Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-07-28
BRITISH MINISTER CABLES
His Dispatch. Though Three Weeks Old,
Says Legations Could Hold Out Only
Four Days If Pressed by tho Chinese =
Mysterious Cabiegrnm From n Mission
ary- Two Factions of Chinese Troops
Fight Each other Tho Murder of Mis-
sionarics I'm Province of PcchiIa.
tBy Telegraph to vlrglninn-pnot.)

Brussels, July 27.-The Belgian Vice
Consul at Tien Tsin. in dispatch
dated Che Foo. July 20. says:
ut is persistcntly reported here CTien
Tsin) that the legations are safe and
sound. and under the protection of the
Chinese Government
About 10000 Chinese soldiers are en-
trenched at Pee Tsang, IA kilometres
from Tien Tsin."t
FROM THE BRITISH MINISTER.
London. July 27.--The Daily Mail has
received the following cable message:
Shanghai, July 27.-A letter just re-
ceived here from Sir Claude MacDon-
aid. dated Pekin, July 6. follows:
we are receiving no assistance
from the authorities. Three legations
are still standing. including the British
We also hold part of the city walls.
The Chinese are Smelling us from the
city with n 3-inch gup and some smaller
ones and are sniping us. We can be
annihilated any day. The ammunition
and food are short.
We would have persisted by this
time only the Chinese are towards and
have no organized plan of attack. If
we are not pressed we may hold out n
fortnight longer; otherwise four days
~ anticipatc only slight resistance to
the relief force
"Sir Claude concludes by advising the
relief force to approach by the eastern
gate or by way of the river.
The losses of the foreigners in Pekin
up TO July were forty killed and
eighty wounded"
STRIKING SIMILARITY.
Some of the statements above are
strikinEly similar to the published YER
sion of Sir Claude MacDonald's letter
of July 4.
The Belgian Foreign Office this morn
Ing received dispatch from Shanghai
under to-days date, mentioning the re-
ceipt of letter from Sir Claude Mac
Donald, dated july 4, in which 1t was
stated that the bcsicsed foreigners in
Pekin We're reduced to horsencsh.
The Belgian consul at Shanghai also
reports that servant of n German
minister. who left Pekin July .. states
that the British legation was only at
tackled at night. and if resupplied he
believed could hold out.
PE<IN ALIVE.
Boston, July 27.-rhe American
Board OF Commissioners for the For
eign Missions to-day received q cable
gram from Rev. Henry II. Porter. n
missionary of the board. dated Che
Foo. July 23. containing the words
'Pekin alive" The cablegram con-
tanned only the two words "Pekin
alive" no intimation being given as
ton, which apparently prevailed at
Che Foo. was based.
Berlin. July PA dispatch received
here to-day, datcd Tien Tsin. Tuesday
July "A. says:
CHINESE DEFEAT CHINESE.
"a messenger who left Pckin sun
day, July 10. brought to-day to the
customs officer here news that Prince
Ching's soldiers had been sighting
Prince Tungs troops ana had been de-
feated. The foreigners We're defending
themselves in the Northern Cathedral
near the Forbidden city"
ALL MISSIONARIES MURDERED.
London. July 27.-Jn missionary cir
cles at Shanghai. according 10 n dis
patch received here to-day. it has
been learned that all the missionaries
at Pao Ting. in the province of Pc
chila, have been murdered. Al! of the
people of the mission at Annoy, Dro-
vince of Fool1ien. are reported we'll
GERMAN TROOPS EMBARK.
Bremerhaven. July 27.-Part OF the
German expeditionary force for China
sailed to-day on board three trans
ports. Emperor William. who was ac-
companied by two OF his sons and the
imperial chancellor Prince Hoheu-
lobe. witnessed the embarkation of the
expedition and delivered a farewell adj
dress to the troops. Among other
things, he said:
IF you close with the enemy, re-
member this: Spare nobody Make no
prisoners. Use yours wea ponS so that
for n thousand years hence no China
man will dare look askance at any
German. Open the way for civilization
oil