USES MINISTER WU AND WILL FORCE CHINA TO SHOW HER HAND AND TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THE MASSACRE

The Chinese minister, Mr. Wu, has undertaken to get through a cipher message from Secretary Hay to United States Minister Conger at Pekin and to deliver back the reply of Minister Conger if he is alive. Mr. Wu forwarded the cipher dispatch, together with an extended explanatory message of his own, on Wednesday, and the results are now being eagerly awaited both by Secretary Hay and the Chinese minister, although it is appreciated that some days must elapse before runners can carry out this plan of opening up communication between the American government at Washington and the American minister at Pekin.

It was soon after Minister Wu presented the text of the edict issued by the Chinese imperial government that Mr. Hay requested him to get through a message to Minister Conger. Since the Chinese government had succeeded in getting its own communication from Pekin, Mr. Hay felt that it was quite reasonable to ask that like communication be opened between our minister and the government here. Mr. Wu readily assented to this proposition and evinced an earnest desire to use all his personal influence in getting through the message. He suggested, however, that Mr. Hay himself should write the message in cipher, as this would be proof positive to Mr. Conger of its genuineness, whereas an open message to the minister might be under suspicion of having emanated from the Boxers. Mr. Hay thereupon wrote the message and had it translated into the official cipher of the state department.

The contents were not made known to Minister Wu, but in its unintelligible cipher form it was entrusted to him to be placed in the hands of Minister Conger at the earliest possible moment. Mr. Wu determined to act through the medium of an influential imperial officer at Shanghai, who, by reason of his position, is better able than any one else in China to undertake such a mission. Beside forwarding the message to Minister Conger, Mr. Wu sent to the Chinese official a detailed and urgent explanatory message in which was set forth the imperative importance of performing this service for the American government. The official was urged to spare no effort or expense in forwarding the message by courier, runners or any other means, into the hands of Minister Conger and to use like means in getting back the answer to the American government. Two days have now elapsed since the message to Conger went forward and it is confidently believed that it is now on its way from Shanghai to Pekin, surrounded by such safeguards and such efforts for speed that a reasonably early answer may be expected. At the same time it is remembered that it took 10 days for China's official decree to get from Pekin to Washington. Minister Wu is bending every energy to accomplish this task at the earliest possible moment, for he looks upon it not only as a duty but as a means by which Chinese officials can show their sincere desire to render any assistance to the American government in the present emergency.

WASHINGTON DEPRESSED. Terrible News From Shanghai Shuts Out All Hope.

A short cablegram received at the state department today from Consul General Goodnow at Shanghai, announcing the beginning of the final attack on the legations at Pekin, terribly depressed officials here. All along they have suspected that various communications received from various Chinese sources have been preparing the way for the announcement of the extermination of the foreign ministers, their wives and children, dependents, attaches and guards. The consul general's message, it is understood, is but a repetition of the latest press reports from Shanghai, but the state department has come to place a high estimate on Mr. Goodnow's advices.

It appreciates the fact that he does not send every piece of unreliable gossip afloat in the sensational news center at which he is stationed, but uses good judgment in sifting out the probable from the other kind of news. Moreover, his advice this time is from the Chinese governor of the province wherein Shanghai is situated and it is hard to conceive of an adequate reason for the falsification of the facts by that official in the direction of this particular report. Therefore, the state department, which has all along been hopeful of the ultimate rescue of the ministers at Pekin, has now joined European chancellories in the belief that they have all been killed.

The department officials find it hard to estimate the value of the statement of the consul at Canton that Li Hung Chang has again engaged passage northward, owing to the lack of a date on the cable message, and it is suspected that the press dispatches stating that he has abandoned the trip to Pekin is of later date than Mr. McQuade's notice. Should the great viceroy go northward, his coming to Taku and Tien Tsin would raise at once a question as to the conditions under which he undertakes to go to Pekin and incidentally the decision as to whether or not he should be permitted to pass the lines would involve the decision of the other question as to whether or not a state of war exists.

AMERICA'S DEMAND. British Officials Attach Greatest Importance to It.

New York, July 13.—A dispatch to the Tribune from London says: It is frankly admitted in official circles that there have been no authentic advices from European sources in 18 days and that the last word was a cry of despair.

The American demand for a message from Minister Conger is regarded as a diplomatic test of the good faith of the Chinese authorities and a single word from him will have more weight than a thousand discredited messages from the viceroys.

