PLOT AT PEKING.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11581, 6 July 1900, Page 3

PLOT AT PEKING.

THREAT OP WHOLESALE

MASSACRE.

COPINa WITH THE SITUATION.

Eocoivod July 5, 0.5 a.m.

Hong Kono, July 4.

A Chinese runner from Peking to Tientsin reports that Prince Tuan, who i»as president of the Tsung-H-Tamen, , previous to the murder of Baron Ketteler, the German Minister at Peking, had arranged for a conference between the Ambassadors and the Tsung*K-Yamen, hia object being to afford the mob an opportunity of maßsacring the whole of the Ministers. Suspeoting that the conference was a trap, all the Ambassadors refused to attend except Baron Ketteler, who was killed soon after he left his Legation. The murderers mutilated Baron Ketteler's tody. His escort burned the buildings of the Tsung-li-Tamen. Most of the Legations were then destroyed.

The British troops garrisoning the British Legation heavily bombarded the Chinese, killing many of them, lhe bombardment continued until the ammunition o£ the British ran short. The Chinese possess immense supplies of ammunition. It is reported that Prince Tuan has ordered that when two other Ministers have been murdered all the foreigners in Peking shall be maßsaored.

Admiral Bendimann, commanding the German squadron in China, has requested the Emperor to send a whole Army Division to China.

The consuls at Tientsin proposed to the Powers that they should threaten to flestroy the graves of the Imperial family at Peking .if foreigners were murdered, but Great Britain is not disposed to agiee to such a proposal.

A naval 47 gun was usedduring the recent operations at Tientsin, mounted on a Scott carriage, and it silenced a big Krupp gun used by the Chinese at the fourth Bhot.

Tokio, July 4. Japan is mobilising a further 30,000 troops.