Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-04

these walls are somewhat ruined still they
have decided defensive quality and might
nave to be carried by assault. From Cham
CHA Wan right up to Pekin the country
becomes thickly wooded and studded with
numerous villages or barrack towns with
mud walls, in which are quartered, as you
come near Pekin, the greater part of the
imperial Tartar guard. The groves of trees
about these towns, their numerous Gene
teries and temples are so thick that they
form, in places. veritabe palisades from
the cover of which a dangerous and I'M
suspected fire could easily be brought to
bear upon an approaching force. Tung
CHOW is practically twenty miles from
Pekin, and from there down to the walls
of the capital itself the thickly populated
nature OF the country would turn an at
tack into something closely akin to that
very dangerous type of warfare-street
nshting- With knowledge that they were
hght1ng for their homes again as in 1860
IL is quite natural to assume that once mors
these people Will. put up very stubborn
night and we can carry these soldier set
Elements only after persistent struggle
and the loss of a good many lives. 1t was
at Chan-chia Wan that the Chinese fought
their first battle. west of Ten Tsin in
1850. and 1t was there that the famous Mon
golian general, Sangkelinsin. suffered his
nrst defeat at the hands of a handful of
barbarlans.' 1t is not at all unlikely that
1t Will again be at Chan-chia Wan that the
Chinese forces will oppose the advance in
force. for the nature of the country there
Is admirably suited to the management of
score to settle, too,
binding Dust Storms.
Even though the rainy season might not
nave set in, the country for three-quarters
OF the way toward Pekin is very sandy and
one OF the most trying things is dust
STERN III that open territory when swept by
the drlVing northern winds: this is appre-
ciapie when it is realized that the roads are
'he SAhpie grinding of the traffic of time
in light soil which readily yields fine
dust when dried. At this season of the
year between the rains. the sun comes out
with herce warmth that breeds a danger
Gus maiarial condition. The Thermometer
ranges all the way from los to 81. and the
IishtS are apt to be very chilly while the
Jews are very heavy and productive of
much sickness to those eXposed to thenn
ohly the greatest amount of care at this
part OF the year will insure the welfare of
european troops in region subject to
great changes or temperature: and it is in
!he same rapid way that one season loses
itseii III IT'S succeSSor-Snow and the lev
blasts of the north sweeping down even as
early as the beginning of October These
peculiar climatic conditions insist ether
that our soldier shall go even now in the
neat OF summer, burdened with a reserve
VI winter clothing or that the amplest
means snail be provided to have them ready
Tor them by the time they may reach Pekin.
Much of the pneumonia suffered by the
l5tl!ish troops in South Africa has been oc-
NN''A'i4N' changes
peIatufeS from day to night even though
not really near the frost line; this is par
llcuIafly felt by the wearied. relaxed body
OF soldier worn out by the toll of a heated
day.
Fortunately the way is well watered and
with reasonable care, there is no reason
why our troops should be exposed to sick
ness on that account. provided of course
that the river and wells are not tainted Inv,
the presence of dead bodies. The trail of
Mar III Ihlha. even in a struggle against
European troops is not without its orien-
tai or savage barbarities. Sir Hope Grant
on his march to Pekin in 1860 found many
or the. streams. ponds and wells holding
thelr charge of dead and drowned-suicide
by drowning, strangulation and opium poi
sonfng being an extensive thing among the
non-combatants, and especially among the
women These bodies either got into the
wells, etc. In carrying out their purpose,
or were cast there by the loved ones hop
Ing to be taken out later and buried with
out the risk of the sacrileeious touch of
the barbarian. 1t was not done to faint
the water supply, but the result was the
same
One Great Truck Garden.
As a means of subsistence the country
between Tien Tsin and Pekn is particular
ly well adapted to the support of an invad-
ing army, and in its highly cultivated
state has long constituted a menace to the
capital in case of invasion. From Tien
Tsin to Pekin the whole way is practically
one great truck garden and the source of
supply for these two cities 1t has. of
course, gathered large population, which,
in time of danger, must necessarily seek
the protection of Pekin as hostile force
marched thither from the Pei-ho. In turn,
this sudden addition to the capitals popu-
lace would either only hasten the fall of
the latter or, when pinched, breed a des-
peration to he met by force of arms on the
part of the invading army.
In 1850 the allied armies had no difficulty
in living upon the Country-in fact. the
natives were only too glad a rule to
trade but it is questionable if such will
prove the today if the Chinese are
fleeing before the relief force. So far as
the horses of the expedition are concerned
the country could support them, even
though the fodder might prove unusual "a
first From the Pei-ho to Pekin there are
vast fields of corn and millet-the latter. es-
pecialiy-and forty years ago this plenty
was not only a comfort but a menace as
well The millet particularly, grows 10
such a height to substantially close out
the view even of q horSerlan beyond III
teen or twenty yards, and it was unGer
the cover of this great green screen that
the Tartar cavalry came very near out
ianking the allied forces at that time,
while only the sharpest kind of scouting On
the part of the Europeans prevented a
number of ambuscades of singaii-mcn anu
Chinese artillery.
This section of China produces large
quantities of ice. which the natives sedu-
allied forces will find it a Godsend, espe-
ciaIlv for the sick and wounded. If the
natives have not moved their provender the
gardens along the way will be found we'll
stocked with vegetables of a great variety,
while fruit will be found in large quanti-
ties; but there is every chance that much
has been removed or Destroyed If the Chi
nese are fleeing before the army.
The purpose of this article is not to deal
with the Chinese army at ali, but it must
be considered somewhat in connection with
the geographical conditions in the Pekin-
Tien Tsin region. AS has been said, the
Tartar cavalry, supplied with their wiry
Monaghan pones-animals of thirteen and
fourteen hands-are peculiarly adapted to
work in country heavy with mud, while
their endurance can be counted upon to
make them very mobile and fleet in the
drier seasons. 1t is well known that there
are anywhere from ten to twenty thousand
of these troops in the neighborhood of
Pekin. OF ordnance there are accounted
for forty fine 3-7-inch field pieces of the
most modern make, while how many others
there are about the capital only be
conjectured. Under foreign training we
have seen what the Chinaman can do in
the way of shooting already at Tien Tsin,
and the prospects of facing a Mauser fire
FROM, he apbuSca infantry of he enc