Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-08-09
A BATTLE REPORTED
Allies Defeat Chinese In a
Sharp Engagement.
FORMER LOSE TWELVE HUNDRED MEN
Casualties Chiefly Among Russians
and Japanese - General MacAr-
thur Reports Sending Addi-
tiOnal Artillery to TaLu.

WASHINGTON, Aug. THE an
nouncement, received through Admiral
Remey and Commander Taussig, of re-
ported heavy fighting on the road beyond
Ilen-tsin is the news of interest in the
Chinese situation. Little doubt is eX-
pressed at the navy department that the
news was substantially correct. 1t is
probable that later report may reduce
the list of casualties among the interna-
tional forces, but it is evident that the
move on Peking Is at last fairly under
way and that strong opposition has been
encountered. The war department off
Gals, who have been exceedingly reticent
for several days as to news from the
seat Of war, admitted when the naval
dispatches were received that the an
Aouncement of trouble was not uneX-
pected.
The engagement at Peitsang is under
stood here to be the result of recon
noissance in force, and while Commander
Taussig mentions only the Russian and
japanese troops it is apparent that other
troops were engaged because he says the
loss was sustained chiefly" by the Rus
slams and Japanese.
The report also disproves the state
ments sent from Washington about the
Chaffee dispatch making it appear that
the Russians were sulking in their tents
and would not move.
The dispatches are as follows:
"Chefu, Aug. 6.-British Fame reports
unofficial, engagement Peitsang Sunday
3 to 1890. Allied loss killed, wounded
1,200, chiefly Russian, Japanese. Chinese
retreating TAUSSIG."
"Chefu, Aug. 6.-Unoflicial report, be.
lieved reliable, about 10000 allies heavily
engaged Chinese at Peitsang daylight
9th. REMEY."
No mention is made of what position
the American troops held in the line of
battle, but the authorities do not doubt
they took an active part.
Opinion among the various officials
now in Washington is somewhat divided
as to just what is presaged by yester-
days events. The more optimistic are
inclined to think that such Il severe blow
as the Chinese must have received at
Peitsang will result in the speedy disin-
tegration Of the forces now opposing the
march of the international column. In
line with this prediction it was prophe
sled that the Chinese government would
find means to send the ministers from
Peking under escort and thus stave off
the advance upon the capital On the
other hand, there was a number of Off
GERS in a position to judge equally well
who held that the fight ut Peitsang was
only the beginning of strenuous resist
ance that would be continued to the
gates of Peking or beyond.
1t was urged i'll support of this view
that the Chinese had 100 men to lose
against one of the allies, that they were
well armed with modern guns and had
apparently an abundance of ammunition.
1t is stated that considerable apprehen-
sion exists among those conversant with
oriental affairs at the temperance in
Peking politics of that rabid antiforeign
fanatic Ii Ping Hung. 1t is understood
that his appearance in Peking affairs
may have had something to do with the
Shanghai rumors of Ii Hung Chang's
suicide. 1t is certain that with Lii Ping
Hung and Prince Tuan in control of the
de facto government in China Il religious
war of dervishlike fanaticism probably
will be waged against all foreigners, and
friends of the more liberal Chinese states
men are exceedingly anxious as to their
fate under the Tuan-Li regime.
The war department is in receipt of a
dispatch from General Macarthur an
nouncing that he has shipped additional
artillery supplies to Taku for use in the
Chinese campaign These supplies in
clude several Gatling guns and the re-
mainder of the rife and howitzer siege
train left in Manila, which up to date
has remained useless in that country on
account of the bad roads. How much
better General Chaffee may be able to
handle these monster guns through the
almost impossible rice swamps of China
no one at the war department was will
ing to guess, but his recent dispatch con-
tanned an urgent appeal for more artil-
lery, and he is getting it. The ordnance
experts at the war department say that
if it comes to a bombardment of Peking
these five inch rifles and seven inch
howitzers, with their enormous bursting
charges of high explosives, will he the
most effective battering weapons in the
international column