The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-08-10
ALLIES AGAIN yICToRS |
Yang Tsun, an Important
Strategic Town on Road
to Pekin, Captured.
AMERICANS in THE FIGHT
CH1EFEE REPORTS HIS CASUAL
TIES rs 1BOUT SIXTY.

Fatigue--The Town n Quarter of tn
Way to Pelkin-NIilitary Plan of tn
Allies Unfolding Their strength VIII
Force on Pekin VIII Then Begin.
Washington, Aug. 9.-The capture O.
Yang Tsun, the first objective point O.
the International forces, was the su
preme news of Importance received to
day on the Chinese situation. The frs
word of this capture, effected last Mon
day, came in a brief dispatch to the
signal office at the war department
from Colonel Schriven, the signal off.
Ger at Che Foo, saying:
"Che Foo. Aug. g.
''Signals, Washington:
August 6, Yang Tsun captured to-
day. Wire up. Need own transporta'
ton. All Well.
"Schriven."
Half an hour after this message a
cablegram came from General Chaffee
giving additional details of the capture
and showing that it had been at the
cost of about sixty casualties among
the American troops. General Chat
fees dispatch was sent via Che Foo
and is as follows:
yang Tsun, Aug 6-Yang Tsun oc-
cupied to-day Wounded Second Lieu
tenant Frank r. Long, Ninth infantry,
moderate. Casualties about sixty men.
Ninth United States infantry, Four
tesnth United States infantry and Bat
terry F, Fifth United States artillery.
Nearly all from Fourteenth infantry.
Names later. Many men Frustrated
heat and fatigue.
"Chaffee."
Hardly less important was a dispatch
from General Terauchi. second in COM
mard on the japanese staff, sent to the
war office of Japan and transmitted to
the legation here, stating that the in
ternational army would total $4,000
men on August 15 at which time the
real advance on Pekin would begin.
General Terauchi's dispatch stated that
on the 4th, when it was forwarded, the
advance had not yet begun. This was
at first incomprehensible, in view of the
fact that fighting has actually occurred.
But the later statement that the inter-
national force would total $4,000 men
on the 18th appears to make clear Gen
eral Terauchi's meaning and to recon-
cle it with General Chaffees dispatches.
The present movement of some 10000
men is doubtless viewed in the light of
a reconnaissance in force, the main
movement of the army of $4,000 to fol-
low on the 18th This makes clear the
meaning of General Chaffee's dispatch
that Yang Tsun was the objective
point. The war department here has
been considerably puzzled over this
statement of an objective point so far
short of Pekin 1t would appear, how
ever, from General Terauchi's dispatch
that the first force of 10000 men, hav-
ing opened up communications to Yang
Tsun brought forward supplies and es-
tab.ished this advance base, the way
from Tien Esin being clear for the ad-
vance on the 18th.
The capture of the Yang Tsun is
therefore an important strategic branch
of the fast maturing military plans. The
place is about eighteen miles beyond
Ten Tsin and little less than a quarter
of the way to Pekin. Colonel Schriven's
statement wire up contains much
meaning as it acceptedas showing that
there is di ect tele graphic communicat'
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 intact back to
the first base of operations. The cap
ture of Yang Tsung on the day follow
ing the battle of Pei Tsang is regarded
as highly military success, especially
in view of the fact that it was looked
upon as a stronghold whose capture
might have given the foreigners con-
siderable trouble
Aside from the military developments
of the day the diplomatic aspect of the
crisis was made more clear by the pub
lication of The demand made by the
United States on the imperial govern
ment of China and transmitted to Min
lister WI last evening, (This demand is
printed IN Iull elsewhere III llllS ndtGTj. |
Secretary Root regards the situation
both from a military and diplomatic |
point of view as much improved. The |
promise of cipher communications with !,
the ministers in Pekin, together with |
the advance of the International forces !
toward Pelsin, is believed TO be rela- |
lively significant 1t is believed that |
the resistance by the Chinese has not |
b aen and will net be as great as antici-
pated by some authorities, who said |
that the Chinese force consisted of the |
best of their army. The movement on |
Yang Tsun is in accordance with infor-
nation contained in the dispatch from
General Chaffee which was not made
public and also in a dispatch made pub
lie after Pei Tsang had been taken 1t
is the expectation of the officials of
the war department that the present
reconnaissance in force will continue,
although nothing is said as coming
from General Chaffee to that effect.