NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Allies are in possession of Pekin; the Legations have been relieved; and the Empress-Regent has fled; that is the authentic news of the week. But though the news from Pekin is still meagre and confused, Friday's papers contain a certain amount of detail. There is a short official telegram from Sir A. Gaselee, dated Pekin, August 15th, and a telegram, also dated the 15th, from the special corre- spondent of the Times, who, we are heartily glad to see, is not too ill from his wounds to be able to serve his newspaper with all his old promptitude and vigour. Sir A. Gaselee's telegram shows that the attack on Pekin began early on the morning of the 14th. By 3 p.m. the British force had got on the canal opposite the water gate and were signalled to from the wall held by the Legations. " I with some of my staff and about seventy men of the 7th Raj puts and 1st Sikhs rushed across the almost dry moat and entered through water gate without any loss. We found all well in Legations." Meanwhile the British field artillery was brought up to fire at the central gate of the Tartar City, " but a sortie by Americans and Russians of the garrison along the wall anticipated the bombardment, and the gate fell into our hands." About 5 p.m. the Americans under General Chaffee entered the Legation, and then moved on towards the central gate of the Tartar City for the night. The Times corre- spondent adds some details and records the heaviness of the attacks on the Legations during the last two days.
"Relief came just in time." Besides this news, which is certain, there are many rumours, but they differ too much to be worth recording in detail. Some of them declare that several ladies died during the siege from exhaustion, while others absolutely contradict this. The most conflicting evidence of all, however, is in regard to the Imperial Palace and the Forbidden City, some versions saying they were occupied, and others that they were not entered. The balance of evidence seems, however, to show that they were entered and occupied by the Allies.
