Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-08-10
YANG TSUN TAKEN.
Another Step in the March
Onward to Pekin.
United States Note to China Makes
Demands, Not Asks Favors.
Firing on Legations Must Cease and Proiec-
tion Be Given Foreigners.

Washington. Aug. 9-The capture of
Yang Tsun. the first objective point Of
the International forces. was the SUI
premc news # Importance received. to-
day. on the Chinese situation. The
first word Of this capture. effected last
Monday. came in brief dispatch To
the signal officer at the war depart
mcnt from Col. Scrivcn. the signal Off
Ger AT che Foo. saying:
Che Foo, Aug. 3.
Signals. Washington:
Aug 6. Yang Tsun captured. to-
day. Wire up. Need own trans
portation. All well.
1Signcd) SCR1VEN.
Yang Tsun is the town which Cen.
Chance indicated ~ his dispatch re
ceivcd. yesterday, as being the objec-
tive Of the international forces on their
pending movement. IL Is the junction
Of the Pei Ho river ana railroad lead
ing TO Pekin. Its capture viii insure
To the international troops. * h. hoped,
two routes or transportation to Pekin.
Half an hour after this message a
cablegram came from Gen. Chaffee.
giving additional details or the capture
and showing that il had been at the
cost Of about so casualties among the
American troops. Gen. Chaffee's dis
patch is as follows:
Yang Tsun. Aug. 6, 1e00.-Yang
Tsun occupied. today. Wounded,
Second Lieut.. Frank X. Lang. 9th
Infantry. moderate. Casualties
about 50 men. 9th L. 8. Infantry
and Battery f. 9Th L. 5. Artillery.
Nearly all from 18th Infantry.
Names later. Many men prostra
ted heat and fatigue.
tSigned) CHAFFEE.''
Hardly less important was a dispatch
from Gen. Terauchi. second in COM
mand on the Japanese staff, sent 10
| the war Office of Japan and transmitted,
to the legation here. stating that the
International army would total $4,000
| men. Aug. Is. at which time the real
advance on Pekin would begin. Gen.
Terauchi's dispatch stated than on the
4ih, when ii was forwarded, the adj
vance had not yet begun.
This was at first incomprehensible. in
view Of the fact that fighting had actu-
ally occurred. But the later statement
that the international force would total
80, 900 men, on the 18th, appears u
make clear Gen. Terauchis meaning
and to reconcile it with Gen. Chaffee' s
| dispatches. The present movement Of
some is 600 men, doubtless is viewed
in the light of reconnaissance in
force. the main movement of the army
of 80 900 to follow on the 18th.
This- hoe ole f,py in nf( sny
Chaffee's dispatch that Yang Tsun was
the objective point. The war depart
| mcnt here has been considerably puZ-
lied over this statement of an objec.
tive point, far short of Pekin. 1t would
appear. however, that Gen. Terauchi's
dispatch that the first force of 5000
! men, having opened up communica :
tions to Yang Tsun. brought forward
supplies and established this advanc.,
base. the way would then be clear for
the advance Of the larger force on the
18th.
The capture of Yang Tsun is, there
fore. an important strategic branch 81
the fast maturing military plans. The
place is about Is miles beyond Tie-
Tsin and little less than a quarter Of
the way to Pekin. Col. Scriven's state
ment. Wire up contains much mean
| ing. as it is accepted as showing that
there is direct telegraph communica-
ton with the army in the field Asid,,
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.
Tho ~ ~ WANG b,. In,
following the battle of Pei Tsang is re-
garded as highly successful military
achievement. especially in view Of the
fact that it was looked upon as 4
stronghold whose capture might have
given the foreigners considerable
trouble
Aside from the military developments
OF the day, the diplomatic aspect Of the
crisis was made more clear by the pub
lication of the demand made by the
United States on the imperial govern
ment OF China and transmitted to Min
lister WI, last evening. The document
Is as follows:
1--WE are awaiting ourselves of the
opportunity offered by the imperial
edict Of the 9Th Of August. allowing
10 lne ltrfieU fnllllSIefS Tree
communication with their re-
spectivc governments In cipher and
have sent a communication to Min
lister Conger. to which we await
an answer.
I'VE are already advised by him.
in a brief dispatch received Aug.
eth. that imperial troops are firing
daily upon the ministers In Pekin-
We demand the immediate cessa-
ton of hostile attacks by imperial
troops upon the legations. and urge
the exercise of every power and
every energy of the imperial gov
crnment' for the protection of the
legations and all foreigners there
in.
I'VE are also advised by the same
dispatch from Minister Conger
that. in his opinion. for the foreign
ministers to leave Pekin as prop0s-
ed. in the edict Of Aug. end. would
he certain death. In view of the
fact that the imperial troops are
now firing upon the legations. and
in view Of the doubt expressed by
the imperial government in its edict