New-York tribune., 1900-08-20
THE EMPRESS A PRISONER.
DETAINED IN THE CAPITAL BY
CHINESE GENERAL
IBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rn1Bcxr.I

IBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBCSEl
Washington. Aug. ia different and some
what more serious face was put on the Mill
tary situation at Peking viewed from Wash
ington. by an important dispatch received at
the Navy Department this morning from Ad-
miral Remey which confirmed in all re-
spects save two by equally important dis
patch received at the War Department from
Major-GeneraI Chaffee. Admiral Remey's dis
patch read as follows:
Che-Foo (no date). Tal<u, August Is.
bureau of Navigation.
Telegraph line to Pekfng interrupted In
formation Japanese sources. Empress DOssa-
ger detained by Prince YungedO (Yung LuS).
inner city. which ds) being bombarded by
allies. Chaffee reports entered legations
evening 18th. Eight wounded GnD days
lighting; otherwise all well. REMEY.
Following is General Chafree's dispatch:
Che-Foo. August 10.
Acknowledgement.
Picking. Aug. live entered legations at
o'clock last night with 18th and light bat
terry. Eight wounded during days lighting.
Otherwise all well. CHAFFEE-
Both dispatches were Immediately laid before
the President who directed that they be made
public. and they were afterward the subject OF
| a conference between the President and the
| Secretary OF War and several other officials.
According to the dispatch OF Mator-Gener
Chafree. who IN command of the American
forces that marched into the Imperial capital
they did so on the evening OF August II. after
days fighting. in which eight Americans were
wounded. and Admiral Remey adopts that state
ment All the dispatches received here yester-
I day and the day before gave August Is as the
day which the International forces fought
| their way into Peking.
COMMUNICATIONS CUT
The dispatch OF Admiral Remey conveys IN
formation which explains why further official
details of the occupation Of Tung-Chow and of
the subsequent capture and occupation OF the
Tartar city Of Peking have noi yet been re-
ceived. Telegraph line TO Peking interrupted
Is an item of news which some OF the more ex-
perienced officers OF the Army on duty in the
War Department hoped not 10 hear. and yet II
was not wholly unexpected. As has been point
ed out in these dispatches. the line runs through
a hostile and thickly populated country for
distance of seventy or eighty miles In the nat
ure Of things it has been impracticabIs to
guard the entire line. and it would have been al
most miracle If it had escaped injury either
by accident or design. The Signal Corps de-
techment which built the line and Is man
aging it is small one. consisting OF a Heuten-
ant and less than twenty men. who were sent
from Manila with the 9th Infantry. No official
information has since been made public which
indicates that this detachment has been re-
! inforced.
JAPANESE SERVICE ESTABLISHED
The japanese commander in the advance
column seems to have established a courier
service. and some news Is coming through in
that way from the front Admiral Remey it
may be remembered. first heard of the occu-
patton of TUng-Chow and the meditated at
tack upon Peking through japanese sources
and in his dispatch received to-day he ac-
knowledges his Indebtedness to the same source
for the information that the Empress Dowager
was detained by Prince Yung in the Forbidden
! City, which under bOmbardment.
/ This information. if correct, is extremely i'm
portant. especially when considered in connec-
tion with the statement in General Chafeeis
dispatch that the light battery Of the 5th Ar
tiIlery entered Peking with him the night
of August H. With Reilly's battery planted
on the wall of the Tartar City in the rear OF
| the American Legation. it would perfectly COM
mand the interior OF the Forbidden City and
be able to administer TO the Empress DOwager
and her Court liberal doses OF the same sort
of medicine that Minister Conger and his fam
lily and the other foreigners-amOng whom were
two hundred and children-were COM
| PEELED to take day after day and night after
night for nearly two months. according to the
| directions OF herself and her Manchu advisers.
EMPRESS HELD IN PEKING.
| The Empress appears TO have been detained IN
Peking against her will. which would seem to
indicate either that her anti-foreign advisers had
determined to stake everything. even the exist
ence OF the dynasty. upon last desperats
stand in the Imperial City. or that the pro-for-
/ egn element had gained the ascendency and
prevented her flight. In any case. her escape
from Peking and from personal responsibility
for her acts would seem to be impossible Shs
100 P. NJ. $50 AND go P NJ