The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-10
THEY TOOK YANG TsUN THIRTY
MILES FROM TIEN TsIN.
WAS CHINESE STRONGHOLD,
ALLIES HAD NEED OF 1T FOR A
BASE OF OPER ATIONs.
SIXTY AMERICANS WOUNDED,
MOST OF OUR CASUALTIES FROM
FOURTEENTH INFANTRY.

Gen. Chaffee Does Not Say whether
Amy Americans Were KilIed-Many
Frustrated From Heat and
FatiGue-LoOks as If This Is Not
the Advance but Reconnaissance
in FOrce-Our Ultimatum to China
Made PubIic-It Makes Strong De-
mands.
Washington. Aug. 9.-The capture of
Yang Tsun, the final objective point of
the international forces, was the supreme
news of Importance received to-day on the
Chinese situation.
The first word of this capture, effected
last Monday came in a brief dispatch to
the signal Office at the war department
from Col. scriven, the signal officer al
Che Foo. saying:
"Che Foo, Aug. 9.-To Signals, Wash
ington: Aug. 6, Yang Tsun captured to-
day. Wire up. Need own transportation.
All we'll "Scriven"
Half an hour after this message, a ca
blegram came from Gen. Chaffee giving
additional details of the capture and show
ing that 1t had been at the cost of about
sixty casualties among the American
troops. Gen. Chaffee's dispatch is as foI-
lows:
Yang Tsun. Aug. 6.-Yang Tsun occu-
pied to-day. Wounded Second Lieutenant
Frank r. Long, Ninth Infantry, moderate
casualties about sixty men, Ninth United
States Infantry; Fourteenth United States
Infantry and Battery F, Fifth United
States Artillery. Nearly all from Four
teenth Infantry. Names later Many
men prostrated, heat and fatigue
"Chaffee."
win Have 10000 Men.
Hardly less important was a dispatch
from Gen. Terauchi, second in command
on the japanese staff, sent to the war Of
fee of Japan, and transmitted to he lega-
ton here, stating that the international
army WOuIu lOtdI JO,JUU E1eH OH aug. ID, dI
which time the real advance on Pekin
would begin.
Gen. Terauchfs dispatch stated that on
the 4tt1, when it was forwarded. the ad-
vance had not yet begun. This was at
first incomprehensible, in view of the fact
that fighting has actually occurred. But
the later statement that the International
force would total $4,000 men on the 18th ap-
pears to make clear Gen. Terauchrs
meaning and to reconcile it with Gen.
Chaffees dispatches.
The present movement of some 10000
men. doubtless, is viewed in the light of
reconnaissance in force, the main
movement of the army of $4,000 to follow
on the 18th. This makes clear the mean
ing of Gen. Chaffee's dispatch that Yang
Tsun was the objective point.
To Be Used as "a Base.
The war department here has been con-
s derably puzzled over this statement of
an objective point far short of Pekin.
II would appear, however. from Gen. Te-
rauchis dispatch that the first force of
5000 men having opened up communica-
tions to Yang Tsun, brought forward sup
plies and established this advance base,
the way would then be clear for the ad-
vance of the larger force on the 18th The
capture of Yang Tsun is therefore an
important strategic branch of the fast
maturing military plans. The place is
about eighteen miles beyond Tien Tsin
and little less than quarter of the way
to Pekin.
Col. Scriven's statement: Wire up" con-
tains much meaning as it is accepted as
showing that there is direct telegraphic
communication with the army in the field.
Aside from the assurance this gives of
speedy transmission Of news from the
front, it gives the additional assurance
that the line of communication is intact
back to the first base of operations.
The capture of Yang Tsun on the day
following the battle of Pei Tsang is re-
garded as a highly successful military
achievement. especially in view of the
fact that it was looked upon as strong
hold whose capture might give the for
eisners considerable trouble.
Our Demand Upon China.
Aside from the military developments
OF the day, the diplomatic aspect Of the
risis was made more clear by the publi-
cation of the demand made by the United
States on the imperial government OF
China and transmitted to Minister WI
last evening. The document is as fol-
lows:
We are availing ourselves of the op-
portunity offered by the imperial edic'
OF the 9Th of August, allowing to the
Foreign ministers free communication with
their respective governments in cipher
and have sent communication TO Minis
ter Conger, to which we await an an
swer
We are already advised by him, in a
Dr1ef dispatch received Aug Z. that i'm
per1al troops are firing daily upon the
ministers in Pekin. We demand the Inn