The English, French, American, and Prussian consuls at once organized a provisional government, closed all liquor shops, forbade placards of any description being posted, and induced the officer in command of the Foreign Legion to make them "fall in" at their barracks and keep them there. The assurance that they would be paid in full and sent away in the "Tabasco" aided greatly in securing their obedience. The merchants cheerfully subscribed the money necessary to discharge the obligations towards them.
The English and United States consuls rode out to General Benavides, informed him briefly of all that had transpired, and requested him to be ready to march into the city and take possession as soon as the gates were opened, which, it was expected, would be done on the following day. Apparently not realizing the exact state of affairs, the general replied that he had received fresh orders to enter into no more negotiations, and that General Porfirio Diaz was on the way there with fresh troops to assault the town. This seemed an extraordinary position to assume, evidently based upon a misapprehension of facts, but none the less embarrassing. They assured him that his evident doubts regarding the genuineness of the overture had no foundation in fact; the city was held by no enemy of the Republic, but by the consular corps, supported by the guns of the English and American ships. This
