Homer at 7:25 P. M.

 

New Work on Mathematics.

   Dr. David Eugene Smith, principal of the Brockport Normal school, in connection with Prof. Beman of the University of Michigan, has just published a History of Mathematics which is noticed very favorably by educational journals. The Open Court says "it is not a book of anecdotes, nor one of biography; It is a clear and brief statement of the facts of mathematical history. It is an invaluable work for teachers of mathematics."

   The July number of the Open Court contains an article on "Copernicus, Tycho Brahe and Kepler," by Carns Sterne, translated from the German by Dr. D. E. Smith. The article was illustrated by eight full page portraits, the originals of which are in Dr. Smith's possession.

 

BREVITIES.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—-M. A. Hudson, Crockery, page 4; M. A. Case, Dry goods, page 6.

   —Five hundred tickets will be placed on sale the first of next week for a benefit game of ball. The tickets will be good for any of the league games played in Cortland.

   —To-morrow afternoon at 3 o'clock on Athletic field, two picked nines from the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Knights of Columbus will cross bats. The earnings will go to the support of the Baseball association.