OCR Text |
Show SITUATION IS GENERALLY DARK London. July 12, 3 a. m. The Chinese situation again bears a most ominoun aspeet. Eighteen days ago Sir Robert ' Hart dispatched his last message, de claring that the situation was desperate desper-ate and since then no wcrd has come from the Europeans in Pekin. According to the Daily Mail's fcna.nir.,ai oorrosnondont. ,i Hung - N I Chang has received an imperial decree de-cree ordering his immediate departure for Pekin, presumably to break the news of the Pekin tragedy to the European powers and in his usual role of negotiator with Europe in difficult matters, to endeavor to act as mediator and avert the vengeance of the powers. As to the firmness of this suggestion, all advices from Tien Tsin tend to confirm con-firm the reports of the perilous conditions condi-tions of the allied forces and belie the optimistic Chinese rumors. Unless reinforcements re-inforcements speedily reach Tien Tsin, another disaster may be expected. |