“Yesterday the troops captured a convert named Chin Ssu Hai, and learned from him that the foreign ministers were all well, which caused us great satisfaction. But it is the unexpected that happens—the reinforcements of foreign troops were ever so long ago stopped and turned back by the Boxers, and if, in accordance with the previous agreement, we were to guard your excellencies out of the city, there are so many Boxers on the Tientsin-Taku road that we should be very apprehensive of misadventure. “We now request your excellencies to first take your families and the various members of your staff, and leave your legations in detachments. You should select trustworthy officers to give close and strict protection, and you should temporarily reside in the tsung-li-yamen, pending future arrangements for your return home in order to preserve friendly relations intact from beginning to end. But at the time of leaving the legations there must on no account whatever be any single armed foreign soldier, in order to prevent doubt and fear on the part of the troops and people, leading to untoward incidents. “If your excellency is willing to show this confidence, we beg you to communicate with all the foreign ministers in Peking, to-morrow at noon being the limit of time, and to let the original messenger deliver your reply, in order that we may settle in advance the day for leaving the legations. This is the single way of preserving relations that we have been able to devise in the face of innumerable difficulties. If no reply is received by the hour fixed, even our affection will not enable us to help you. Compliments. PRINCE CHING AND OTHERS.” “6th moon, 18th day [July 13, 1900].” A reply has been sent to-day declining, on the part of the foreign representatives, the invitation to proceed to the tsung-li-yamen, and pointing out that no attacks have been made by our troops, who are only defending the lives and property of foreigners against the attacks of Chinese government troops. The reply concludes with a statement that if the Chinese government wishes to negotiate, they should send a responsible official with a white flag. CLAUDE M. MACDONALD. This message is thought by every one to be a rank fraud. It is supposed to come not from Prince Ching, but from the leader of the Kansu troops, and is probably intended to lure some of the foreigners outside the legation and then to shoot them. Same date, 3 P.M. Twenty Russians and four Americans made an attack on a house to the west of the Russian legation, where there were about sixty Chinese snipers. On arriving at the wall they found there was no way to get into the yard. So each man took a brick, and, at a given signal, heaved them all together into the yard, shouting and reviling the Chinamen.