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jgHK SUMTES WATCHMAN. Established April. 1850. "Be Just and Fear not?Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's.land.Truth's." TEE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established June, 1S66 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER. S. C. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 1, 1900. Sew Series-Vol. XX. So. I %\)t WMtfami ai?r Sortira. Published E? 7 Wednesday, -by I>3\ C3r, Osteen, SUMTER, S. C. terms : ?1.50 per annum?in advance. advertisement: Ono Square first insertion.$1 00 Every subsequent insertion. 50 Contracts for three months, or longer wil be made at reduced rates. All communications which subserve private interests will be charged foras ad vertiements. Obituaries and tributes of respects will be charged for. Chinese Emperor s Letter to McKinley. He Appeals for Restoration of Peace and Order. Washington, July 24?The fol lowing correspondence between the president of the United States and the emperor of China was made pub lie by the state department today. Translation of a cablegram receiv ed by Minister Wu on July 20, 1900, from the Tao Tai of Shanghai dated July 19, 1900 : Having received a telegram from Gov Yuan (of Shan Tung) dated 2od day of this moon (July 19th), who, having received from the privy couu cil at P?kin, a dispatch embodying an imperiai letter to the president of the United States has instructed me to transmit it to your excellency. The imperial message is respectfully transmitted as fallows : The Emperor of China to His Excel lency the President of the United States Greeting : China has long maintained friendly relations with the United States and is deeply conscious that the object of the United States is international commerce Neither country enter tains the lesst suspicion or distrust toward the other. Recent outbreak of mutual antipathy between the people of Christian missions caused the foreign powers to view with eus picioa the position of the imperial government as favorable to the peo ple and prejudicial to the missions, with the result that the Taku forts were attacked and captured Conse quently there has been clashing of forces with calamitous consequences The situation here becomes more and more serious and critical We have fast received a telegraphic mem?ri?i frcm our envoy Wu Ting Fang, and it is highly gratifying to us to learn that the United States government, having in view the friendly relations between the two countries, bas taken a deep intere.-i in the present situation Now China, driven by the irrpsislihie course of event:-, has unfortunately incurred well nigh uni ' versai indignation. For settling the present diScuity, Chioa places epe cial reliance in the United States We f.ddres3 this message to your excellency in all sincerity and can didness with the hope that your ex cellency will deviee measures and take the initiative in bringing about a concert of the powers for the res roration of order and peace The favor of a kind reply is earnestly requested 3nd awaited with the greatest anxiety. Kwang lisu Twenty sixth moon, 28d day. (July 19, 1900 ) It is therefore my duty to transmi! the above with the request that youi excellency, in respectful obedience o imperial wishes, will deliver the saoie to its high destination and favor mc with a reply. Yu Lien Yuen, Taotai of Shanghai. Twenty sixth year, 6th moon, 23c day. (July 19 1900.) Kwang Hsu, This cablegram was at once com municated to the president at Canton THE CHINESE CLAIM A FOREIGNERS ARE SAFE IN A BOMB PROOF. Tien Tsin, 0pm, Sunday July 15 via Cbefco, Ju:y 17, and Shanghai Ju:y 24 ?Chine-c from the walled cin JO t that the foreigner? ih P?kin arc living, havi?g tak?& sbeiter in a bomb proof Abcut 7.000 Cbinepe were en gaged in the battle here July 13 More areccrnicg from Pekin. Gen Nieh was imprisoned because he opposedmaking war on tbc foreign' ers, bnt afterward was reicascd on th< condition that be fight tbem To tbii be acceded with iukewarmr.e?s. Aftei the battle be committed suicide. A large part of the wa?ed oity wai burned last night and today, the Chi neee held a perfect orgie, plundering smashing houses aod fighting like de mone over stores of silks, fore anc jewelry. Hundreds of dead Chinumei along tbe walls, or women and ohiidrei killed by shrapnel, are lying among tb< ruins It is reported that some correspond ente bave, io their dispatches, aesertec that Geo Dorward tb?Dks Col Lisetta: blundered ic tak?Dg the Nio?b regi j tuent to the riebt instead of to the I iefr, and that the feeling is strained ; between the Americans and British. ! The fact is that the greatest harmony ; and cooperation exist Gen