At the two ends of Legation Street, the western Russo-American end and the eastern Italian end, heavy barricades have already gone up.  The Dutch Legation, lying beyond the Russian and American Legations at this west end of the street, being without any guards and protectors, will, therefore, have to be abandoned immediately there is a rush from the Ch’ien Men Gate.  The Belgian Legation is naturally untenable, and will also have to be sacrificed.  The Austrian Legation is likewise a little too far away; but for the time being a triple line of barricades have gone up, having been constructed along the road between this Legation and the Customs inspectorate.  To-day, the 16th, carts are no more to be seen on these streets; foot traffic is likewise almost at an end.  There is a tacit understanding that everybody must act on the defensive.

Also every Chinaman passing our barricades is forced to provide himself with a pass, which shows clearly his reason for wandering abroad in times like this.  There has already been trouble on this score, for our system has had no proper trial....

Since the 14th and that dreadful first Boxer night, we have begun to take affairs a good deal into our own hands, and have attempted to strike blows at this growing movement, which remains so unexplained, whenever an occasion warranted it—­that is, those of us who have any spirit.  Thus, on the afternoon of the 14th, Baron von K——­ took a party of his marines on top of the Tartar Wall, pointed out to them a party of Boxer recruits openly drilling below on the sandy stretch, and gave orders to fire without a moment’s hesitation.  So the German rifles cracked off, and the sands were spotted with about twenty dead and dying.  This action of the German Minister’s at once created an immense controversy.  The timid Ministers unhesitatingly condemned the action; all those who understand that you must prick an ulcer with a lancet instead of pegging at it with despatch-pens, as nearly all our chiefs have been doing, approved and began to follow the example set.  This is the only way to act when the time for action comes in the East, and the net result is that we have been unendingly busy.  There have been expeditions, raids, and native Christians pouring in and demanding sanctuary within our lines.  One story is worth telling, as showing how we are being forced to act.

Word came to us suddenly that the Boxers had caught a lot of native Christians, and had taken them to a temple where they were engaged in torturing them with a refinement of cruelty.  One of our leaders collected a few marines and some volunteers, marched out and surrounded the temple and captured everybody red-handed.  The Boxers were given short shrift—­those that had their insignia on; but in the sorting-out process it was impossible to tell everybody right at first sight.  Christians and Boxers were all of them gory with the blood which had flown from the torturing and brutalities that had been going on;