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Show The Chinese ltebels. TrKix, Dec. 1. The government is fully aware of the serious condition whic h confronts con-fronts it and every possible step is being taken to break the strength of the rebels before be-fore they get within striking distance of the capital. There is much excitement here among all classes of the population, and the aulhorities believe that if they can inflict defeat de-feat upon the rebel forces it w ill have a good effect upon the people of Pckin and vicinity. It is believed that many people are secretly in favor of the rebels but should the imperial im-perial forces do battle with the insurgents and defeat them the malcontents would then No doubt is entertained that the situation is dangerous. Should the rebel forces continue con-tinue to advance toward the capital in spite of the efforts of the imperial troops to prevent them, it is feared by the foreigners that the whole country will rise and aid the invaders. The garrison of Shankaikisvan has been sent to suppress the other insurrectionary bodies which are marching in various directions through the country evidently with the intention of joining join-ing the main body. A more serious condition of affairs exists at Takou. This is the place where the most brutal outrages were committed ou the priests, nuns and converts. What actiou the government will take in this matter is hard to say. That the authorities are in full j eympiithy with the perpetrators of these most horrible crimes there is no good reason to doubt. The first reports from Takou state that after these rieuds had worked their bloody will ou all the christiau men and women who fell into their hands, they were feasted by the leading lead-ing Chinese maudarins in the district. It is now said the local mandarins have agreed to allow trie rebels free license tor outrages on christians, provided they did no harm to the other inhabitants. These terms were accepted by the rcb.ds and they pursued their work without hinder-ance. hinder-ance. Three hundred Europeans and liatne christians were masaereed. It is bciieved not a single christian in the district escaped. Consternation prevails among the protestant missionaries in the district through which it is expected the rebels will pass. The local officials at Tsunha declare they are powerless to protect the missionaries, and that if they desired to save their lives they had better seek safety in flight. The missionaries at Tsunha have therefore abandoned aban-doned their stations and sought refuge in safer parts of the country. |