The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1900-08-18

I.. - ~
kin last Thursday. The last heard
from him before this was at Yang
Tsun, which had beenscaptured after
"a hard fight, and word Of the move
ments since then had been eagerly
awaited. Thursday he was eighteen.
miles beyond Yang Tssuunn. Lang Fang,
the place where the sill.fated Seymour
expedition met its fate and turned
back, had beensleft behind. The but
tie of Yang Isnn was fought on the
9th, and the advance to Ho SisyVu was
accomplished on the yth-a march of
eighteen miles in three days. This
WSaa Jour days ago. and at the same
rate OF progress Chaffce is even now
fairly within striking distance Of the
walls of Picking. 1t, was a congum-
nation which the war department
had awaited calmly, and stirring as
the news was that the American force
was now nearing the gates of the im-
perial city, Secretary Root and Adiu-
tant General Corbin cyinccd no sur.
prise, as it accorded with calculations,
although the advance had been more.
rapid than was expected.
Chaffse's iplspntch.
The dispatch from Chaffee, convey
ing SO much in 10 few words, is rs
follows:
"Chefoo, Aug. 7.-Adjutant General
Washington: Tenth-Arriyed Hos
piuw ((Ho 81 WuI yesterday.
"Chaffee."
Word of the advance soon spread.
Throughout official quarters. In the
enthusiasm of the moment a report
got about that this was the day for
the actual arrival at PekinE. But the
war department had not Il word Of
the advance beyond Ho Si WI. 1t was
deemed hardly likely that the march
to Pelting could have been made since
last Thursday. At the rate of prog
ress, six miles u day made from Yang
Tsung to Ho ST WI, about twenty
four miles would be covered in the
last four days, and this would still
leave the international forces nine
miles from Picking; Viewed from any
standpoint the advance to Ho 81 WI
was Of the Utmost Importance, not.
only strntegically, but also in showing
that communication was open back to
Chefoo, that the expected opposition
from Chinese hordes had not been suf-
ficient to prevent the steady forward
movement and in the influence it
would exert upon the Chinese govern
ment.
The war department interprets the
dispatch to mean that this is the in
ternational force which first took
Peitsang and then Yang Tsun. 1t has
gone steadily forward along the left
bank of the Pei river, keeping on the
main road which skirts the river bank.
At Yang Tsun the railway crosses the
river and branches off to the west.
Now the forces have left the railway
far in the rear and are depending up
on the highway and the river. Ho ST
WI is a place Of considerable size, and
the largest town between Tien Tsin
and Ching CHA Wan. The latter place
and Tung Chow are the two cities Of
considerable size in the line of adj
vance after leaving Ho 81 WI. 1t is
surrounded by orchards and gardens
and is not a place likely to have af-
forded opportunity for strong defense.
1t is the highest point on the Pei river
where the water is depended N, as
the native wells are the source of sup
ply on the balance of the route to Pc.
king. AS it has taken five DAYS for
General Chatfee to report the advance
to Ho 81 WI, it is evident that wire
communication is not open to the
froEt.
Shortly after this dispatch arrived
another message from General Chat
Zee, far more lengthy, gave the melan-
sholy result OF the fighting ut Yang
Isun: The casualty list was given in
detail, with the additional Informs
ton that the dead had been buried at
Yang Tsun and that the wounded had
been sent back to the hospital ut Tien
Tsin.