The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-17
ON THE ROAD To 'PEKIN
ALLIES IN THIRTY-THREE MILES OF
THE CITY LAST THURSDAY
NO TIME FOR NEGOTIATIONS
The state Departments Answer to
Minister Wu's Notice of Appoint-
ment of Prince Ii as Peace Negotia-
t~or-TerribIe Mistake of British and
American Troops SheIIed by Mistake

I'm <106uSL 4o--4hC Sl1lcIl-
can commander in China in a dispatch
Of just three words. received at the
war department late this afternoon
sent a thrill of .~exultation n 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 a hard fight, and word
of his movement since then has been
eagerly awaited. Thursday he was
thirty-eight miles beyond Yang Tsun.
Lang Fang, the place where the ILL
fated Seymour expedition met it's fate
and turne 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, n at the same
rate of progress, Chaffee is ven now
fairly within striking distance of the
walls of Pekin. 1t was a
ton which the war department had
awaited calmly, and, striking as the
news was that the American force was
now nearing the gates of the imperial
city, Secretary Root n Adjutant e
eraI COrbin evinced no surprise, as it
accorded with calculations, although
the advance has been more rapid than
was expected.
The dispatch from Chaffee, convey
ing so much in so few words, is as fol-
lows:
'-Che Foo, August 10.
"Adjutant General, Washington.
GaTN--+L -s-- IIA-;u- ,-z-rN-l.-
"CHAFFEE."
Word of the advance soon spread
throughout official quarters. In the
enthusiasm of the moment a report got
about that this was the day for the
actual arrival at Pekin; but the war
department had not a word of the ad-
n beyond HOsiwu. II was deemed
hardly likely that the march to Pekin
could have been made since last Thurs
day. At the rate of progress. six miles
a day. made from Yang Tsun to Hosi-
WI. about twenty-fOur miles would
have been covered in the last four days,
and up to today. This would still leave
the international forces nine miles from
Pekin.
Viewed from any stand point, the
advance to HOsfwu was of the utmost
Importance, not only strategically, but
also in showing that communication
was open back 10 Che Foo; that the
expected opposition from Chinese
hOrdes had not been sufficient TO pre-
vent a steady forward movement and
in the influence it would exert upon
the Chinese government.
IMPORTANCE OF THE NEWS.
Brief as the dispatch is, it conveys
much information beyond hat speciti-
caIIy contained in its few words AL
though it is not stated what force has
arrived. the war department accepts
il 20 mean that this is the information
al force which first took Peit Sang and
then Yang Tsun. 1t has gone steadily
forward along the left bank of the
Pei Ho 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 highway 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 ad-
vance after leaving HOsiwu. 1t was
surrounded by orchar and gardens
and is not a place likely to afforded
opportunity for strong defense. 1t lis
the highest point on the Pei Ho river
where the river water is depended on,
as the native wells are the source of
supply on the balance of the route TO
Pekin.
AS it has taken five days for Gener-
al Chaffee to report the advance to
HoSiwu, it is evident that wire commu-
nicatiOn 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 COM
munication is open. One of the chief
sources OF congratulation among Off
+ $3.50 - @-lA- @r a~hf
ma have rot materialiZed or at leaSi
have not prevented the international
column from getting close to the gates
of Pekin.
CASUALTIES AT BATTLE OF YANG
TSUN.
Shortly after his dispatch arrived
another message from General Chaffee
far more lengthy gave the melancholy
result of the fight at Yang Tsun. TIL.
casualty list was given. in detail with
the additional information that the
dead had been buried at Yang Tsur
and that the wounded had been sent
back to the hospital at Tien Tsin.
EUROPE APPROVES OF AMERI.
CAS- COURSE.
II developed during the day that the
reference to the powers employed
in the American reply to China's peace
oVertures was not without a distinct
meaning. between the va
rious powers have been going on con
stantly, n as a result the officials
had the satisfaction of knowing late
in the day that the position of thu
United States had the approval anC
suppo of all the great powers. While
this had not been expressed in any
formal manner by all the parties. we
the exchanges in the chancellories o.
Europe and through the foreign rep,
resentatives in Washington made i
positive thai the powers We're actins
unitedly on the approval of the cours,
of this government.
CONFERENCES WITH FOREIGN
REPRESENTATIVES,.
Several of the foreign representa-
tfves. including the German charg
and the Russian charge, had eXtendet
conferences with Mr.. Adee during tn
afternoon. These added to the assur
ances of unanimity among the power
The presence of the Russian represen
n0-o