The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-28
UNCONFIRMED REPORTS.
LegatiOners Said to BE En- Route to
Tien-Tsin-Letter from Macdonald.

Tien-Tsin-Letter from Macdonald.
LONDON, July 2I.-This mornings re-
ports from Shanghai reiterate the allega-
ton that the surviving members of the
diplomatic corps have already left Peking
on their way 10 Tien-Tsin and add that
the foreigners are being escorted by troops
Of Jung Lu, commander-in-chiefo of the Chi
nese forces. This move is stated to be the
outcome of very stormy interviews be-
tween Ii Hung Chang and the foreign
consuls. and TO have been taken in the
hope of abating the wrath of the powers
and delaying the advance of the allies to-
ward Peking.
Advices received from same sources state
that half the foreigners in Peking have
been killed or wounded or have died as
the result of the privations they had under
gone.
simultaneously comes a cable dispatch to
the Daily Mail from Shanghai announcing
that letter has been received from Sir
Claude Macdonald the British minister to
China, under date of Peking. July 6, say
ing the legations were under constant fire
and that three were still standing, but
that the foreigners were receiving no as
sistance from the authorities. Sir Claude
wrote he hoped the legationers would be
able to hold out for a fortnight, but If they
were pressed their resistance could not last
more than four days at the utmost The
text of the Shanghai dispatch to the Daily
Mail follows:
shanghai, July PA letter just re-
dated Peking. July 8, follows: We are re-
ceiving no assistance from the authorities
Three legations are still standing, includ-
r.er h tl.f4f 4fal. nlc hDII 4
city walls. The Chinese are shelling us
from the city with three-inch gun ana some
smaller ones and are sniping us. We may
be annihilated any day. Our ammunition
and food are short. We would have per
ished by this time only the Chinese are
towards and have no organized plan of
attack. If we are not pressed we may hold
cut a fortnight longer; otherwise four days
at the utmost. / anticipate only slight re-
sistance to the relief force. Sir Claude con-
cludes by advising the relief force TO ap-
pear by the eastern gate or by way of the
river The losses of the foreigners in Pek-
ing up to July 6 were forty killed and
eighty wounded"
Some Of the statements above are strik-
ingly similar to the published version OF
Sir Claude NTacDonald's letter of July 4
If not tho same letters, the Chinese ar
tilIery would appear to be strangely ineffec-
tive, as the casualties were the same ac-
cording to the letters Of both dates. As
lending color to the suggestion that the
communications are identical it may be
stated that the Belgian Foreign Office this
morning received dispatch from Shang-
bai under to-day's date, mentioning the
receipt of a letter from Sir Claude Mac
Donald dated July 4. in which it was stated
that the besieged foreigners in Peking were
reduced to horse flesh.
The Belgian consul at Shanghai Also
ports that a servant of the German min
:ster. who left Peking July Q, states that
the British legation was only attacked at
night, and if resupplied he believed could
hold out
The alleged departure of the ministers
from Peking has led To a reassertion of the
belief that the story is rart of deep
Laid plan by China TO conceal the date of
the massacre at Peking, the suggestion be-
ing that Chinese officials will claim that
the ministers left Peking under n strong
escort. but were ambushed and massacrcd
by Boxers" en- route to Tien-Tsin How
ever, although IL is still believed mas
sacre has occurred Of the foreign colony
at Peking, the disposition now is TO think
the ministers We're somehow rescued from
a tragic fate.