Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-08-28
AGAIN A AGGRESSIVE.
CONTINUED from page ~

= these attacks upon the lines Of com
munication by Boxers are more FOR
midable than was supposed to be pos
sibIe, after the heavy losses inflicted
upon them by the international forces
! in its advances.
| The most important dispatch OF IN
day was one from Minister Congcr rel
alive to the military situation IN
| Pekin. Unfortunately ii lacked da,"'
the minister presumably not having
! vet received the departments instruc-
| tions to include the date in the Dody
of his dispatches. The state depart
ment at first undertook 10 have the
cable companies correct this serious
omission. but finally concluding from
| international evidence that Mr. con
gers message was certainly later than
any official emenation from the Chi
nese capital, the message was allowed
publicity for what it was worth. Mr.
| COnger's reference to the arrival OF
! 2O00 fresh German troops caused SOM
surprise. no one apparently having
! closely watched the movements OF the
German contingent. which is now ar
irving with fairly regular frequency If
! China and which consequently may h'
| expected soon to equal IN numerlc2!
| strength the military contlngents ~
! any Of the European nations there rep
! resented
y significant statement in Minister
| Conger's dispatch is that respecting
the expected appearance in Pekin -
some of the members If Tsun Ii va
men. \ natural construction given L.
! this statement is that the ministers
wish To undertake 10 represent the
Chinese government formally in neg
tiations With the powers. 1t having
been found impossible up to this mo
ment. according to Mr.. COnger's state
ment. to meet any representative PA
the Chinese government in Pekin VINO
was competent to open negotiations, ~
may be inferred that if these ministers
actually appear with proper crcden-
tialg. one Of the problems Connrctr.:
with the present difficult situation III
China will be solved. With some To-
sponsiblc person or persons t. deal
with it may be possible for the United
States t. come to some agreement ~
to a settlement of the chinese trouble
Ever since the fan Of Plin the princi-
pal difficulty confronting the govern
ment here has been to arrange for the
next movement in its program. Il
could not withdraw its troops, even II
81 disposed. without arranging fur IN
identification for the heavy cost ID has
been put to i'll the Pekin campaign
Also. it must make arrangements with
some responsible authority for the fu-
turc protection of American interests
in China, as our business interests can
not be Withdrawn along with the army
Of occupation. Therefore, as convey
ing a faint hope that in the persons ri
these members Of the Tsung Ii Iamen
there may be found some authorized
representative If the Chinese govern
mnt competent to make engagements
on these points. The message of Mr..
Conger was very welcome to the au-
thorities here.
Another statement in Mr. Congcr's
dispatch relative t. the decision IF the
generals not to enter the imperial PAL
ace, appears To explain the movement
Of the American troops which the press
dispatches We're unable to clear UP, In
relaxing the attack upon the palace
gates after capturing all but one OF
them
Another event of the day Of some in
terest was the order dispatchins ;he
Castine from Shanghai to Annoy, dis
tant 400 miles. The little gunboat
should make the run in about two days
under favorable conditions. Her force
is small but sufficient to serve the
moral purpose if there be n rd for sue
1t APPEARS that she is ordered to Annoy
quite as much on account IF the repre-
sensations from wen informed business
| ,j ,tTi,ig1 yi1-i.4 TIL.
consul at Annoy agreeing with the rep
resentations Of the business interests it
was decided To be proper to send gun
| boat to Annoy. not because ot any par
! ticuIIr apprehension a to Japanese as
pirations. but to prevent rioting at this
| dangerous point.
| The first direct word from General
Chuffee since Aug. IS. came. today, in
| the form of cablegram dated. today.
| at Tai;u. reporting the action Of the
9Th Cavalry with the enemy near Tieu
| Tsin on the 18th. The cable is as fol
lows:
Washington. Aug. 37.-The following
dispatch from Gen. chaffre has been
received at the war department:
"Taku, Aug. 27.-Adjutant General,
Washington: COL. Whit, on the 18th,
1 reports fndfCned, at 1 a. M, ana en-
gagged large force Of enemy seven miles
from city; dispersed them, killing about
| 100. Americans lost five wounded. Will
cable names wounded as soon as ascer-
tanned (SigncD Chaftce."
Col. Wint is colonel of the Sth cav
airy, but is acting as colonel in the
absence of Colonel Sumner who is in
5rope. The fight probably occurred
near Tien Tsin as the Sth Cavalry was
at that place at the time mentioned
This cable adds nothing to the informa-
tion in the possession Of the department
relative to military movements as it il
simply General Chaffee's belatpd official
| report Of an engagement previously re-
ported BY Admiral Remey in a cable
dated Taku, Aug. ~ in which H. said:
Morning 18Th. 9th Cavalry ana about
400 English ana Japanese dispersed about
1000 Boxers outside Of Tien Tsin About
100 Chinese killed, five Americans
wounded
The description of the action reported
by General Chaffee ITALICS ideutically with
that previously reported by Admiral Re
mcy i'm that the above cable is identified
with it by wJr department officials. The
explanation of the delay in the war de