New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-12
PAo-TING AND HoNG-KoNG.

Count Won Waldersee is in the saddle. He is
showing the world that not for nothing VAS he
sent out to Far Cathay TO be commander-in-
chief of the allied forces. The function of a
commander is to command; wherefore he actu-
ally assumes active command of the armies Of
the various nations and orders the advance
to be made upon Pao-Ting which has been
so long talked about but not yet essayed. He
ordered the start to be made yesterday, and
presumably it was then made, with some FIVE
thousand German, British, French and Italian
troops under the command of the German Field
Marshal. but with no American, Japanese Or
Russian troops The abstention of the latter
may or may not be significant, as you please.
It will probably not in the least affect the re-
suit Of the expedition and it does not neces-
sarily indicate the slightest friction among the
cooperating forces. At the same time. with
the highest possible respect for Count Won Wal
dersee and for his Imperial master, it is a
little bit pleasanter for Americans not to be
compelled to think of their flag as made sub
ordinate to foreign flag and their soldiers as
taking orders from any foreign commander
Especially in such an expedition as this. For
there has not yet been put forward any entirely
convincing reason why there should be eX-
petition 10 Pao-Ting (By the way, there is
Flu than for always speaking of Albany as
Albany, the capital Of NewYork.'D The ex
petition is to be purely punitive. No doubt
some of the Chinese at Pao-Ting acted badly
and deserve punishment But so did and 50
do those in a hundred other places throughout
the Empire. There is apparently no more rea-
son for marching to Pao-Ting than to any Of
the others. And surely the international forces
can have no thought of marching all over the
Empire, inficting punishment upon every prov
ince and town that deserves it. If they do
they would best call for a million reinforce
ments and ten years supplies at once The
more judicious plan would certainly seem to be
to conduct diplomatic operations at Picking. and
thus have punishment inflicted and indemnity
paid by the Chinese Government itself Of
course, Pao-Ting is not far from Tien-Tsn and
the expedition will probably not have much
difficulty in getting there, though the road runs
through swamps and among lakes and may
prove pretty bad for all but amphibians. But
the ease of doing it is no vindication of an act
While this dubious enterprise is under way in
Chh-Li, there are rumors of trouble in Kwang-
TUng 4 large Boxer force, precise numbers
unknown. is reported to be renacing Hong
Kong, and that important city is said to be in
danger. The latter can scarcely be, since Hong
Kong is an island, accessible only by water,
and there is no reason to suppose the Boxers
have made themselves masters of the China
Sea. An insurgent raid into the British terri
tory on the mainland opposite to Victoria u.s. of
course. possible. Indeed. it is by no means i'm
probable, for it will be remembered that long
ago there were threats of uprisngs, and it was
understood that the departure Of Ii Hung
Chang from Canton. the chief city of Kwang-
! Tung, would be the signal for their fulfilment.
A Chinese force is being massed at Deep Bay,
however. and British force at Mrs Bay. so
that if the Boxers venture into the peninsula
they may find themselves boxed. 1t does not,
on the whole seem that these latter operations
are of especial moment. But any further fight
| ing in China is to be deplored.