Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1900-08-07
CHINESE WILL MAKE
DESPERATE STANDAT
CITY OF TUNG CHOW
Battle at Pietsang Indicates
That There is Heavy Work
Before the Allies.
OUR POSITION UNCHANGED

Before the All1eS.
OUR POSITION UNCHANGED
Government Will Not Consent TO the
Removal of the Foreigners From PEI
king Until There Is Free Communi-
cation With the Ninisters-O Officials
Fear Chinese Treachery.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.-Interest in the
Chinese situation was intensified this
morning by the receipt of two dispatches
from two naval officers at Che Foo re-
peating unofficial, but apparently relia-
BILE reports of active and extensive hos
tilities between the allied forces and the
Chinese on the road between Tien Tsin
and Peking. The dispatches Indicate
Enthusiastically that the relief column has
started in earnest and that it is meeting
with great opposition. Although neither
of the naval dispatches mention the
presence of American troops in the re-
ported engagement, it is generally as
sumed at the war department that at
least a part of General Chaffee's small
army was on hand and took an active
and aggressive part in the affair.
According to the information in the
possession Of the war department the
town of Pietsang is at the head of tide
water on the Pei Ho river, about ii or
II miles by road between Tien Tsin and
Picking. 1t is village of mud houses
4 I. IL go 1O1
The river at this point is not navigable
by anything larger than a good sized
steam launch, and it is thought that the
troops had reached there in small boats
and naval launches. The country all
along the river between Peking and
Tien Tsin is a low, alluvial plain, almost
impossible for wheeled vehicles i'll the
wet season, and under quite high state
of cultivation. 1t presents no natural
defensive features and the war depart
ment knows no strategic reason why
the Chinese should have made stand
there rather than at any of the other
dozen villages east of the walled town
of Yung Chow, where is stored all inn
mense amount of provision on which
the city of Picking would have to depend
in case of siege.
From the fact that the engagement
lasted seven and a half hours it is be-
ieved at the department that either the
Chinese must have been heavily in
trenched, or that there was an immense
horde of them to stubbornly contest the
advance Of 10000 troops 1t is figured
by military experts that loss of 1900
killed and wounded on the part of the
allies probably means a loss Of from
three to six times as many by the Chi
nese. 1t is possible that blow Of this
magnitude may break the resistance Of
the Chinese to the advance of the for
eign column; but, on the other hand, it
is possible that there may be a large
number Of places on the road that have
been intrenched with a view of falling
back and contesting the foreign advance
so as to delay as long as possible the ar
rival of the foreigners at Picking. I'm
less the opposition suddenly breaks
down the experts look for desperate
engagement when the troops reach the
walled city of Tung Chow, which is
said to be even more favorably located
for purposes of defense than was Tien
Tsin.
The position of the United States, dip
lomatically, remains unchanged.
This government will not consent to
the removal of the ministers and for
eigners from Picking until there is free
communication by the powers with their
ministers. Nor will this government
consent to communicate in plain Ian.
guage alone, but insists that cipher mes
sages must pass freely between Minister
Cohger and our state department.
Tt is emphatically stated that unless
such messages are exchanged the United
States cannot know beyond question
that the messages were not garbled and
both the government and the ministers
misled.
There is no doubt but that the minis
ters are safe in Peking and they will re-
main there, refusing the Chinese offer
to escort them to Tien Tsin.
It is said that if all the international
forces in the vicinity Of Taku can be
landed and supplies brought up there is
sufficient force to overcome any army
which the Chinese may bring forward to
prevent the march on Picking.
1t is also believed at the war depart
ment that the information received
through the navy department of bat
tie is correct.
Miles Applies For Service In China.
WASHINGTON, Aug. Cit is learned
on excellent authority that General Mel
son A. Miles has recently applied for
service in China. His application has
not been granted. War department. Off
Gals say that General Ghaffee was sent
to China to command the American
troons. and to relieve him at this time