The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-10
ALLIED FORCES MUST FOLLOW FROM TEN TsIN TO pEKIN

walled towns, and while these walls are
somewhat ruined, stlll they have a de-
cidedly defensive quality and might have
10 be carried by assault. From Chan CHA
Wan right up TO Pekin the country be-
comes thickly wooded aud studded with
numerous villages or barrack towns, with
mud walls, in which are Qusrtercd--as one
comes near Pekin-the greater part OF the
imperial Tartar guard The groves OF
trees about these towns. their numerous
cemeteries and temples, are so thick that
they form, in places. veritable palisades,
from the cover OF which dangerous and
unsuspected 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 pop
ulated nature OF the country would turn
an attack into something closely akin to
that very dangerous type OF warfare street
lighting. With knowledge that they
were hghtng for their homes again. an
in 1860, II is quite natural to assume that
once more these people will put up a very
stubborn fight, and the International fore c
carry these soldier settlements only afleS
persistent struggle and the loss OF a
good many lives.
1t was at Chan CHA Wan that the chi
nese fought their first baltic west of rien
Tsin In 1860, and It was there that tn
famous Monaghan general Sang Kelinsin,
suffered his first defeat at tho hands OF a
handful Of barbarians." 1t is not a,
all unlikely that il will again DO at Chan
CHA Wan that the Chinese forces vi
oppose the advance In force, fer the ma
ture OF the country there Is admirably
suited to the management OF their mobile
troops, and they have an old score to sell
tie, tos.
Even though the raiuy season might no:
have set in, the country for threo-dusr-
tiers of the way toward Pekin Is very
sandy, and one of the most trying thing-
is a duststorm IN that open country when
swept by the driving northern Winds, rhls
is appreciable when i Is realized that the
roads are the simple grinding OF the traf
ic of slime In a light soil which readl, y
yields a hne dust when dried. At his
season OF the year between the rains the
sun comes out with herce warmth that
breeds a dangerous mslar.al condition.
The thermometer ranges all the way from
los to 81, and the Aights are apt to be
very chilly, while the dews are very
heavy and productive OF much sickness "a
those exposed to them.
AS means OF subsistence, the country
between Tien Tsin and Pekin is partic-
hlHIlN wei aualVeu 10 tue support o. dL
invading army. and in its highly Gull
waited state has long constituted a menace
to the capital in case OF INVASION. From
Tien Tsin to Pekin the whole way Is prac.
tically one great truck garden, aud tn,
source OF supply for these two cities. Il
has, OF course, gathered large popula'
ton which in time OF danger must neces.
sarlly seek the protection Of Pokln as I
hostile force marched thither from tht
Pei Ho In turn, this sudden addition Il
the capitals popu'ace would either onl'
hasten the fall of the latter, or wher
plnched breed a desperation to be met by
force OF arms on the part of the invading
army.