The age-herald., 1900-08-14

Washington, August lo.-Ine American commander in China, in a dispatch of just three words, received at the War De- partment late this afternoon, sent a thrill of exutation and expectancy throughout official quarters by announcing his arrival at Ho-Si-Wu, only thirty-three miles from Pekin, last Thursday.
 The last heard from him before this was at Yang Tsun, which had been captured after hard fight, and word of his move ments since then had been eagerly awaited. Thursday he was eighteen miles beyond Yang Tsun.
 Lang Fang, the place where the ill-fated Seymour expedition met its fate and turned back, had been left behind
 The battle of Yang Tsun was fought on the 9th, and the advance to Ho Si Wu was accomplished on the 9th march of IS miles in three days This was four days ago, and at the same rate of progress Chaffee is even now fairly within striking distance of the walls of Pekin.
 The dispatch from Chaffee conveying so much in such few words was as follows:
 "Che Foo-Adjutant General, Washing ton: Tenth-Arrived Hos- Pi-Wu Ho-Si- Wu) yesterday.
 (Signed) "CHAFFEE." Word Spread Rapidiy
 Word of the advance soon spread throughout official quarters. In the enthu- siasm of the moment report got about |, that this was the day for the actual arrival at Pekin. But the War Department had not a word of the advance beyond Ho Si Wu. It was deemed hardly likely that ,ne fo 1a since last Thursday. At the rate of prog ress, six miles day made from Yang Tsun to Ho Si Wu, about 2 miles would have been covered in the last four days, and up to today this would still leave the international forces nine miles from Pekin. Viewed from any standpoint, the advance to Ho Si Wu was of the utmost importance, not only strategically but also in showing that communication was open back to Che Foo, that the expected opposition from Chinese hordes had not been sufficient to prevent the steady forward movement and in the influence it would exert upon the Chinese government. Brief as the despatch Is, 1t conveys much information bey ond that specifically contained in it's few words Although it is not stated what force has arrived the War Department accepts it to mean this is the international force which took Pietsang and then Yang Tsun. It has gone steadily forward along the left bank of the Pei river, keeping on the main FeAd, which skirts the river bank At Yang Tsun the railway crosses the river and branches off to the west Now the forces nave left the railway far in the rear and are de- pending upon the highway and the river. ,F f,ooaid hia Gixa
 Ho Si Wu is a place of considerable size and the largest town between Tien Tsin and Ching Chia Wan. The latter place and Tung Chow are the two cities of considera- ble size In the line of advance after leaving Ho Si Wu. It is surrounded by orchards and gardens and Is not a place likely to have afforded strong opportunity for the de- fense. It is on the Pei Ho river where the river water is depended on, as the native wells are the source of supply on the bal ance of the route to Pekin. As 1t has taken five days for General Chaffee to report the advance to Ho Si Wu, 1t Is evident that wire communication is not open to the front This vas hardly to be expected as the safe arrival of the fhesssase at least shows that certain measure of communi- cation Is open. One of the chief sources of reorganization among officials is that the fancied hordes of China have not material ized or at least have not prevented the in- ternational column from drawing close to the gates of Pelda shortly after this des-