Dorward has asked the names of Americans to i report tbom for gallantry. I Tbc doctors decided not to amputate Lieut Leonard's arm. All the wound ed are doing well. Another Message From Min ister Conger, but no Light Furnished. London Does Not Believe m Safety of Legations in Fekin. Washington, July 25.?The follow ing cablegram has been received at the navy department : Chefoo, July 24. Navigation Bureau, Washington : Written message, signed Conger, dated July 4ch, received Tien Tsin 21st says : "Been besieged two weeks Brit ish legation. Grave daoger general massacre by Chinese soldiers, who are shelling legation daily. Relief soon, if at all. City without government ex ! cent by Chinese army. Determined ! massacre all foreigners Pekin. Entry i relief forces in.o city probably be hotly ! contested Thomas. I - ' ' I , i i Washington. July 25 ?The receipt I at Tien Tsin of ao undoubtedly genuine j aod autographic message from Miois ! ter Coneer has done nothiog to dissi pile the doubt as to the situation at Pekio The tres-a^e, which was for : warded bv toe navai officers at Tien, I Taku and Cbcfoo. has indeed served : oniy to deepen the darkest mystery of ! ; the century. Tre officia! conclusion \ remains unchanged, of course, but it is j admitted that a careful scrutiny of the ! autogragh message in comparison with ! the famous cipher message from Minis ? ter Conger admits of the belief that the j two messages were indited by Mr. Con I ger at about the same time. The situation at the British legation ! is represented to be the same in eaob case, and as Mr. Coneer declares that relief must come quickly if at all, there 13 grouod for the supposition that ceo ! dirions could not long bave remained ; unchanged i? such a crisis. The s3 : sumption that this reasoning is correct ? involves the further conclusion that ??Ir. ; Conger's cipher message, if genuino, ; was redated as of the I8:b of July, two i weeks later than the date of actual writ I in g and of course, it redated at a!!, that ; was done by Chinese offi?ialr-, ; On the other hand and io supper? of the etate department position "2 m e . to?av a message from another cf the ; great Gbioeso viceroy?, Tai. at Canton. : be who too*: charge after Li Ffacg Osang's departure. This aisoafirmcd ; solemnly the safety of ?ne iegamners j and coming Troni so many different [sources and fron: such important I Chinese officiais;, these dispatches do c!a;m attention. A pessimistic view cf them, however, j attributes to all a common origin, j namely, some one high Chinese per ! sonage at Pekin. It is noted that Tak's ! assurance brings the ministers one day j further towards ulticate rescue than , hai any preceding message. The fact that h allows only three day^ to cover ; the transmission over the cr??t dis ! tacce between Pekin and Caot:o brs attracted attention here, and appears to demand explanaron if the message is : to be accepted as genuinely of Pekin ! 0:???o. ENGLISH NEWS. I London, Juiy 25?Lord Salisbury J today notified the Uoited States a nabas ! sidor that tt was impossible to accept I tie evidence so far submitted by the ; Chines or tha? transmitted by the ! Uoited States regarding the safety of I the foreign ministers at Pekin and that ! until their safety was thoroughly estab ; tablished the British government would ?be unable to discuss any question (f ! mediation cr kindred matters. 1 . - London, July 26, 4 a m ?Mr : Conger's letter, the substanco of which has been transmitted to the United States secretary of the navy through Capr. Thomas, has increased the belief i in London that then1 is no hope for the ; foreign legations in Pekin and that the elaborate fabric cf dispatches which the Cbineso are building to persuade the i civilized world that the mini-ster* are ' still alive is only intended to enable j them to gain time to compiete prepara I tiens for warfare. : The Shanghai correspondent of The Daily Mail asserts tnat a Chinaman i who was employed at the British lega i tion as a writer and interpreter has escaped from Pekin, Nia Chwang and j that he declared that at the timo he left I Pekin most of the members of the lega tions were dead aod the conditions of the others was hopeless. He says that Sir Robert Hart, director of Chinese imperial maritime customs, died on July 2 The correspondent goes on to say : "No other dates are given in the mes sage from Nia Chwaog. The leading Chinese newspaper here published yes terday a dispatch declariog that, it wa9 all over with the members of the le gations. The president of a minor board at Pekin wrote to a relative in Shanghai, under date of July 9, say i?g : " 'The foreign legations are still un captured, but owing to the daily fight