The sieve had already lasted fifty-four days, - The morning of Sunday August 12th brought little relief from th" long tension which had preceded it. There had been intermittent hewy firing upon the Loyations during the "night, with brief intervals of quiet. Several Legations had been more severely attacked than usual. An Austrian had been wounded, a German likeivise, hut more seriously, and a French-Killed. Besides this there was a Russian wounded on the City Wall, otic of the mest important posts of all.
One of the rare individuals who contrived to break through the numerous Chinese restrictive harvieades, and smuggle afew eggs within the lines (at four cents a piece) brought the story that there had been rear battle yesterday at Changchiawan, that 3.000 Chinese had been killed. OF course this may be true, and of course as we have lad abun lant evidence, it may be a mere fabrication. One of the dis-stages of a siege is that in the course of it truch and fiction are opposite phases of the same die. It is also attired that Jung Lu had taken poison once more, The day was very hot. Eutly in the afternoon there was a savage attack upon the British Legation from the southwest, us 8" often before. We are used to them now, and like Mr, Wilfer with his daughters nterely observe: Oh, here comes another one of them."
The special excitement of the day way her letter from the Tsungli Yamen, asking for an appointment for a meeting with the Ministers to discuss a cessation of hostilities. This of course meant no more attacks, so that we might rest our hearts down ints the altomen' as the Chines phrase runs, knowing that all would he peace. Alas! We have had an extended experience of the duplicity of the Tsung-and we are rever sure just what their next move is to be and neither, to tell the trath, are they. 'Yo emphasise the proposals for peace' there came another furious attack in the afternoon, and one of the machine-guns was turned that way with its heavy boom as five simultaneous shots wok effect. This always seemed to have a quieting effect upon the rifle firing, but it was less efficient now. The main topic of public discussion was what ix to dane about the p an ins terview with the Tsu To many it seemed almost a scandal that in view of past pertily there should be any talk about, even so much as an interview. But the only reason for refusing the repeated and ent efforts of the Yamen to get the Foreign Ministers to leave Peking, was the im that they might be useful at their ests whey negoritions should arise. No decline now such negotiations any advance would obviously pur the Foreign Ministers in the wrong. A note was sent agreeing to a meeting, but the place rennined uncertain. On some accounts the German Legation, now in ruins, se-med the best fitted for the purpose but te this there were objections. There was also good reason for nut admitting the Yamen Ministers within the—British Legation, especially as they might come argoly attended, and it would be difficult to prevent the attendants from secing more than was desirable. It was decided to meet them outside the B on the bank of the canal, where a matshed had been put up for such uses many weeks ago, and afterwards dismantled it was seen to be useless, Bat about half-past ten o'clock there acrivel a note from the Yaméo say that inasmuch as the Foreign Ministers had reopened hostilities, and had Killed a capt of Chinese troops and twenty-six of his wen, and as the Yamen Ministers wers "very busy," the Ministers would not come! This was most disappointing, as the only thing expected.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.