The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-07-07
The HangO Massacre.


II has fslsn to lot, in toe Of long
experience, to comment any event 50 distress
ing to the best fssogs OF this salon, dssraceu to
the enemy with whom We at war, 30 shameful to
humanity the mast ac.e committed BY tie Ru ssians
the boats crew OF British man o. war tho ssh
June at Hapgo Not only do The loss OF SIX
te gallant young ftowa whlss fate would been
glorious If they had fallen by any Of the acct
dents Of warrot My rsyosd by he trsacaery
which lowed tina boa to reach the shore under
flag Of truce and tsen butcbered the ersw-unarnei,
interchangeable al whelmnS force OF troops who
while dpore the passion and vioeucs which SO hasa
and ferocious an acton viii impar TO every future en-
counter in this war; participate in the conviction
that effort Ia too great AMI measure too strong to
bring tie authors Of ths 70 the cond'sn punish
War; no doubt is full Of horrors, and is marked BY
long track OF dev asen and Of Blood but Ia also the
which regulate its excesses. Between civilized nations
those acts OF forbesrsnca and Of courtey which not
un.requent, in the heat of contest, mitigate ths
wilder paasior and shaw that in defending the interests
Of their country tho comatants have not forgotte0 the
rights CT humanity. The boat Of the Cossack was
gsge5 In of these very erands of civy at the
mt vhp this nuroeIous enslaught mad upon It.
II 20 convey Finnish prisoners 10 Haugc,
whom the a. mrl lad no wish to detain as thoy were
not in the service OF Russis tna the boat VAS seat on
shore The stewards Of the sccopan ed the party,
in the hope that this little attention wonld be sckno
LEGGED by the permission to buy fresh provisions.
Thus confong, thus deceived LIEUTENANT g. neste and
his pulled in behind the islands CT Hanyo Paint 1t
70 send boat into Hango harbor for orr ers had
by tho dnri TO lar the prisoners wherever
they pleased and 1t was BY their own choice that Hanso
flag Of truce. visible from the shose, was flying all
the time the ship and on approaching the etty the
officer in command Q, the boat again waved the same
ensgn u peace s, ho .sver, apparent fr ,m ths
suit the approach Of this boat It's friendly
rand tad been deliberately usea by the Russian officers
in command ut Hanso TO organize CT the most de-
tesatle and bloody etr5tagema recorded IA history.
Five hundred ere3 sn lay ooIoeasd in tho i'm mediate
neighbour God Of the ing place The liberated mi.
sontrs and the officers jampsa out OF the beat they
were immediately surfoundei by thls overwheln.og
m n liz IN
bave been man OF some educasioo for he spoke Fog
shenough, ~ leat T. inter brutal cath that
tag OF truce which he about TO volapa by his
der tho remen opened sharp fra immediately and in
discriminatory on the officers who hal landed the
men tue boat, and the Fn sh psscners who
had Just been get on shore AMI WHO fell 70 man
der tpe merc;less bullets OF tnsr tyrants Every
man was strucE Gown. sad, with one pon m,rder
&C. Ore wourcej man wss dragged out OF the bottom
Of the boat where be bad fallen ana baycnstt,l upoa
tAe iat.y. One sole survivor NJ lrvsionsiy eseapaa
by fe'gning 6ea,h he MES biz, ar6 ultimately
cutsng the boat aerift.
This awful crime was rot therefore, left without
living xtrefs 10 relate I'd AZ .et the tale and TO de-
LOUNGE 10 mankind end 20 poateri.y in ths sToagest
language or Indignation aud horror the atco nous
city Of this unmauy deed. Among the Dscoits who IN
ratcal tribes Of the Eastern Archipelago
their guard against every sraagem Of bioodh rs,y
s na, is.ie'.ss esrparsas; bus "a what y ternsd
can be for warded in few hours from the SCAT
Of Of s SonI t, Rra led oa 81 few MILES
Empire, anil consequently unsor the direct consr5
OF the supreme ihari.y 10 that county Certainly
were not Drepered for hreeca OF t1ary honor au Of
common humanity which would disgrace tae otest
settlement and tho nioss b4rblroaa s1vages o. ths
hsbitable siobs HID the authorities at Tango hal
any motive 10 preye1t the coat ron on .ering thoi.
per-, or for refusing 70 receive tho aig Of truce,
nothing. was easter thsn 20 have stoppsd the
approach CT our sD By firing shot across the bow o.
the boat Had they attempted TO tase them prison
ers 70. any ALLEGED misconduct breach OF the rrvi
leges OF Tag OF Truce, nothing easy for The
party unernsd, ana the dispsopost,i Of nnno,rs
toe sde Of the Russians quito Irresistible. Ba. snsh
the boat on snl vixen sse gig saessq asDy pusd 10
ascertain tbs fate Of her missing coarades an tenpt
was made by people the shore 70 deooy her to, Ia
Their power NO summons ~ surrender addressed
70 the party tad the strongest pro th ~ coa gwen
OF the insne ferocity of the Rus ans WAC deter
mined upon the instant murder Of the xhols crew. il
that they shot down Of thar own countrynsn
who had scarcely set foo. bsash AL the Flo
nIsh captain fell waving nag OF truce upou which
the Euasans did not hesitate to IRE. such e. the nation
which barely hsl century sgo wrese ths province OF
iinAnd the scene o. this tras.iy, from tao mid AMI
free government OF tbs Gro I'm OF sweden.
crime o. this nnture-a vioston Of all that Ia hell
sacred and honoraole and brave ing mcn-!esyes sn
indsble trace upon the annals OF nation parioi Of
227 years has e,cci from the mory OF people
OF England the aroc ~ OF the Amboyra asssre when
sc,S ~. s All ~ h. n, mSa .se SAT-
tury has not diminished the iafsmy which ths night o.
the Blacx Hole Of Calcutta left son the n,ry OF the
ruler Of Bengal AZ ioae as the annals ot this
BILE year RECORDED in tho pgss Of history the
sacre Of Hango wiz rank with taese sinister aeasvs-
ments for parallel be found % IL ave Ia ths
and most psrfiod actions which have dsgrasei
humanity Indsed, this surprise srsseis thsn all
Tor our gallant countrJmen we're cat on ia tao very
performance Of act OF courtesy and kiGiness ari
nader the shelter OF ensign whish every nl.ioi bat
,ae Russian knows how 10 respect Throughout. tue
World whover this tale Is told the compassion fol. for
ne nhtnely End OF thess brave youas feloss viii be
onossa BY thrill OF horror az the quit Of their m,r
nav car nro.saont the world Wherever ,ae British
spirit win walk TIE dsep aad no. a B-tlsh sslu,u
s9s, Sa. wiz REMINDER tue bats essr Of the cos,,ek
"a w n9ar o. os,e II Is not the lstss @! the evils OF
t.th bad actions TIA. they invest Juscs hsrsf With