ing it is reported that only about 300 persons are left alive io the legations, and if there is any delay in the arrival of the relief foroe I fear that none will I be left to receive it. ' This letter is regarded at Shanghai as authentic. Strange enough, it says nothing of any assistance to the lega tions by Prince Chiog or Gen Lung Lu" While these brief side lights as to the fate of the Europeans leave little ground for hope, Shanghai sends a batch of reports indicative of prepara tions of hostilities on the part of tho Chinese. It is alleged that the Yang Tse viceroys have sent deputies to Shanghai to inquire as to the prospect of raising a foreige loan, ostensibly to pursue military operations against the Boxers, whose movement is extending rapidly southward with constantly growing strength and has reached a point where the provinces of Sban Tang, Ho Nan and Shan Si meets, leaving behind it a trail of burned mis sions and murdered Christians Simultaneously there 19 a movement j northward of southern Chinese troops [toj?in the main army gathered to op ! po?e the foreign advaoce 00 Pekic j The Etreogth of this principal force is now estimated at 300,000 men. It i? believed that another two or thres weeks must elapse before the Chinese preparations are completed The signs of unrest in the southern province? are coincident with Li Hung Chang's presence io Shanghai. They aro supposed to be the beginning 0? a general declaration against foreigners. In this confection the Canton corres pondent of The Daily Telegraph wiring Tuesdsy, sends the following important news : "Viceroy Tak Su today published the following mandate : " 'An important imperial decree was issued on the 23d day of the sixth moon. It says : We have lost Tien Tfin and great precautions are taken in Pekin. No peace can be obtained wifhouf going through a war. the time of Chuog an agreement was made thai" ro murder can be i&flicted upon ministers from abroad It 13 a month since the minister of Germany was sssaspinared by Boxers and strict orders ha?e been gi^cn for the arrest of the murderers. Wo are trying our utmost j ro preserve the live? of the e.tber min inters and they are ?? : in Pesia. We j fear 'bar the viceroy* and governors may rn:-";:n-3or=ran(? (he indention of the decree reiyiuc no~ri the safo'y of 'hc^c mir.i-.:nrs r.= a ground for making D'ace ond taking no heed whatever to prepare for a'taek and defense The ne^ie^r to fortify the diarie* cader their jar?s?b tion vvi':! bring endless raiami'v. Vice roys sui goverorrs zrj ro p^.y aii alv 'ion to and urp-n on preparando for eca-r a'rack and defense and they are to t?.ke the consequence? in ca^c of any territory being lost entirely through their dclav and mismanagement * " _ Chinese Government is Para lyzed and Incapable. ! _ Washington. July 20 ?There was no development today to warrant the assumption that there ha?? bsen the slightest improvement in the Chioe-e situation Indeed, the general ten ! deocv of such new- a* found light wss to add to the stcad'iy growing doubt as to the go^d faith of the Chinese government as manifested in its aors. Admiral KempfFs letter, given public ity by the navy department today, made tbo direct statement that the imperial authorities were in sympathy with the Boxers, though he added that the government was afterward paralvis ed and incapable of cont'olliog the situation. This was the first official declaration to reach our government contradictory of the Cb'neso representa tion that the imperiui government had steadfastly and from the first opposed the Poier movement, and cur govern ment is bound to accept the word of its own effieer until that is overcome ty irrefragable proof. The exchanges that are in constant progress between the powers arc tending more and more to cast suspicion upon the genuineness of the many communication? that have come from Pekin through Chinese governmental sources. If it should be fir;ally established 'hat there has been an attempt nn their part to practice a j gigantic fraud upon the world, the fact may call for a change of attitude on the part of the United Spates government toward China This would not aff. ct the military policy already under way. hut merely the technical relation be tween the two governments, which probably would O'oeely approx ma'e a state of formal w?r. The imperial edict promulgated yes terday by Viceroy Tak, at Cac oo. bas left a disagreeable impression bere. Despite the Chinese minister's view to the cootrary, this edict is lookddf upon as suspiciously like a preliminary to a formal declaration of war, and at only ooe step toward securing time to move j Chinese forces into better position for I j defense against