Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-08-14

ed to the State Department by Minister
WI Saturday is supplemented by the sub
stance of an imperial edict communicated
to Consul General Goodnow by Director
General Sheng, indicating that arrange
ments are still going on in Pekin for es-
corting the ministers to Tientsin.
Interest in the Chinese situation was in
tensifed in Washington Monday morning
by the receipt of two dispatches from
naval officers at Cheefoo, repeating un-
official but apparently reliable reports Of
active and extensive hostilities between
the allied forces and the Chinese on the
line between Tientsin and Pekin.
The dispatches indicated that the relief
column had started in earnest ana that it
was meeting with determined opposition.
Although neither of the naval dispatches
mentioned the presence of American
troops in the reported engagement, it was
geenrally assumed at the War Depart
ment that at least part of Gen. Chat
fees small army was on hand
According 10 information in possession
of the War Department the town of
Peitsang is at the head of tidewater on
the Peiho, between eleven and twelve
miles by road beyond Tientsin. 1t is Il
village of mud huts of considerable size.
but not walled. The river at this point is
not Lavigable by anything larger than
good lied steam launch, and it is thought
that the troops probably reached there in
small boats, toYed by the naval launches.
The county al al2pg the river between
Pekin and Tientsin is low, alluvial
plain almost impossible fof wheeled Se-
hicles in the wet season, and Hndef quite
high state of cultivation. 1t presents
no natural defensive features, and the
War Department knows no strategic rea-
son why the Chinese should have made
stand there rather than at any other
of the dozen villages east of the walled
town of Tungchow, where is stored an
immense amount of provisions upon
which the city of Pel1ln would have 70 de-
pend in case of siege.
From the fact that the engagement
lasted seven and a half hours, it is ar
gued in the department that either the
Chinese must have been heavily intrench-
ed or that there was an immense horde Of
them to so stubbornly contest the adj
vance of the 10000 international troops.
1t was figured by military experts that
loss of l 200 killed and wounded on the
part of the allies probably meant a loss of
from three to six times as many by the
Chinese.
Free communication between the for
eign ambassadors and their governments
is said TO have been established bv an
imperial edict. Any message that may
be sent, however, must not be in ciphef
1auorn,.- -,-1"lamation prof.. ~5x IT.
safe deportation of the foreissers fra-s
Pskin e TfsAtsla. Tbs Tpisss STATES
government will not ttnsent to fhe -
moval 81 the ministers ana foralSTna,s
from peki6 ifrtfi there is afree cumTn,,r;'
cation by the powers With their ministssrs
Nor WIN this government CONSENT "a 'caY,,.
munication in plain language alone. but
insists that cipher MESSAGES mus nass
freely between Minister C6ncer and o571
State Department. # IS ennphatjcallr
stated that uni Is such messages sfS Ok
s snanseu - United States cannot knoY
De'o ID question thai The messages We're
ast garbled aud both the United States
government and The ministers misled
There seems to be no doubt about the
saSeS Of the ministers at Pekin FOR the
present, and that they viii fe61ain where
they will &c able 90 protect themselves
and VIII not Be induced to accept any
offers 6f the Chinese government %
cort them to Tientsip unt..ss tfTi7szT kSFe ma
communicating Villa Their sovernufenfs
1t is stated that il an sxe International
forces in the vicinity ST Taku can be
landed Sad the srzr~sihs brought up there
Is Sufficient fss4[e 20 overcome. any army
Hhich the Ssfsese RAY bring forward 10
prevent Tie march on Pekin.