Show to 10 PREVENT INVASION china brits tri to bluff blott the tl row lowr from upon reldo A new imperial edict has been pro promulgated in china ordering all viceroy and nd provincial governors to endeavor to negotiate elate peace with the powers whose ministers tire ur held a al hostage pending the result of the ilia overtures overture for the tha abandonment of hostilities against china chann the viceroys vice roys are also alo commanded to guard their territories vigilantly against attack and to prevent by all means in their power the advance ivanec of 0 the llie foreign troops especially along the tha yang too I 1 kian the decree says the officials will answer with their lives altea tor for any fallu fallaro ro to execute these orders COMM ODdS are also given that not a single foreigner shall be allowed to escape from ilia interior where there jare j are fully 2000 europeans connected with the missionary work in isolated ISO situations when the governor of shan tung rung communicated tc the consuls tho the imperial decree of july 24 bo be omitted addressed to li important passages hung chaug chang as follows it is ig admittedly advisable all the ministers but it is equally un unwise w se to send them to tien tsin it will be ba much wiser to keep the survivors at pekin as hostages you are commanded to hasten to pekin you are incurring imperial displeasure by delay you have hav 0 been beell appointed viceroy ot of chi lil li because with your military experience you will successfully lead the imperial armies against the foreigners in chi lt li which yulu yu lu the present viceroy Is unable to do owing to his i ignorance nor ot of military affairs li flung chang replied to tilt the edict asking aking to be allowed to retire on so ao count of his age |