Press dispatches received yesterday were few in number and unimportant. The continental capitals have received a belated transcript message from the governor of Shan Tung stating that the foreigners at Pekin were active on July 5 and that the Boxers were dispersing, and also modified versions of the account of the crisis on June 24, previously cabled many times.

Pessimists assert that the Chinese date of July 5 must be readjusted to the calendar and that it is in reality July 1. This is ominous, since it corresponds with the date assigned by Chinese rumors to the general massacre of the foreigners at Pekin. There is no immediate prospect of an advance upon Pekin and the combined forces lack unity of direction and control.

There has been, without doubt, considerable shrinkage of confidence in the defensive resources of the allied army at Tien Tsin. The Chinese forces are standing by their guns and serving well, and until the Terrible's 12-pounders were brought into use the artillery of the allies was outclassed. Delayed descriptions of the fighting are lacking, but the allied forces appear to be barely holding their ground and they may be compelled to fall back upon the seaboard if the navigation of the river be interrupted and their supplies cut off.

It is not probable that Sir Alfred Gaselee, who will arrive at Taku this month, will command the allied forces. He has the rank of brigadier general and has been 33 years in the British army, serving mainly in Abyssinia and India. He will command the Indian troops, but a Japanese or Russian general will have the direction of the entire allied forces. Sir Alfred has the reputation of being a safe rather than a brilliant officer.

The opinion prevails in military circles here that, apart from the relay of artillery which are already in motion for Cape Town for shipment to China, there will not be an immediate dispatch of troops from South Africa and that when several battalions can be spared by Lord Roberts they will be sent to India to take the place of the native regiments ordered to Taku.

THOUSANDS RESCUED. Some Good Work Done by the Allied Powers.

New York, July 13.—A dispatch to the Journal and Advertiser from Che Foo, July 9, says: Great joy reigns in Che Foo, inspired by the safe arrival of every white missionary and every native preacher in the Tien Tsin district hitherto unaccounted for.

The steamer Shin Fing, of Chinese registry, but officered by Americans and English, brought in the refugees to the number of more than 200. They report that more than 15,000 refugees to Tien Tsin and Taku have been rescued from certain death by the allied forces of the powers.

The missionaries who arrived by the Shin Fing are: Perkins, Crawford, Lewis, Blalock, Crawford, Hudson, Dawes, Tedder, Partch, Burnham, Fitch, Faries, Parker, Hayes, Porter, Moon, Lowe, Thompson, Luce, Irwin, Mateer, Hartwell, Print, Steven, Dutton, Owen, Neal and Cooper.

Every missionary in Shan Tung province and every native preacher in the Methodist Tien Tsin district is now accounted for.

New York, July 13.—A dispatch to the Journal and Advertiser from Che Foo, July 9, says: Great joy reigns in Che Foo, inspired by the safe arrival of every white missionary and every native preacher in the Tien Tsin district hitherto unaccounted for.

The steamer Shin Fing, of Chinese registry, but officered by Americans and English, brought in the refugees to the number of more than 200. They report that more than 15,000 refugees to Tien Tsin and Taku have been rescued from certain death by the allied forces of the powers.

The missionaries who arrived by the Shin Fing are: Perkins, Crawford, Lewis, Blalock, Crawford, Hudson, Dawes, Tedder, Partch, Burnham, Fitch, Faries, Parker, Hayes, Porter, Moon, Lowe, Thompson, Luce, Irwin, Mateer, Hartwell, Print, Steven, Dutton, Owen, Neal and Cooper.

Every missionary in Shan Tung province and every native preacher in the Methodist Tien Tsin district is now accounted for.

The steamer sailed from an obscure coastwise port with her destination secret. The Rev. P. D. Berger, one of the refugees, made a gallant rescue of foreign miners near his station at Tsin Tno, [...] miles southwest of Che Foo. Mrs. Berger and Dr. and Mrs. J. B. Neal are among the refugees arriving on the Shin Fing.

At Feng-Tszi three Chinese converts were killed.

Mrs. Crosetti of Wei Hein brought on with her party Davies and Johnson. Fleming also escaped.

Watts and Fenton made a gallant ride to Taku to bring the news of the critical conditions in the outlying Shan Tung villages. They swam the Pei Ho river twice and were fired on by the natives at every village they passed.

Hopkins, Partch, Luce and Ewing left for Japan by today's steamer. The Rev. Cornwall of Che Foo has greatly distinguished himself by making three trips into the interior to rescue missionaries.

The English mission at Cheng Chow has been looted and burned.