New-York tribune., 1900-07-28
THE PEKING EXPEDITION
ADVANCE NOT EXPECTED TO BEGIN
THIS MONTH
STRENGTH OF THE ALLIED FORCES EsTI-
MATED AT TWENTY EIGHT THOUSAND
MEN BY ADMIRAL REMEY
IBx TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

tBy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
Washington. July 27.-For prudential reasons
It has been decided not TO make public at pres
ent the dispatch received from Admiral Remey
in regard to the military situation in North
China, and the prospect Of an early advance
of the international forces toward Peking' In
regard to the latter there is reason TO believe
that 1t will not begin as soon as July 80. In
fact that is earlier date than the War De-
partment officials have at any time regarueu
as practicable although some Of them nave
hoped that the movement would begin by Au-
gust l or 3. and Northumberland Miles IS
understood TO have expressed the opinion that
a successful advance might be made with twen-
ty thousand men, provided force of ten thou
sand was held in reserve at Tien-Tsin ana
Taku to protect the base Of operations But
probably General Miles would prefer to accept
the Judgment of the military commanders on
the ground, who undoubtedly have fully ac-
quainted themselves by means Of reconnois-
sances and otherwise with the difficulties and
resistance to be encountered between Tien-Tsin
and Peking rather than his own opinion, formed
so many thousand miles away and necessarily
based on imperfect information
The only other fact which seemed to be es-
tabIished to-day in regard to Admiral Remey's
dispatch was that it placed the total effective
strength Of the international forces at Taku and
Tien-Tsin at 2S,000 men. This does not in
clude the reinforcements from Manila under
Colonel Daggett. consisting Of 26 officers and
9I5 enlisted men and six field guns, or those
with General Chaffee. consisting of two squad
rons (about $50 officers and enlisted mem Of the
9Th Cavalry, 300 infantry recruits designed for
regiments in the Philippines but temporarily
diverted to Taku and 800 marines. under Major
Biddle, making a total OF about 1,410 officers
and enlisted men. These combined reinforce
ments, which are all expected to arrive at Tien-
Tsn early next week. Will swell the International
forces TO 3O40O men, about the force that Gen
eral Miles is understood 10 have estimated as
necessary TO begin an advance movement or
this force + 200 will consist Of United States
troops. Some recent press dispatches have in
dicated that a British Indian contingent, com
posed of several thousand men, was nearing
Taku transports but there has been no Of
fetal notice Of their arrival. The same dis
patches estimated Colonel Daggetts force at
5000 men-trebIe the actual number-and
landed them at Taku yesterday. but no official
notice Of the arrival Of this force at Taku has
yet been received by the War Department
GOOD SEASON FOR OPERATIONS.
Press dispatches from Tien-Tsin indicate that
the season thus far has been an unusually IA
vorable one for military operations IN the coun-
try between Taku and Peking. There has been
a long and severe drouth and the valley Of the
Pei-Ho, which usually becomes vast pog III
July and August is yet comparatively Dry
allowing free movements Of troops and artillery
as well as of wagons ard other means Of field
transportation. The river is unusually low OF
course which will interfere to some extent with
bringing forward military supplies by water
but that is regarded q minor Disadvantage
compared with the difficulties OF moving ana
supplying z large military force in hooded
country. A Shanghai dispatch published TINS
morning indicated the concentration OF d con
siderable Chinese force at 'CTetsang, ten miles
north Of Tien-Tstn, where s1siarse quantlty 9L
tribute rice is reported to be stored accord
ing TO the same dispatch. the Russian ana Jap
anese cavalry were keeping IN close touch WIN WIN
the enemy. The town called ,Getsans IN tne
dispatch appears TO be IDENTICAL with rel
Tsang" which is the first station on the rail-
v-av north OF Tien-Tsn and WEST of the Pet-Ho-
1t is probably an unf0rtifed Chinese town or vii
lage oF Or1naratfveIy small Importance from
military point Of view. Persons who have tTaV-
eued through the country between Tlen-IslH
and Peking agree in saying that there are no
fortified towns on the route
MILITARY AND NAVAL ACTIVITY.
The efforts Of the War Department TO rein
force General Chafee's command as early as
practicable continue with Unabated energy, as
do the preparations to forward military stores
and supplies and means of transportation The
TRANSPORT Sumner which sailed from San Fran
cisco on July Is with one battalion (o+O ofncers
and enlisted mem Of the 18th Infantry. is ex-
pected to arrive at Taku about August ~ An
/ other battalion Of the same regiment IS scheu-
/ uIed TO leave san Francisco tomorrow for the
! same destination. The QuarterTnasters DepaTL-
| rnent IS enIsting men in the West for the PACK
ira in service in China and the Philippines. and II
is understood that animals for seventy-1ve such
trains VIII be shipped from Seattle within the
/ next few days The men enlisting for this ser
/ vice in China are TO have free transportation
both ways. and recruits are readily obtained.
The Navy Department IS not behind the Army
In its preparations. and recruiting for the Marine
! Corps is progressing at rapid pace. At chi
| cago alone about eight hundred recruits have
| been recently enlisted Many of them are men
/ who served in the with Spain and the re-
crTf-irg officer reports that most Of those offer
/ ing themselves are far above the average. Every
| transport sailing for China from this time for
ward will carry either fun battalion or a
/ detachment of marines