The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-08

rived: Sixth cavalry left at Tsentsin for
guard Of city. and awaiting mounts. Min
"cHArFEE."
The dispatch OF Gen. Chaffec. written
before the battle of Sunday. confirms the
dispatch received at the navy department
Yesterday, and also the press dispatches
the Chinese at Peitsang
Zen. Chanee's dispatch, dated Friday.
was not sent from Chefoo until today.
an inexplicable delay.
The most interesting feature of the dis
patch fs the information regarding the
positions Of the Chinese army. and the
fact that the advance upon Picking Il
made by two columns, one on c.uch side
OF the Peiho river. The International
force. as given by Gen. chRffce. world
disgresaae about 1000 men; while other
can easily be accounted for. as more men
might have been available when the move
ment began than when the conference
was held on the Sd inst This confer
ence Is supposed to have been between
tsfn.
Task Il Not Differentiated.
II is evident that the foreign command
ers do not underestimate the t1s,t which
they have before them. as the dispatch
shows that thorough reconnaissance Of
the Chinese position has been made, and
that even before the adyaLoe Of the in
manders were In full possession in rela-
tion to the Chinese position. This is one
OF the most welcome features of the dis
patches, as II proves conclusivelv tina. the
International column did not biunder up
on an intrenched position Of the enemy.
According to the war departments map.
the town OF Peitsang covers both sides of
the river. but the main portion Of it is
on the left side, where the Japanese,
English and American forces have ar
ranged, according to Cen Charee's dis
patch, to attack the enemy in FINK. The
left of the Chinese. on the other side Of
the river, according to the dispatch. was
partially protected by flooded ground, and
According to the map there Is lake hye
miles from the river at this point, ARD
the ground may have been flooded from
this lake, through the bikes which grid
iron the country thereabouts.
The Russian and French forces were 20
attack the enemy's left on the right bank
Of the river between the river and the
the flooded district only extended TO the
line OF the railroad which at this point
is about mile and a half from the river.
yangtsun NEXT Objective.
chaffee's dispatch also shows another
palgn agreed upon by the international
commanders. 1t II expected that fhe pre-.
sent objective point OF the column Is
Yanstssan THIS Is town about bout, f ssr
the railroad crosses the Peiho river from
the right. on the way to Pekine. Once in
possession OF this point, the internattoral
force would have both the railroad and
river In its. rear for keeping open com
munfcation with Tientsin. It naturally
would become the advance base from
which the operations on Picking could be
projected At this point the river vrcrs
to the right and from II the columns
would have to move over and along the
line Of the river.
The Chinese are evidently as much i'm
pressed with the strategic advantages ~
Yangtsun as the international command
ers themselves, as Gen. Cha1es says IN
his cable, that the enemy is reported w.
900 strong at the crossing Of the road over
the Peiho river. without doubt. after the
fight at Peitsang the Chinese force there
n the report Of Admiral Remey that 1t
was forced to retreat proves correct. re.
tired to Yangtsun. There ID no inforrla-
ton as to the number of the enoriy which
met the advance at Peitsang. but judging
from the casualties TO the international
force II must have been large and may.
perhaps. double the Chinese army which
the column must encounter when u
reaches Yangtgun-
The general feeling at the war depart
ment Is that unless the Chinese gener3's
have been completely demoraiised by The
Peitsang attack. there r. very severe
fghting ahead for tho International forces.
and that the ground will be disputed all
the way TO Picking.