Consul at Tientsin, acknowledging, Sir Claude's letter, stating that all the women and children had been sent away, and giving some valuable information about the number of troops at Tientsin and on the way there, but saying nothing whatever about the relief, which is what Peking was anxious to hear about. The other was from Mr. Ragsdale, the U.S. Consul at Tientsin, informing the besieged that all Tientsin" was praying that they would be yet preserved, and also containing some information about troops, but nothing whatever about relief. Both these letters ungod the besieged to keep up their spirits. On the 10th of August letters were received from General Gaselee of the relieving force and the Japanese General, dated Hosiwu the 8th of August. These brought the good news that relief was on the way, General Gaselec stating that the Chinese were flying before the allies, and the Japanese General giving the exact dates at which the force would arrive at Tungchou, outside Peking, and in the capital itself, The commissariat might have been worse and it might have been better. There was plenty of rice, and two ponies were killed daily for meat. There were a very few sheep, Mr. Chief Secretary J. R. Brazier of the Customs being shepherd, but. these were kept for the hospital. Several children died for want of milk. Egys were occasionally procurable from Chinese soldier, who also sold ammunition and false intelligence for a consideration.
Several of the ladies devoted themselves to nursing the sick and wounded in the hospital. Every morning Mrs. Squiers, wife of the First Secretary to the American Legation, took the patients in the officers' and civilians' hospital a breakfast of coffee, hot rolls, and butter, but they were the only people who received these luxuries.
The supply of liquors was not inexhaustible. There was a glass of champagne a head on Sundays; but towards the end of the siege the ration of whisky was cut down to half a gill a head each meal.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.