Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-08-08
BIG BATTLE FOUGHT.
Allied Forces Meet the Chinese
Twelve Miles Northwest
of Pekin.
THE FIGHT LASTS SEVEN HOURS
Chinese Reported To Be Retreating-
Allied Forces Lose 200, Chiefly
Russians and Japanese.

Washington, Aug. 6.-Interest in the
Chinese situation was intensified by
the receipt of two dispatches from
naval officers at Chefoo, repeating I'M
officially but apparently reliable re-
ports Of active and extensive hostili-
ties between the allied forces and the
Chinese on the line between Tientsin
nnd Pekin. The dispatches indicate
Enthusiastically that the relief column
has started in earnest and that it is
meeting with determined opposition.
Although neither of the naval dis
patches mention the presence of Ameri-
can troops In the reported engagement,
IL is generally assumed at the war de-
partment that at least part of Gen
eral Chaffec's small army was on
hand and took an active and acgres-
slve part in the affair.
Mo- Dispatches as Received.
The dispatches are as follows:
"Chefoo, Aug. 6.-Bureau of Naviga.
ton, Washington: British Fame re-
ports (unofficiaD engagement at Peit-
sang Sunday morning from 3 to 1920
o'clock. Allied loss killed and wound
ed 1,200, chiefly Russians and Japan
csc. Chinese retreating. TAUSSIG."
'Chefoo, Aug. 6.-Bureau Naviga-
ton, Washington: Official report be-
lieved reliable about 10000 allies heav-
lily engaged at Petsang daylight on the
9th. REMEY."
According to the information in pos
session of the war department the
town of Peitsang is at the head of
tidewater on the Pei-Ho, between
eleven and twelve miles by road be-
yond Tientsin. 1t is village of mud
huts, Of considerable size, but not
walled.
Chinese Loss Probably Heavy.
From the fact that the engagement
lasted seven and half hours it is ar
gued in the department that either the
Chinese must have been heavily en-
trenched or that there was an i'm
mense horde Of them to so stubbornly
contest the advance of the 10000 in
ternational troops. 1t is figured by
military experts that a loss Of 1,2O0
killed and wounded on the part of the
allies probably means loss of from
three to six times as many by the
Chinese. The position of the United
States, automatically, remains un-
changed. This government will not
consent to the removal of the minis
tiers and foreigners from Pekin until
there is free communication by the
powers with their ministers. Nor
win this government consent to CON-
munication in place language alone.
but insist that cipher messages must
pass freely between Minister Conger
and our state department
Cannot Tell for Certain.
1t is emphatically stated that unless
such messages are exchanged the Unit
ed States cannot know beyond ques-
ton that the messages were not gar
bled and both the United States gov
eminent and the ministers misled.
There seems to be no doubt about the
safety of the ministers at Pekin for
the present, and that they will remain
where they will be able to protect
themselves, and will not be induced to
accept any offers of the Chinese gov
eminent to escort them to Tientsin
until they have had communication
with their governments. Confidence
is expressed, however, that the Chi
nese government will soon see the
necessity of accepting the terms laid
down in Secretary Hays note to Con-
sui Goodnow.