The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-08-16

wards Pekin.
Washington, August 13.-The Ameri-
can commander in China, in a dispatch
OF just three words. received at the
War Department late this afternoon.
sent thrill Of exultation and expec-
fancy throughout official quarters by
announcing his arrival at Hosiwu. 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 movements since then
has been eagerly awaited. Thursday he
was eighteen miles beyond Yang Tsun.
Lang Fang, the place where the ILL
iated 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 Hosiwu was
accomplished on the 9th. a march OF
eighteen 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- 1t was a contamination which
the War Department had awaited
calmly, and stirring as the news was
that the American force was now near
ing the gates of the imperial city, Sec
rotary Root and Adjutant- General Cor
BIN eVinced no surprise, as 1t accorded
with calculations. although the advance
has been more rapid than was expect
ed.
The dispatch from Cha~ee, convey
ing so much in SO few words is as fol-
lows:
che Foo, August r.
'AdJutant-General. Washington
Tenth Arrived Hosiwu yesterday.
'CHAFFEE."
Word of the advance soon spread
throughout official quarters. In the en-
thusiasm of the moment a report got
about that this was the day for the ac-
tual arrival at Pekin. But the War De-
partment had not word of the ad-
vance beyond Hosiwu. 1t was deemed
hardly likely that the march to Pekin
could have been made since last
Thursday. At the rate of progress six
miles a day, made from Yang Tsung
to Hosiwu, about twenty-four miles
would have been covered in the last
four days and up to to-day. This would
still leave the international forces nine
miles from Pekin. Viewed from any
standpoint the advance to Hosiwu was
or the utmost Importance, not only
strategetically, but also in showing
that communication was open back to
Che Foo, that the expected opposition
from Chinese hordeS had not been suffl-
cient to prevent steady forward
movement and in the influence 1t would
exert upon the Chinese Government.
Brief as the dispatch is, it conveys
much Information beyond that specifi-
cally contained in it's few words. AL
though it is not stated what force has
arrived, the War Department accepts
1t to mean that this is the internation-
al force which first took Peit Sang and
then Yang Tsun. 1t has gone steadily
forward along the left bank of the Pei
river, keeping on the main road, which
skirts the river bank. AT Yang Tsun
the railway crosses the river and
branches off to the west Now the
forces have left the railway far in the
rear and are depending upon the high
way and the river Hosiwu is a place Of
considerable size and the largest town
between Tien Tsin and Ching CHA
Wan. The latter place and Tung Chow
are the two cities of considerable size
In the line of advance after leaving
HOSiWu. 1t was surrounded by orchards
and gardens and is not a place likely
to have offered opportunity for strong
defense. 1t Is the highest point on the
Pei river where the river water is de-
pended on as the native wells are the
source of supply for the balance Of the
route to Pekin. AS 1t has taken five
days for General Chaffee to report the
advance to Hosiwu it is evident that
wire communication is not open to the
front.
This was hardly to be expected and
the safe arrival of the message at least
shows that certain measure Of COM
municatlOn is open. One of the chief
sources Of congratulation among off,
Gals is that the fancied hOrdes Of
China have not materialiZed, or at
least have not prevented the inter-
national column from getting close to
the gates of Pekin.
Shortly after his dispatch arrived,
another message from General Chaffee,
far more lengthy. gave the melancholy
result of the fight at Yang Tsun. The
casualty list was given in detail with
the additional information that the
dead had been buried at Yang Tsun
and that the wounded had been sent
back to the hospital at Tien Tsin.
London, August 14-3:50 a. m.-The
Shanghai correspondent Of the Daily
Express, wiring yesterday. says:
THE allies at noon Saturday were
within twenty miles OF Pekin.'
AS General Chaffees report, which Is
the only authentic news received here
regarding the advance, located the in
ternational forces about forty miles
from Pekin on Friday, it seems proba-
BILE that this Shanghai report is op-
timistic. 1t is scarcely likely that the
allies could advance twenty miles in
as many hours.
A Yang Tsun special says:
lowing to a mistake, British and
Russian guns shelled the Fourteenth
united States Infantry during the
night, wounding ten"
Commenting upon this occurrence
the Standard says:
TT is melancholy to learn that the
losses of the Americans, who seem &c
have borne themselves with con.
spicuous galiantry, were increased BY
deplorable error, in consequence OF
which one of their regiments wal
pounded by Russian and British can
non. The incident emphasizes thu
necessity Of that close cooperation
which is not easily obtainable without
q single commander and a generd
Btaff."
Week End Rates to Chase City an.
GAINESVILLE. Va.
Commencing Saturday. June end. 1900
and continuing each Saturday thereafte