By the first df last July the "Boxers" had added rast numbers to their ranks, and all were armedi with broadswords, and in some cases with firearms. Gymnastic exer cises and drills -were going on in hundreds of villages, and the "Boxers" soon an nounced tiheir intention of rising against the Roman Catholics, there having been a strong feeling of hostility toward them for years; a feeling which was intensified in 1893, when the Catholics purchased a temple in the village of 'Li Lien Yuan and .replaced it by a church. At that time eighteen vil lages united and attacked the chapel. The "Boxers" finally became so powerful and so much in evidence .that the Governor of Shantung sent a force to disperse them, which only incited them to more open and bitter opposition towards the Catholics, against whom they began to stir up violent opposition.. They represented to ignorant multitudes that the sympathies of the Go vernment -were wdth them, and adopted as a motto "'Exalt the Dynasty and Extirpate the Foreigners." BOBBERY AND MURDER. A placard was then issued!, the correct reading of which is as follows: — THE UNIVERSAL BOXER SOCIETY. "You are personally iovited to meet on the seventh day of the ninth moon. Elevate the Manohus. Kill the foreigners. Unless this summons is obeyed you will lose your heui?." From tl» time this placard was issued Shantung became a scene of riot. Aimed originally at the Roman Catholics, tise movement gradually grew into opposition to everything foreign, and the natives iv both Catholic and Protestant Churches were the sufferers. Hundreds of native families were| homeless, many vrere killed, and

gravity of the situation, and a special edict [ lias been, telegraphed Geiteral Yuan. j,iiii- 1 tary Governor, to forthwith-arrest and pun- j isb the offenders, and also to punish ail 1 derelict officials, and he promises prompt acd energetic coinpeSaoce." Despite fchas edict-, it -was apparent tihat there were varied counteracting forces at work. There was evident pressure on the wrong side from Pekin, and this met -with ready response on tbe part of the Chinese. 