Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay.
(Mr. Conger acknowledges the receipt of Mr. Hay’s telegram of the 20th, and reports that all his colleagues are of the opinion that capital punishment can be inflicted upon the persons named, with the [Page 351] exception possibly of Tung Fu-hsiang, whose services may be needed to punish others. Nevertheless, his colleagues insist on including his name in the demand, but are disposed to modify it as regards that officer after the presentation of the demand to the Chinese plenipotentiaries and upon a satisfactory demonstration by the Chinese Government of its inability to carry out the sentence in his case. Mr. Conger adds that he will do everything possible for a speedy conclusion of the negotiations.)