New-York tribune., 1900-08-13
CONGER WILL HOLD OUT
CHEERING MESSAGE FROM THE MINIS
TER AT THE CAPITAL
tBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TR1BUxE.I

lBH TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
Washington. Aug. 12.-Early this forenoon
Adjutant-General Corbin received the following
dispatch from Major General Chaffee:
Tsai-Tsun. August S.
Message received to-day, PeISinE, August 4.
We Will hold until your arrival. Hope
it will be soon. Send such informant
you can. (signed) CONGER.
CHAFFEE.
Tsai-Tsun at which place the message was
dated, is a Chinese village on the Pei-Ho about
eight miles above Yang -Tsung, which the ad-
vance of the expeditionary force appears to
have occupied on August T. fresh Japanese
troops which had not been in the engagement of
the previous day having been sent forward to
take up a new position. Minister Conger's mes
sage, which was received through a messenger,
is the first dated message received from him
for some time. 1t appears to be in reply to
message sent to him by General Chaffee by a
messenger, and it is we'll known to officials of
the War Department that effort has been
spared by that enterprising officer to commu-
nicate with the Minister. whose situation is well
known to be a critical
NO MENTION OF ADVANCE
The last sentence of the message appears to
imply that Minister Conger not only expected
General Chaffees hands, but to bring reply.
The omission from General Chaffee's dispatch
of everything concerning military operations
excited comment and suspicion that portion
of the dispatch, or the whole of separate dis
patch relating to- such operations had not been
given to the public. 1t ought not to excite sur
prise If such was the case. 1t is understood
that a cipher message was sent to General
Chaffee after a protracted conference at the
War Department. which lasted until an early
hour this morning, This message may have
carried to be forwarded to Minister Con-
ger. informing him of the latest developments
and the prospect of affording to him early re-
lief from his desperate situation. General
Chaffee is also undoubtedly kept fully and
promptly advised Of all such developments.
Cipher dispatches were sent in several other di-
rections from the State Department to-day. and
among them may have been notes to the dipio-
matte representatives of the United States at
London, Paris, Berlin, ST. Petersburg. Rome,
Vienna and Toxic. the contents of which will
be submitted to the respective Powers.
ROUTE OF MARCH UNKNOWN
The mere mention Of the place from which
General Chaffee's dispatch was sent does not
shed much light on the question of what route
has been chosen for the advance on Pekng.
Tsai-Tsun is beyond the point at which the rail-
road diverges from the river and the cart route
to PeIxng and is situated the latter, but not
far distant from the former. The advance to
Tsai-Tsun may have been merely movement
to develop the position to which the enemy
retreated from Yang-Tsung. Again, dry land
may be so scarce and limited in area along the
Pei-Ho Just now that 1t has been found neces-
sary to stretch the advancing column far as
it can be safely done, in order that all the
troops may be provided with suitable camping
grounds.
Minister WI spent some time at the Depart
ment to day, in conference with Acting Secre-
tary Adee, Secretary Root and Adjutant-Gen-
eral Corbn He has probably sent to Ii Hung
Chang to-day some important advices in re-
gard to what may and may not be expected
from the United States pending the liberation
! in China.