the- internationals, j The navy depaitment today cootrib j uted a brief news item in the shape of a vindication by Admiral Remey of the Uoited States marines from the general charge of looting at Tien Tsin. The admiral had a good deal more than this to report to the navy department, but the officials did not regard the rest of his report as proper for publication just now. Gen. Miles and Gen. Baffington were again in consultation, though sep arately, with Secretary Root today and the supposition is that the Chinese campaign was under consideration. KEMPFF'S REPORT. Waehington, July 26.?The navy department, has just made public the following repurt from Admiral Kempff dated June 20 : Referring to my recent actions in de clining to take part in the seizure of the Taku forts and io afterward mak ing common cause with tba foreign 1 force in the protection of foreign life and propery, I would respectfully state that the Chinese government is now paralyzsd and the secret edicts show that it is in sympathy with the Boxers The fact that under the existing cir cumstances the troop9 at the forts were given much extra** drills, torpedoes j were provided and, it is olaimed. plant ? ed in the entrance of the Pet Ho, was considered menacing, aod. by other senior naval officers, sufficient cause to justify tbem in demaoding the tem porary occupation of the forts. This culminated io the bombardment of the forts by other foreign gunboats on the j niorniog of the 17eh instant, which has j been described. In this bombardment ? the Monncacy was nred upon and struck I without having received previous warn j It is now necessary to join with the orber foreign powers for common de fense and preservation of foreign people and the honor cf our country. I refused toj?in in taking possession of the imperial Chinese railway station and also declined toj?in in the demand for temporary occupation of the Taku forts, for I thought it against the policy aod wishes of our government to be entangled with other foreign powers io 6uch a etep, and also because it endangered lives of people in the j interior in advance of absolute neces =?ry ; for op to early morning of June 17 the Chinese government had cot committed, so far as I am aware, any act cf open hostilities toward the foreign j armed forces. j In oceniog fire withou' warning, an I act of war was eomraitteci, when many { shots were fired at the place where the j Monocacy was moored, ?.bout 3.000 ! ynrds from the forts These firing I must hive known of ber rr:-:ence j there, she bad been moored in that ! position for a nurrb-T of r?.%7=. ! Under the?? circumstances ? regard ; ed the situation as one for the pro'ec j :inn of the national honor sod the pre ! ?ervarion of cur propio, and have oe"c-d a:c rdingly. 600 MASSACRED. London. July 27 ?The Hongkong correspondent of the Daily Express wires as follows under yesterday's date: "An Italian priest lia.q just arrived here from Hen Sien Fa, in southern Huan. where the Ita!in bishop and three priests have been massacred after revolting torture This took piace on July 4. Six hundred converts were mastered after the women had boon subjected to hideous brutalities. Six other priests fled to the hills, where ' 7 were probably killed. The priest who escaped a p?r;'iorjs journey to Hongkong. He hid in a coffin on board a river beat for 17 days it is reported from Tien Tsin that the Chinese forcers aro CONCENTRATING AT GETSANG, 10 miles north of Tien Tsin, where it is said large quantities of rice are stored The Russiao aod Japanese cavalry are keeping in close touch witn the eaemy. The river is still low, and wafej transport will be difficult. SOME HOPE IN LONDON. London, July 27, 4:30 a m ?AU the powers appear to have received ao identical Chinese appea.:; for mediation, but, in the absence of definite news re garding the fate of the mini.-trrs and of any reliable indications of the real origin of tbe appeal, it seems that Lord Salisbury, the premier, considered it was cot. even necessari to publish the I tact that, the appeal had been received j or to do anything beyond formally acknowledging it, with perhaps an inti ' mation that nothing could be done ao I til news from Pekin ha? arrived if it could be ascertained beyond i doubt that, the reports of a massaore at ! ! Pekin were unfounded, and there is a disposition hero to believe that toc min- ? isters may, after all, be held as hos- ? tages. Lord Salisbury's policy would j probably inoline more toward the coo-j ciliation attitude attributed to Wash ington than to the reveoge attributed to Berlin Bat, while, there is no cessa tion of tbe deluge of rumors, it is be ginning to be believed at Shanghai Canton aod other pointe that