Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1896-09-03
Said Ixhalid, the Usurping Chief
tain, Refuses to Surrender. and
His Palace IL Bombardcd-Khn
lid Escapes to the German Con.
sulate. but y Large Number Of
His Followers Are Killed by
Shells.
Shells

main under the protection Of the Ger
man flag.
As cabled exclusively to the Asso-
ciated Press, Rear Admiral Henry
Rawson, G. E., in command of the
British Cape Of Good Hope and West
Coast of Africa station, and the Brit
ish consul general, Mr.. A. r. Harding,
O. B., after holding conference yes
terday, communicated by cable with
the government of Great Britain an
outline of the situation of affairs here,
setting forth that Said Khalid, who
seized the palace and proclaimed him
self sultan on the death, apparently
by poison, of. Sultan Hamed Bin
Thwain Bin Said, had been strongly
reinforced, and positively refused to
surrender.
Bombnrdment Begins.
This morning, shortly before 9
o'clock, q naval officer was sent to the
palace square with another message
for Said Khalid, asking him if he was
prepared to surrender in accordance
with the terms of the ultimatum, and
again notifying him that the place in
which he had barricaded himself
would be shelled at 8 o'clock promptly
If he failed to haul down his flag be-
fore that time. AS before, Said re-
piled that he would die sooner than
surrender. His answer was conveyed
to Admiral Rawson, and the British
consul general and the crews of the
ships, which had been prepared for
action on the day before, were sent to
quarters.
At 9 o'clock the flagship signalled
the Raccoon, Thrush and Sparrow to
commence firing, and moment later
the cruiser mentioned and the two
gunboats referred to opened fire with
their heaviest guns, and ten minutes
later they had sent storm of shell
and shot into the palace tearing big
gaps in it, scattering death and con-
fusion among its defenders, while dis
mounting some of the guns ashore and
putting to fight the gunners handling
the pieces. The fire of the warships
was admirably directed, and smoke
was soon seen to be issuing from sew
eral parts Of the palace.
During this time the st. George and
the Philomen were held in reserve, al
though they occasionally pumped a
shell into the enemy's camp, adding to
the dismay Of it's defenders.
The Raccoon, Thrush and Sparrow
kept up the bon.bardment until $3.50,
when the palace was tumbling into
ruins and large rents had been made
in the barricades Of Said's followers.
The latter, however, answered the fire
of the warships with great persistency
and eallantly, and did not stop firing
until, in response to the flagship's
signal to cease firing, the guns of the
warships stopped showefing shot and
shell ashore. The losses of the enemy
are not known, but must have been
heavy, especially among the defend
ers Of the palace proper.
During tie bombardment the sui
tan's armed steamer Glasgow opened
fire on the British wa1ships, but few
we'll aimed shells from the heavy guns
of the Raccoon and shot or two from
the four-inch guns of the Sparrow
crashed through and through her, ST.
fenced her fire in short order, and ulti-
mately sunk her at her mornings.
Said Kahlid Escapes.
Soon after the palace caught fire
and the walls and roof were sent fly
ing here and there by the shells of the
warships, Said lkhalid and Said Sales,
the latter being the commander of the
usurper's army, escaped with a num-
Der of their leading followers through
the back part of the palace and hur-
riedly made their way to the German
consulate, where they asked for pro-
lection, which was accorded them.
When the insurgents had been conf
PEELED to lay down their arms and
were securely corraled by the marines
and blue Jackets, the latter were or
dered to try to extinguish the flames
in the palace and in the old custom
house, which had also been shelled
and set on fire, as the insurgents had
fortified it and had to be driven from
the building. But at noon, despite the
efforts of the sailors to extinguish
the flames, the palace was a mass of
blazing ruins, the old custom house
was in ashes, and Cumber of other
buildings demolished or set on fire by
exploding shells.
NO casualties are reported among
the British on shore, and though all
business naturally is at q standstill,
order will be completely restored be-
fore nightfall, and foreign residents
Will be able to return to their resi-
dences ashore.
Temporary hospitals for the care Of
the native wounded have been estab-
lished ashore, and they are receiving
as much care from the surgeons Of
the warships as If they were British
sailors or marines.
The dead will! be buried this after
noon, and for the present the island
Will be administered by Admiral Raw
son, pending the receipt of further in
structions from the British govern
ment.
Said Hamoud has been appointed
sultan.
Both May Die.
Chatfield, MIMI, Aug. 20--As Mar.
nm Farrell was driving home from the
city, man who was quarrying half
mile northeast from this city rolled a