The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-08-09
the CHINESE SITUATION.

There Ia evidently q censorship Of despatches
at Tientsin or Chefoo that delays and manip-
ulates them In such a way Tat only confusing
statements Of events get through. A. re-
CARDS the affair at Pei-tsang on Sunday IL
seems that the Japanese played the principal
part. chiefly because the ground available
for the deployment and manruvrins OF the
British and Americans was too circumscrlbed
through the flooding ofthe surrounding coun-
try. TO allow the latter to participate In the fight
Ing. This was the great difficulty attending the
Anglo-French campaign In 1850. although the
natives then were friendly. Owing to tho
way the country Is cut up by water
channels and the numerous swamps 1t
was impossible TO move bodies OF more than
1000 mon together. 90 limited were the areas
OF dry ground for camping purposes. The
difficulty is Increased now by the hostility Of
the natives and the other circumstances Of the
country already described. The allied adj
vance, therefore, whatever its strength may
be. will DO on a narrow front. which will greatly
facilitate the work Of the defence In the hands
OF q skilful commander. while proportionately
increasing the difficulty Of the allied advances.
La the negotiations going on between the DIFF
ferent Governments. including our own. and
'"c b'"Ni VI ontiO NJ Echil,t NtI liiu vi
TO be ut cross purposes. The Chinese are OBJ
viously doing all in their power to get rid OF the
foreign ENJOYS without further sacrifice OF life
among the members Of the legations. as. who
ever may be responsible for the earlier and later
attacks. they would like 70 show clean hands
since the reopening Of communications In
what light they will regard the summons from
our Government to cooperate with the
relieving force. is hardly open to
doubt In view OF the attitude they
have assumed throughout the troubles. The
difficulty they appear TO have Ii 10 get hold
OF the ENJOYS for the purpose Of putting them
outside Pekin and into the hands Of the allied
forces without further mlshap Detailing them:
and this they cannotsb be sure Of doing while
the ENJOYS refuse to move Of their W free
will and their escorts have ammunition left
with which to defend the legations against
attacks. having for their object the seizure Of
the ENJOYS for the purpose of ex polling
them from the capital. The authorities Mt
Pekin are now between two fires, and II will
be OF great interest to see how they draw out
OF the situation In face Of the determination
OF the allies to advance ~ rapidly as circum-
stances allow In the light Of the latest
dispatches received from Pekin by different
Governments, II is reasonable to suppose that
the Envoys are still safe. The cipher kilograms
from Pekin are handed in TO the Yamen Of the
Governor at Tsi-nan. the capital Of Shantung
Province. The distance between Pekin and
Tsi-nan Il about two hundred and fifty miles.
So far as the military operations are con-
oerned they are not likely TO be carried boz
yond Yang-tsun until further reenforcements
arrive, unless the Chinese show a sudden weak
enlng; and even then 1t would be dangerous
to move forward without an adequate force.
A curious statement has appeared with re-
gard 10 the French contingent. II Is stated,
but on what authority is not said, that the
French cannot reinforce their contingent with
the allied forces on the road to Pekin, because
all the troops now on their way out 10
the Far East will be needed against an
expected insurrection In Tonquin similar to
that against tho Russians In Manchuria. The
agreement said to have been come TO between
the Car and the German Emperor to allow
German troops to be transported over the
Siberian railway to China under certain condi-
tons Is worth noting. II true, II opens up a
vista In which the spread Of railways into Asia
at the service Of the great European CONT
mental Powers, will difierentlate for war pur-
poses between the land and sea P Powers. and
In favor Of the former.