The herald., 1896-08-28
THE PALACE B0MBARDED
And Quickly Reduced to a Heap Of BIaz.
ing Ruins
Zanzibar neans Freedom to Half
nillion Slaves
Associated Press Special Wire

| ldlll, cetlQ INhesild, anu tliS
of his forces. Said Sales escaped to the
! German consulate. where they remain
under the protection of the German flag.
AS cabled exclusively to the Associ-
ated Press, Rear Admiral Henry Raw
son, C. b, in command of the British
Cape of Good Hope and west coast of Af-
rca station. and British Consul General
a. II. Harding, after holding a confer
ence yesterday, communicated by cable
to the government of Great Britain that
Said Khalid, who seized the palace and
proclaimed himself sultan on the death,
apparently by poison, of Sultan Hamed
Bin Thwain Bin Said. had been strongly
reinforced and positively refused to
surrender
Said Khalid had with him about 2500
well armed and we'll disciplined men,
including 900 Askaris, trained under
British officers. plenty or ammunition,
field guns and other pieces of artillery,
which were trained on the British war
ships. the flagship St. George. third
class cruiser Philomel. third class cruis-
er Raccoon. first-class gunboats Spar
row and Thrush.
Later in the day cable instructions
We're received from London and an ulti-
matum was sent to Said I[halid order
ing him to haul down the flag and sur
render with the forces not later than
o'clock this morning At the same
time the British residents of Zanzibar
were notified to be on board Admiral
Rawson's ships by o'clock.
During the past night disturbances
promptly suppressed by $50 British ma
rines and sailors, landed to protect
property and guard the consulate of
Great Britain. 1t is understood Said
Khalid received further reinforcements
from slave dealers who hocked to his
support, as the formal hosting of the
British flag over Zanzibar would mean
the liberation of about 250 COO slaves. and
the death blow to slavery in this part of
East Africa.
BY a. m. today over 100 British sub
jects and some other foreigners had en-
barked on the warships. the Italians
going on board the Italian gunboat Vol
turno and the Germans seeking safety
at the German consulate. A naval Off
Ger was sent to the palace square with
another message for Said Khalid asking
him if he was prepared to surrender
again notifying him the palace would
be shelled at Q o'clock promptly if he
failed to haul down the flag. Said re-
piled that he would die sooner than sur
render, His answer was conveyed to
Admiral Rawson. At o'clock the flag
ship signaled the Racoon, Thrush and
Sparrow to commence firing. a moment
later the cruiser and two gunboats
opened fire with their heaviest guns
Ten minutes later they had sent a
storm of shell and shot into the palace,
tearing big gaps in it. scattering death
and confusion among it's defenders. ard
putting to flight the gunners handling
the pieces.
The fire of the warshps was admir-
ably directed. Smoke was soon seen is
suing from the palace.
During this time the st. George and
the Philomel were held in reserve, al
though they occasionally pumped a
shell into the enemy's camp, adding to
the dismay of the defenders. The Ra-
coon, Thrush and Sparrow kept up the
bombardment until 9:05 when the pal
ace was tumbling in ruins and large
rents had been made in the barricade of
Said's followers, who answered the
fire with great persistency and gallant
ry, and did not stop firing until, in re-
sponse to the hagship's signal of
cease firing" the guns of the war
ships stopped showering shot and shell
ashore.
The losses of the enemy are not known,
put must have been heavy, especially
among the defenders of the palace prop
er. During the bombardment the sui
tan's armed steamer Glasgow opened
fire on the British warships. A few we'll
aimed shells from the heavy guns Of the
Racoon and q shot or two from the four
inch guns Of the Sparrow crashed
through and through her silencng her
fire in short order Ultimately she sank
at her moorings. Soon after the palace
caught fire, and the waug and roof
were sent flying here and there by shells.
Said khalid and Said Sales, command
er of the uprising sultan's army. es-
capped with some of their followers
through the back part of the palace and
hurried to the German consulate, where
protection was accorded them.
Admiral RaWson. in order to prevent
the escape of Said Khalid and his fol-
lowers TO the mainland of Africa. where
their presence would undoubtedly have
caused trouble with the slave dealers
and their adherents, sent detachments
of marines, blue jackets and local Zan-
zibaris to occupy all the roads and ave
nues of escape, hemming in the enemy
pretty effectually, although many es-
capped to the mainland and islands. As
the dispatch is sent firing is still pro-
ceeding in the outskirts of this place.
but all resistance has ceased.
Shortly after 10 o'clock, in response to
another signal from the flagship st.
George, reinforcements of marines ana
sailors were sent ashore from the Brit
ish ships, and the work of capturing tha
insurgents, collecting the dead and at
tending to the wounded was COM
menced.
During this time desultory firing
could be heard in the outskirts of the
town from where Captain Raikes. at
the head of four hundred loyal Zanzi-
baris and a detachment of British, no.
titled Admiral Rawson that he was
holding all the main roads When the
insurgents had been compelled to Law
down their arms and were securely cor
bU tho rpariDac and bl11a