Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-08-27
BOMBARDED BY THE BRITISH
Palace of the Sultan of Zanzibar Bat
tered Down and Fired BY
English Guns.
SULTAN ESCAPES TO GERMAN CONSULATE
Admiral Rawson Has Temporarily As
sumed Government of the Island
Rioting in Constantinople-Ar-
menians Butchered.
Copyright by the Associated Press.

Copyright by the Associated Press.
Zanzibar, Aug. 27.-The palace of thu
sultan of Zanzibar was bombarded thii
morning and at noon it was mass o.
blazing ruins. The usurping chief
| tam, Said Khalid, and the commander ot
his forces, Said Sales, escaped to the Ger
man consulate, where they remain under
the protection of the German flag.
Rear Admiral Henry Rawson, in com
mand of the British Cape of Good Hope
and West Coast of Africa station, and the
British consul-general, Hardin, after a
conference Yesterday, communicated by
cable to the government of Great Britain
tho outline of the situation here, setting
forth that Said Khalid, who seized the
palace and proclaimed himself sultan on
the death, apparently by poison, of Sultan
Hamid Bin Thwan Bin Said, had been
strongly reinforced and positively re-
fused to surrender.
THE SULTAN WAS WE'LL SUPPLIED.
The report continued that Said Khaid
had with him about $500 we'll armed and
well disciplined men, including 900 ask
aries, trained under British officers,
plenty of ammunition, field guns and
other pieces of artillery, which were
trained on the following British warships:
Flagship, st. George; third class cruiser,
Philomel; third class cruiser, Racoon;
first-class gunboats, Sparrow aud Thrush.
Cable instructions we're received from
London and an ultimatum was sent to
Said Khalid ordering him to haul down
h;, HDr lo, ,pit hio
later than 3 o'clock this morning.
At the same time, the British residents
of Zanzibar were notified to be on board
Admiral Rawson's ships by s o'clock.
During the night there were number
of disturbances among the natives in the
outskirts of the town, but they were
promptly suppressed by the $50 British
marines and sailors, landed to protect
property and guard the consulate of
Great Britain.
AIDED BY THE SLAVE DEALERS.
Tt is understood that Said Khalld re-
ceived further reinforcements from the
slave dealers, who focked to his support,
as the formal hoisting of the British flag
over Zanzibar would mean the liberation
of about 250,00O slaves and death blow
to slavery in this part of East Africa.
By 8 o'clock to-day 100 British ubjects
and number of other foreigners had
embarked on board the warships, the
Italians going on board the Italian gon-
boat Volurno, the Germans seeking safety
at the German consulate.
naval officer was sent to the palace
square to ask Said Kahlid if he was pre-
pared to surrender IN accordance with
the terms of the ultimatum and to notify
him that the palace would be shelled at 8
O'Clock promptly il he failed to haul down
his flag before that time.
SULTAN SAID HE WOULD DIE.
Said replied that he would die sooner
veyed to Admiral Rawson.
At O'Clock the flagship signaed the
Racoon, Thrush and Sparrow to COM
mence firing. A moment later the cruiser
and two gun-boats opened fire with the
heaviest guns.
Ten minutes later they had sent
storm of shot and shell into the palace,
tearing big gaps in it and scattering
death and confusion among the defend
ers, while dismounting some of the guns
ashore and putting to fight some of the
gunners.
The fire of the warships was admirably
directed and smoke was soon seen to is-
sue from several parts of the palace.
The Racoon, Thrush and Sparrow kept
up the bombardment until $50 when the
palace was tumbling in ruins and large
rents had been made in the barricade of
Said's followers.
The latter answered the fire of the war
ships with great persistency and gallan-
try until, in response to the fag-ship's
signal of "Cease firing" the guns of the
warships stopped showering shot and
shell ashore.
LOSSES OF THE ENEMY.
The losses of the enemy must have been
heavy, especially among the defenders of
the palace proper.
During the bombardment the sultan's
armed steamer, Glasgow, opened fire on
the British warships, but few we'll aimed
shells from the heavy guns of the Racoon
and shot or two from the four.inch
guns of the Sparrow crashed through and
through her, silencing her fire in short
order and causing her to sink.
Said Khalid and Said Sales escaped
with some of their leading followers
through the back part of the palace and
hurried to the German consulate, where
protection was accorded them.
The island will be governed by Admiral
Rawson pending further instructions.