The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-10
Merely a Reconnaissance in Force to
Prepare the Way For the
Main Movement.
THIS WILL BEGIN ON THE FIFTEENTH
Fifty Thousand Men viii Then Begin the March
on Pekin. A Message From the French
Min is.er at That Place Puts the
Number Of Foreigners There
Awaiting Rescuse at 800.
(By the Associated Press.)


Washington, August 9.-The cap
ture of Yang Tsun, the final objective
point of the international forces, was
the supreme news of Importance re-
ceived today on the Chinese situation.
The first word of this capture effect
ed last Monday, came in a brief dis
patch to the signal office at the War
Department from Colonel Scriven, the
signal ofgcer at Che Foo. saying:
'Che Foo. August 9th.
Signals, Washington.
August 6th.-Yang Tsun, captured
today. Wire up. Need own transpor-
tation. All well.
(SignedD "SCHRIVEN."
Half an hour after this message, a
cablegram came from General Chaffee
giving additional details of the cap
ture, and showing that it had been
at the cost of about sixty casualties
among the American Troops. General
Chaffee's dispatch is as follows:
"Yang Tsun, August 9Th, 1900.
Yang Tsun occupied today. Wound
ed, Second Lieutenant Frank r. Long,
Ninth Infantry, moderate; casualties
about 60 men, Ninth u. S. Infantry;
Fourteenth U. S. Infantry and Battery
+, Fifth u. S. Artillery. Nearly all
from Fourteenth infantry. Names
later. Many men prostrated, heat and
fatigue.
(SigneD "CHAFFEE.''
Hardly less important was a dis
patch from General Terauchi, second
in command on the Japanese staff.
sent to the War Office of Japan, and
transmitted to the legation here, stat
ing that the international army would
total $4,000 men on August 18th at
which time the real advance on Pekin
would begin. General Terauchi's dis
patch stated that ON the 4th, when it
was forwarded, the advance had not
vet begun. This was at first incom-
prehensible, in view of the fact that
fighting has actually occurred.
But the later statement that the in
ternational force would total $4,000
men on the 18th, appears to make
clear General Terauchi's meaning and
to reconcile it with General Chaffee's S
dispatches. The present movement,
of some 10000 men, doubtless is view
ed in the light of a reconnaissance in
force, the main movement of the army
of $4,000 to follow on the 18th. This
makes clear the meaning of General
Chaffee's dispatch that Yang Tsun
was to be the objective point. The
War Department here has been consid-
erably puzzled over this statement of
an objective point, far short of Pellin.
1t would appear, however, from Cen
eral Terauchi's dispatch that the first
force of 10000 men having opened up
II
brought forward supplies, and estab-
lished this advance base, the way
would then be clear for the advance
of the larger force on the 18th. The
capture of Yang Tsun is therefore an
important strategic branch of the fast
maturing military plans. The place is
about eighteen miles beyond Iien
Tsin and little less than q quarter of
the way to Pelxin. Colonel Schriven's
statement: "Wire up contains much
meaning, as it is accepted as showing
that there is direct telegraphic com
munication with the army in the field.
Aside from the assurance this gives of
speedy transmission of news from the
front, it gives the additional assurance
that the line of communication is in
tact back to the first base of opera
tionS. The capture of Yang Tsun on
the day following the battle of Peit
Sang is regarded as a highly success
full military achievement, and espe-
cially in view of the fact that it was
looked upon as a stronghold whose
capture might give the foreigners
considerable trouble.
Aside from the military develop
ments of the day, the diplomatic as
pect of the crisis was made clear by
the publication of the demand made
by the United States on the Imperial
Government of China, and transmitted
to Minister Wu last evening. The
document is as follows:
THE AMERICAN DEMAND.
1--WE are availing ourselves of the
opportunity offered by the imperial
edict of the fifth of August, allowing
to the foreign Ministers free COM
munication with their respective Gov
ernments in cipher. and have sent a
A. L.