The evening times., 1900-07-27
Circulation Statement.
More Messages From Pekin.

Our Chinese dispatches today contain il
formation that a letter from Sir Claude
Macdonald dated July 6. has been received
at Tientsin. II states that on the day il was
written the legations were holding out
against the Chinese troops, who were COW
ardly and had no organized plan o. attack;
hut that annihilation might come at any
moment. Sir CLAUDE thought that possibly
resistance might be kept up for ten days
or two weeks. IL is also reported that a
servant OF the German Legation, who left
szekin on July 9, has arrived at Tientsin.
asserting that the foreigners had not been
overcome at that date.
These developments. while they tend to
show that the massacre of the ministers
had not occurred up 10 July Q. do not carry
much comfort The British Government is
in possession OF a report that all foreigners
in the capital were butchered on an inde-
terminate day between July and July II.
This statement, it is presumed. came from
one OF the British runners who may not
have been able to penetrate the city, but
acquired his Information from natives out
side of it. The Macdonald message shows
ccnclusively that, when it was written. the
imperial authorities were doing nothing TO
succor the legations. and the same state
Of affairs is carried forward three days
by the story OF the legation servant.
We are thus bound to believe tkat Chi
nese statements TO the effect that the g.
ernment has been protecting the legations
are false II would require 2 great stretch
OF imagination to assume that they could
have been defended for the eighteen days
which have elasped since our latest news
OF their condition. II is only possible TO
hope that in the final assault some Of the
miuis were saved on account OF their
value a hostage. AS to the main fact, it
is useful 10 remember that on July or 10
Sheng halfway admitted that the end had
come and that all foreigners in Pekin had
been killed.
Tie theory that the representatives Of
the powers to which appeals for mediation
have been made were spared finds some
supporters in Europe, although it rests up
on nothing better than conjecture. Ii Hung
Chang processes to know that some OF the
diplomats have started for Tientsin under
Chinese military escort. But. in the treaty
port tutS statement Is taken 10 mean LndL
the Empress Dowager is preparing the way
for story that the escort has been over
powered by the Boxers and its convey
slain. in order to escape future response
bil;ty for the atroeity of their massacre il
Pekin-
balancing the probabilities. and noting
The cynical remark of Ii Hung Chang. that.
except the ministers. the foreigners were
of no Importance. there is a bare basis for
thinking that possibly the massacre was
not a complete one. That there was a
massacre no European or American at
Shanghai Chefoo, Hongkong or Taku ap-
pears to doubt; but it may not have il
volyed everybody. The curtain is gradu-
ally lifting. and there is reason 10 expect
that before many days we shall know the
truth. In the meantime there are most
ominous signs that China is nearly ready
10 throw off the mask and openly to de-
clare war against the whole civilized
world.