The Irish standard., 1900-08-04
HELD AS HOSTAGES.
imperial Edict Tells of Fate OF Mia.
listers in Pcking-Were
Safe July -.

London, July 3O.-The Shanghai cor
respondent of the Daily Express, tel
egraphing Sunday. says:
A new imperial edict promulgated this
evening urgently orders all viceroys and
provincial governors TO endeavor to nego-
tiate peace with the powers, whose minis
tiers are held as hostages pending the re-
suit OF the overtures for the abandonment
OF hositilities against China. The viceroys
are also commanded to guard their
territories vigorously against attack
and to prevent. by all means in
their power, the advance of the
foreign troops, especially along the
1angtse-kiang. The decree says that the
officials will answer with their lives for any
failure to execute these orders Commands
are also given that not single foreigner
snail be allowed TO escape from the inte-
rior, where there are still fully 1000 IIu-
ropeans connected with missionary work.
in isolated situations.
when the governor of Shan Tung COM
municated to the consuls the imperial de-
cree of July "a. he omitted important pass
ages addressed to Ii Hung Chang:
1T is admittedly inadvisable to kill all
the ministers. but it is equally unwise to
send them to Tientsin. 1t will he much
wiser TO keep the survivors at Peking as
hostages. You are commanded to hasten
TO Peking. You are mourning imperial dis
pointed viceroy of Chilli because, with
your military experience, you will sue
cessfully lead the imperial armies against
the foreigners In Chilli. which Yu Lu. the
present viceroy, is unable to do, owing to
his ignorance in military affairs.
LII Hung Chang replied to this edict,
asking to be allowed to retire on account
of his age.
"Sheng now admits that he has had tele-
grams since July 10 announcing that every
foreigner in Pao Ting Flu was murdered,
| including 40 British, French and American
missionaries. and announcing also that Two
French Jesuits and a thousand converts
have been massacred at kwang Ping Flu,
on the borders Of Shan Tung and Chilli
| A majority of the consuls favor strong
measures against sheng's duplicity."
London, July 31.-The admiralty has
made public the following dispatch
, from Rear Admiral Bruce at Tientsin:
Following message from Picking: Brit
| ish legation, Peking, June 20 to July 16
repeatedly attacked by Chinese troops on
all Sides Both rifle and artillery fire. Since
July 16 an armistice, but Gordon is strict
ly drawn on both sides of the positions
Chinese barricades close to ours. All wom-
en- and children in the British legation.
Casualties to date G2 killed, including Capt
Strouts. a number of wounded in hos
pital, including Capt. Halliday. Rest of le-
| cation well except David Oiplant and
Warren, killed July 81.
'MACDONALD.'
London, July 31.-The British coz
sui at Tientsin telegraphs to the for
eign office Monday that letter from
a Japanese colonel in Pekng states
| that the legations were safe July 20.
There had been no firing on the lega-
lions since July II. The consul adds:
"a reliable messenger, who failed to en-
! ter Peking, but reached there, returns stat
| ing that there was no firing on the legations
between July 10 and July 1871
In view of this evidence, the Brit
ish government is convinced that the
| legations are safe.
Washington, July 31.-The secre-
tary of state received at midnight a
dispatch from Mr.. Fowler, American
consul at Chefoo, dated July 30, noon.
Mr. Fowler says:
"a letter from'the German legation dated
21st inst. received ut Tientsin. German loss
their attack on the 18th. Baron Won
Ketteler's body said to be safe. The Aus
| TRAN, Dutch and Spanish legations de-
stroyed and the French partially. letter
| from the Japanese legation dated 22d ar
rived at Tientsin on 25th. Ten battalions
of Chinese shelled the legations consecu-
| lively from the Goth of June and stopped
on the 18th of July. but may renew. The
enemy are decreasing. The German, Rus
sian. American, British and half the Jap
anese and French legations still defended.
Japanese say they have food for six days,
but little ammunition. The emperor and
empress are reported at Peking."