Japanese and French reinforcements have arrived to-day, and the garrison now numbers about 8,000. No forward movement is possible until at least 30,000 men are available, in spite of the desperate straits of Peking. Another messenger arrived to-day, confirming the previous messages. Everyone here is chafing at the delay, but it is unavoidable.
A SERIOUS QUESTION, Excepting the somewhat heavy sniping indulged in by the Chinese last night, Tientsin is comparatively quiet. It is a serious question whether the native city should be attacked, and the foreign merchants fear that if it is done it will mean the ruin of business for many years. The native merchants are using their influence with the Viceroy to avert a calamity, but the Viceroy is very weak. Another factor is the attitude of Yuan Shih-kai, the Governor of Shantung. It is reported that he has 40,000 troops marching either on Tientsin or Peking, but it is believed that he is anxious to avoid any conflict, and has retired to his provincial capital (Chinanfu),
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.