St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-08-15
THE EASTERN WAR. I"


Washington, Aug. IA thrill of exuI-
tation and expectancy was sent through
out the war department Monday by the
announcement of General Chaffees ar
rival at Ho 81 WI, only 80 miles from
Pekin, last Thursday
The last heard from him before this was
at Yang Tsun, which had been captured
after a hard fight and word of his move
ments since then had been eagerly
awaited. Thursday he was IS miles
beyond Yang Tsun. Lang Fang, the
place where the Inflated Seymour expe-
dition met its fate and turned back, had
been left behind. The battle of Yang
Tsun was fought on the 9Th, and the
advance on Ho ST WI was accomplished
on the 9th, a march Of IS miles in three
days. At the same rate of progress,
Chaffee is even now fairly within strik-
ing distance of the walls Of Pekin. 1t
was a consummation which the war de-
partment had awaited calmly and stir
ring as the news was that the American
imperial city, Secretary Root and Ad-
jutant General Corbin evinced no sur
prise, as it accorded with calculations,
although the advance has been much
more rapid than was expected.
The dispatch from Chaffee, conveying
so much in so few words is as follows:
"Chefoo, Aug 7.-Adjutant General,
"a Sh n crto
Clio 81 Wu) yesterday. Chaffee."
Word of the advance soon spread
throughout official quarters. In the en-
thusiasm of the moment, report
got about that this was the day for the
actual arrival at Pekin. But the war
department had not word of the ad-
vance beyond Ho ST WI. It was deemed
hardly likely the march to Pekin should
have been made since last Thursday.
At the rate Of progress, six miles day,
made from Yang Tsun to Ho 81 WI, 1t
would still leave the international forces
nine miles from Pekin up to yesterday.
Viewed from any standpoint, the ad-
vance to Ho ST WI was of the utmost
importance, not only strateglcally but
open back to Chefoo, that the expected
opposition from the Chinese hordes
had not been sufficient to prevent the
steady forward movement, and in the
influence it would exert upon the Chi
nese government. Brief as the dispatch
is. II conveys much information be-
yond that specifically contained in Its
few words.
As 1t has taken five days for General
Chaffee to report the advance to Ho 81
WI, 1t is evident that wire communi-
cation is not open to the front. This
was hardly to be expected, and the safe
arrival of the message at least shows
that a certain measure of communica-
ton Is open. One of the chief sources Of
congratulation among officials is that the
fancied hordes of Chinese have not ma
terialized, or at least have not prevented
the International column from drawing
close to the gates of Pekin.
Shortly after this dispatch arrived
another message from General Chaffee,
far more lengthy, gave the melancholy
result Of the fight at Yang Tsun. The
casualty list is given on the 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 Tientsin.
The reply of the United States govern
ment to Chinas overtures of peace,
which was made public yesterday, shows
| the firm and final position that has teen
taken. While expressing satisfaction
at this pacific step, the reply states that
It is evident that there can be no gem
eral negotiation between China and the
powers" so long as the ministers and
| legationers are restrained and in dan
ger. Then follows a specific statement
of what the United States expects as a
condition precedent to a cessation Of
hostilities, viz: that body Of the relief
force be permitted to "enter Pekin un-
molested" and escort the ministers back
to Tientsin.
1t developed that the reference to "the
powers" employed in the American re-
ply, was not without distinct mean
ing. Exchanges between the various
powers have been going on constantly,
and as result the officials had the salts
faction of knowing late in the day that
the position of the United States had the
approval and support of all the great
powers. While this had not been eX-
pressed in any formal manner by all the
parties, yet the exchanges in the chan
cellories of Europe and through the
foreign representatives in Washington
| had made II nositiYe that the powers