Show I INAACCEPTS i J DEMAND Plenipotentiaries Unexpectedy Ordered to SignS < Sign-S the Preliminary joint iNote t S of the Powers S Earl L and Prince Ching Both AstonishedEmperors Instructions Are to Agree Fully to the Note but to Get the Best Terms Possible Particularly Matter of Limiting Number of Legation Guards and Places Where They Are Located Peking Dec 30The Chinese plenipotentiaries pleni-potentiaries have been unexpectedly ordered or-dered to sign the preliminary joint note and have notified the foreign envoys to that effect CHINESE ENVOYS ASTONISHED The Chinese themselves were greatly astonished at receiving the imperial instructions in-structions Neither LI Hung Chang nor Prince Ching had expected success In persuading the court under ten days But the Emperors instructions arc to agree fully to the note but endeavor to get the best terms possible particularly in the matter of limiting the legation guards and also as to places where these arc to be located WANT ARMY POSTS LIMITED The plenipotentiaries are instructed to endeavor to limit the number of army posts along the line of railway as low as possible and finally request the powers not to destroy the forts but merely to disarm them EARL LI VERY ILL LI Hung Changs health Is bad and it is doubtful whether will be able to do more than affix his signature to nn Instrument delegating his powers to Prince Ching until another plenipotentiary plenipoten-tiary has been appointed He was dressed this morning and carried In a chair to the residence of Prince Chlng with whom he held a long consultation Prince ChIns then called upon the dean of the diplomatic corps the Spanish Minister Senor 9bc Cologun and requested him to notify The other envoys that instructions hud been received re-ceived from the Emperor to sign the note f WILL NOT BE MODIFIED The foreign communities in Peking are satlslled at the decided tQne of the collective note und the assertion that the powers arc determined to entertain no proposals for the modification of their demands I Is understood LI Hun Chang sent a memorial to the throne t couched in very sliong tells urging complete compliance SLAIN BY GERMAN TROOPS The Germans killed forty Chinese troops near Manchong northwest of Pao Ting Fu They had no casualties Among the natives a feeling of mistrust mis-trust Is boiiiK caused appaiently by the highhanded acton of the Germans as the Chinese supped them of an intention in-tention t to force ii serious engagement with the Chinese troops |