Peking, Sept. 23.
For the past fortnight interest Peking has been focussed upon the situation in Szechuan. At the outset there was s general disposition to regard the disturbances as parely local bat as days passed, and Chéogta remained cut off from the rest of the world most of the Legations began to take a more serious view of the mat Both diplomatiste and journaliste Inboured under the same disadvantages in endeavouring to form a correct estimate of the probable course of events in Western China, No direct news from the centre of the trouble revived for several days, and consal and independent reports from Chungking simply served up Chinese versions of the state of sffsirs in the disturbed area, The Waiwopa, which throughout the crisis assured the Legations that the Government was doing all in its power to protect foreign life and property, occasionally reassured us, aod sometimes added to our alarm by circulating communiqnés containing the latest Chinese official news from the West.
The native press killed officials and the leaders of the agitation with pitiless impartiality, and does not now appear in the least dismayed by the resurrection and renewed activity of a score or two of persons who should ere now have been safely buried.
REASSURING, It came as a great relief, therefore, when the first, aod mach belated despatch of the British Consal at Chéog-ta, followed by equally belated telegrame to other Legations, filtered through, and brought the reassuring news the Viceroy was holding his own within the city, and that so far as was Known, no foreigners bad been molested. A day or two later came the bom-Ddaatic despatch of the Viceroy himself, recounting the herculean feats of bir troops. and the capture or destraction of countless rebels, cannon and wea-dealing with very serious view of the whole matter, Chao Erh-féog's despatch was solemnly published in the Official Gazette, aod an Edict was issued commending him for his sncoessfnl efforts, and instructing him completely to suppress the agitation.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.