The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-04
Besieged in British Legation They
are Under Terrific Fire.
NOT ONE TO BE LEFT ALIVE.
Prince Tuan Has Ordered That All
Foreigners Shall Be Killed,
Crowds Parade the Streets
Carrying the Heads OF
Captured Legation
Guards on Spears.

LONDON, July 4-2:3O y. M.-Couriers
who are arriving at the seats OF govern
ment of the southern viceroys from their
agents in Pekin give vivid but fragmen-
tary pictures OF what is being enacted in
the capital. These couriers seemingly left
Pelin a day or two later taan the mes
senger OF Sir Robert Hart, the inspector
general of customs, who started on the
night of June 24th. They report that the
heads OF some of the captured legation
guards were being borne through the
streets at the top of spears, followed by
zeaots chanting ''tapi yang kuei tse, tapi,
tap" (E<ilI the foreign devils; kill, lilQ-
The citys millions have been reused to
patriotic fervor breaking out into the
widest exCesses, while over half the city
could be heard fighting around the lesa-
tions.
A LAST STAND.
Sir Robert Hart's runner, who was in
terviewed by the correspondent Of the E>i-
press at Shanghai, supplements the tragic
sentences of the dispatch he bore by mar
rative of some things he saw. He says
that the foreigners were making Il last
stand in the extensive buildings and en-
closures of the British legation. They had
many dead and wounded. Among them
were some women and children. All We're
short of food and Of the commonest neces-
sites. The women were starving, as they
gave a part of their small allowances to
the children. The foreigners, nevertheless,
were holding out under TERRIBLE fire, up
.leld by the hourly expectation of relief
They knew they would not be abandoned
and that the armies of their governments
were advancing Sometimes they thought
they could hear artillery in action beyond
the wall They were unable to return the
fire of the Chinese except at moments
when an assault seemed imminent.
Then the machine guns and repeating
rifles tore the storming parties to pieces.
The messenger expressed the beiiel
that it would be impossible for the fer
eigners to resist much longer, as the Chi
nese were preparing to batter down the
walls of the courtyard, and their am
munition was running low
WILL KILL ALL.
Orders were given by Prince Tuan, the
messenger says, that, since some had been
killed not one other foreigner should bt
left alive The Chinese soldiers were ex
pected TO sacrifice their lives without hest
taton, if by so doing they could helI
exterminate the Yang kia Use FIX
treme precautions had been taken 10 pre-
vent the foreigners from communicating
with any one outside the city, ana a mum
! Der OF runners who had been sent ou
were Killed by the Chinese. This mes
| senger succeeded in getting through by
smearing his face and clothes with blood
| and joining in the outcries against the
devils He passed the remains OF for
eiguers Of Admiral Seymours force, wh'
had been killed between Lofu and Lans
Fang Their bodies had been cut to pieces
| and their heads were carried at the end:
| of bamboos.
\ large army OF Manchu Chinese I'm
perial troops, with twenN guns, are re
| ported TO be advancing y the direction
| of Tien Tsin. Reliance is placed in Shang
! hal on most of the statements of tho
messenger, as he is known to be faithful
| TO the foreigners.