the vice roye are as completely io the dark as to affairs in Pekin as the European them selves. ! earl li mistrusted Meanwhile the doings of Li Hung I Chang are regarded with ever in creasing suspicion, while the situa tion in the southern provinces daily grows worse. With the report that the allies will begin to advance upon Pekin in a fortnight aDd in view of Admiral Seymour's visit of inspection to the Yang Tee Kiang, the feeling is that no great time will elapse before mat ters assume a more definite shape The viceroys of Nankin still pro fesses to be able, with the aid of the other Kang Tee viceroys, to keep order, but he declared that if Europe sends warships this will assuredly lead to an an ti foreign outbreak. If it be true that the Japanese have started a campaign from Shan Hai Kwang, that also will precipitate matters, but the report of this effect lacks confirmation. Now Doubt the Authenticity of Conger's Autograph Cipher Message. j Washington, July 27.?Unless some ! authentic assurance as to the condition of the Americans in Pekin reaches the state department within a day or two the administration is likely to abandon whatever faith it has manifested thus ! far in the truthfulness of Chinese I information The Chinese minister ie j confident that within that time there j wiil be new? from Pekin of a character j to satisfy the most skeptical as to its ! accuracy, and he also is confident that j this wiil be good news from the Ameri : can point of view. The state depart i ment is still receptive, though looking ! with growing coldness upon the j numerous edicts which are coming from j China, all without bringing any news, The contributions of the day were from Consul General Goodnow, at Shanghai. I and Consul Fowier, at Chefoo. So much cf their message as was given out for publication related to the wel fare of certain American missionaries who have been made the subject of inquiry by relatives in this country. ; The cables mangled these messages, I and there is reason to doubt the value cf the information attempted to be ccn ' veyed through tbcm. ! Mr. Gocdoow also had something to ; say about the present situation, and it I is be'teveo that a part of his message ! was not of an encouraging character, i At any ra'o, ir. ?as withheld from the ! press, rjrobably because the department did not regard ir. as wise to give the : s'srnp of its spnrovai to matters which j Mr. Goodocw wishes ro be tabeo in a Tvjrelv ?:nee*'!ative sense. CiVer since tao receipt at iieo ir-in of the autograph mes:?~?? from Mr ! Conger, da-ed Pekin. July 4. .-tate ! decrement officials b?ve had gravo ; doubts as to the authencity of the i cipher message attributed to him, dated Pekin, Jal'v ISth Then- have been : many little side lights on this message ; that aiiord ground for suspicion, and : new me British authorities have added j their quota to the growing distrust of j thiogs Chinese. It seems that a Mr. ' Warren, at present acting as British . consul at Shanghai, ha? be:n told by Sceng, the famous Chinese director of posts and telegraphs, that Yuan, the ? governor of Shan Tung, told him j (Sbccg) that a message had passed i through to the United States from - Conger oc the lS'h of July tolling cf I the conditions ac the British legation. I This fact is cited as cenfirma'cry of i these suspicions that the cipher dispatch ! was "faked"' by Chinese c?nsials. I: ! is pointed out at the state cepartrcect, j however, that there are plausible cz planuiions cf this curious fact which i tend to c-how the authenciry of the j ciOber. Secretary Kay cabled Mr. ! Conger tha? ho might have implicit ! faith in the person who brought the j dispatch to bim. Mr. Conger therefore j had a right to trust the mao, and possi biy he told him in a general way the contents of the dispatch, in oase the mes senger should be obliged to destroy it to insure his owo saftty. However that may be, the British government j has thought Air Warren's report worthy j the attention of our owo government, j It ta the earnest desire of this gov j croment that the f)rward movement oo j Pekin be made at the earliest possible j moment j CHINO FIGHTING TUNG. j Berlin, July 27 ?A dispatch re ! ceived bere today dated Tien Tsin Tuesday, July 24, says : "A messen j ger who left Pekin Sunday, July 15, brought today to the castoras office here i news that Prinoe Ching's soldiers had j been fighting Prince Tung's troops and ! bad been defeated. The foreignere ; were defending themselves in the north I crn cathedral near the Forbidden city.'4' j FOUR MORE MURDERED. London, July 28?The Daily Ex-1 press has the following from Cbcfoo, j dated July 27 : "Four more British missionarie! have been murdered