'By now the Boxers must be near Yang-tsun. Last night the bridge, which is outside that station, was seen to be on fire. General Nieh's forces are being withdrawn to Lutai, and 1,500 of them have already passed through by railway. There are now at Yang-tsun an engine and trucks ready to take 2,000 more men.' Lutai lies on the other side of Tien-tsin, and at some distance. Should this information be correct, it means that an attempt to protect Peking has been abandoned by the only force on which the Yamên profess to place any reliance. The 6,000 men mentioned in my telegram of the 5th instant were commanded by General Nieh." "Tong-ku, June 10. Vice-Admiral Sir E. Seymour to Admiralty. Following telegram received from Minister at Peking: 'Situation extremely grave. Unless arrangements are made for immediate advance to Peking it will be too late.' "In consequence of above, I am landing at once with all available men, and have asked foreign officers' co-operation." _Great Britain, Papers by Command: China, Number 3, 1900, pages 26-45._ CHINA: A. D. 1900 (June 10-26). Bombardment and capture of Taku forts by the allied fleets. Failure of first relief expedition started for Peking. The following is from an official report by Rear-Admiral Bruce of the British Navy, dated at Taku June 17, 1900: "On my arrival here on the 11th inst. I found a large fleet, consisting of Russian, German, French, Austrian, Italian, Japanese, and British ships. In consequence of an urgent telegram from Her Majesty's Minister at Peking, Vice-Admiral Sir Edward H. Seymour, K. C. B., Commander-in-Chief, had started at 3 o'clock the previous morning (10th June), taking with him a force of 1,375 of all ranks, being reinforced by men from the allied ships as they arrived, until he commanded not less than 2,000 men. At a distance of some 20 to 30 miles from Tientsin—but it is very difficult to locate the place, as no authentic record has come in—he found the railway destroyed and sleepers burned, &c., and every impediment made by supposed Boxers to his advance. Then his difficulties began, and it is supposed that the Boxers, probably assisted by Chinese troops, closed in on his rear, destroyed railway-lines, bridges, &c., and nothing since the 13th inst. has passed from Commander-in-Chief and his relief force and Tientsin, nor vice versa up to this date. …