Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-08-07
THE BATTLE OPENS.
On the Hard March for the
Relief of Pekin.
Fierce Fighting, Sunday, With Loss
Of 1900 for Foreigners.
London Hears That Relief Column Proper Left
Tien Tsin. Monday.

Washington, Aug. 1.-THE following
cablegrams have been received at the
navy department:
"Chee Foo. August 6.-Bureau Nav
| cation, Washington: British Fame re-
ports unofficial, engagement at Per
Tsang, Sunday morning, to 1880. Al
| lied loss, killed and wounded, Zoo,
chiefly Russians and Japanese. Chi
nese retreating. (Signed) Taussig.
Bureau Navigation, Washington:
| Unofficial report believed reliable.
About 10000 allies heavily engaged
Chinese al Pei Tsang. daylight Of the
| 5th. (Signed) Remey.' Chez Foo,
August g.
Pei Tsang is the first railroad station,
about miles northwest Of Tien Tsin,
en- route to Pekin.
| Taussig, who signed the first dis
! patch, is in command of the York
| town, which is at Che Foo.
| The announcement received through
! Admiral Remey and Commander Taus-
sig Of reported heavy firing on the road
| beyond Tien Tsin was the news of in
| terest in the Chinese situation. today.
| Little doubt was expressed at the navy
| department that the news was sub
| stantially correct. It is probable that
later report may reduce the list OF
casualties among the international
forces, but it is evident that the move
ment on Pekin is at last fairly under
way. and that strong opposition has
been encountered. The war depart
ment officials. who have been exceed
ingly reticent for several days as to
news from the seat of war admitted
today, when the naval dispatches We're
received that the announcement Of the
trouble was not unexpected.
Opinion among the various officials
now in Washington is somewhat divid-
ed as to just what is presaged by to-
days events. The more optimistic are
inclined to think that such a severe
blow as the Chinese must have receiv-
ed at Pei Tsang will result in the
speedy disintegration Of the forces
now opposing the International column.
In line with this predictionit was prop
hesied that the Chinese government
would find means to send the ministers
from Pekin under escort and thus
stave off the advance upon the capital
on the other hand there were a num-
Der Of officers in a position to judge
equally well who held that the fight at
Pei Tsang was only the beginning Of a
strenuous resistance that would be
continued to the gates of Pekin or be-
yOnd.
1t was urged in support of this view
that the Chinese had a hundred men
to lose against one of the allies; that
they We're well armed with modern
guns and had apparently an abundance
Of ammunition. 1t is stated that con-
siderable apprehension exists among
those conversant with Oriental affairs
ut the temperance in Pekin politics
of that rabid anti-foreign fanatic. Lii
Ping Hung. ii is understood that his
appearance in Pekin affairs may have
had something to do with the Shang-
hal rumors Of Ii Hung Changes sui
eide. 1t is certain that with Ii Ping
Hung and Prince Tuan in control of
the de facto government in China re
ligious war of dervish like fanaticism
probably will be waged against all for
eigners and friends of the more liberal
Chinese statesmen are exceedingly
anxious as to their fate under the Tuan
Ii regime
The war department is in receipt of
a dispatch from Gen. Macarthur an
al artillery supplies to Taku for use in
the Chinese campaign. These supplies
include several Calling guns. and the
remainder of the rifle and Howitzer
siege train at Manila, which up to
date had remained useless in that
country on account of the bad roads.
How much better Gen. Chaffee may
be able to handle these monster guns
through the almost impossible rice
swamps of China no one at the war
department was willing to guess. but
his recent dispatch contained an ur-
gent appeal for more artillery and he
is getting it. The ordnance experts at
the war department say that If it
comes to a bombardment of Pekin.
these 5-inch rifles and finch howitzers
with their enormous bursting charges
of high explosives will be the most eff
fective battering weapons in the in
ternational column.
Minister WI left Washington. Satur-
day. for Cape May and remained away
from Washington, today, although he
Continued on page 2.)