io the province of Sban Si. Newa from native Chris tian sources say that for eight days a general massacre of foreigners hat been I io progress in the provisoes of No Nan I and Sfaan Si. Too g07oroor of Shan i Tang hzs wired tbo consols here that j be has prohibited the circulation of a ! proclamation threatening the native j Christians with death unless they re I nouocc Christianity.,; Demands That Ministers at Pekin Must be Communi cated With. Washington, July 27?Secretary Hay signalized his return to Wash ington from Canton this morning by the announcement that under no circumstances will tbe United States government accept an offer from the Chinese to turn over tbe foreign ministers to tbe internationals at Tien Tsin in consideration of a suspension of the campaign against Pekin. long cablegram was dis patched to Sear Admiral Remey at Taku, and it is believed that this in struction was laid upon bim Secretary Hay's decision to de cline the Chinese proposition was based upon his determination to adhere strictly to the conditions laid down in the reply to the Chinese emperor'e appeal. The state depart ment required that the ministers at Pekin be pot in communication with their governments, and the most significant condition of all?that the Chinese authorities cooperate witb tbe relief expedition for the libera tion cf the legations. Until these two things are done the state depart ment absolutely refuses to be led into any arrangement looking to the mitigation of the puisbment of the Chinese government, such as the abandonment of the expedition at Pekin The intimation was given that the purpose of Secretary Hay's decision waB to head off a formal proposition, as the department has been mad** aware by Mr Goodnow and by Ad miral Remey, it is presumed that suggestions of this sort had been thrown out by the Chinese viceroys or their agents, though these had not been reduced to any official form. The department rather strengthened its position through being enabled in ! this way to reject the proposition by ; anticipation it was pointed out that j even should tbe other powers sgree I to any such proposition we would j not consider it until Minister Con i ger's views were known. It is ex plained that to agree to such a plan ; might resuit in eonding the ministers ; forward with an isadquate escort, and if murdered, we would then be i stepped frcm demanding redrew. Thii Oregon Intact. Washington. July 27 ?The nary I department this rooming received the following cablegram from Capt I vVilde c^mar.der of the ?reg?r: : i\ure, uj;f - . becre?.iy Navy, Wasmogton. ! Ship docked .Structural strength j intact Wiide. j While this o;spa:ca omits the tecb : nical details of the injuries received I by the Oregon on a rock in the Gulf j of Pcchili, Capi VViide is known to ? have s'ipplied some of tbe details. I They indicate that, although the ! structural strength of the great bat i tlesbip is still intact, her injures I were of an ugly character None cf ! the longitudinal fram:s were injured, ! but the vessel's bottom was badly ; torn and some cf her pumping con \ nections were broken The main in i jury sustained was to compartment ; A, as it is technica'ly known. -^moy - - .Ti ill ions iiiven way. ' Iiis C2r:iin!y gratifying to the public to ; knew of one concern in ;ba land vrbo are not ?fraid to be generous to the needy and suSfer ! ing. Tbc proprietors of Dr. King'* Xsw Dis I eovery for Consumption, Coughs and Coids. j have given away over ten raiiiioo :.r;:il bottles I of this great me licioe : and have the s.v.isfac ! faction <jf knowing it ha? absolutely cured j thousands of copeles cases. Astbin:i, lirun. I cbitis, Hoarseness and all diseases of the j Throat, Ches: and lungs are surely cured by it, Call on J. F. W. DeLor:no, l>nj2g:?:, and gej a trial botile free. Kegulrr size 5(>c and $1. i Every bottle guaranteed, or price refunded. 3. We see it stated that unheard of coli ; weather is prevailing this wet-k through j out nearly all Austria. Many parts of ? the Tyrol bavo had snow storms, not : only in the mountains but down in tbe j valieys. A heavy fall of snow is riportod on toa Moite&cgnn border, j and on the Schoeeberg mountain, near j Vienna, a day or sn ago. a tourist was frezen \3 death. In Zurich Lucerne and o:her points in Swi?z3rland heavy snow has fallen and the temperature is down to 40 degrees.?Augusta Chron icle. Georgia's First Bale. Albany Ga , July 27 ?Georgia's first bale of cotton of the 190U crop was marketed bere today. The cot ton was grown by Deal Jackson, a negro farmer. Tbe bale weighed 397 pouds. It was sold at 11 cents and and was shipped to Savannab. Hammocks from 58e to $4 at the book tore of G. Osteeo 6 Oo.