Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1896-09-04
PALACE WAS BOMBARDED
A British Fleet Opens Fire
on Zanzibar.
THE usuRPER FORCED TO FLEE
His Stronghold Wrecked and There
Were Many Persons KilIed--The En-
glish Admiral Now Holds the Town.

giish Admiral Now Holds the Town.
Zanzibar, Aug. 81.-The palace Of
the sultan Of Zanzibar was bombarded
this morning, and at noon was mass
Of blazing ruins. The uprising chief
tain, Seyyid Khalid, and the com.
mander Of his forces, Seyyid Sales, es-
capped to the Geramn consulate. yhere
they remain under the protection Of
the German flag.
Rear Admiral Henry Rawson, G. B.. /,
in comamnd Of the British Cape of
Good Hope and West Coast Of Africa
station, and the British consul. gen.
eral. Nh. A, Il. Harding, after holding
conference yesterday, communicated
by cable to the government Of Great
Britain that Seyyid Khalid, who seized
the palace and proclaimed himself sui.
tan, on the death, apparently by poison
of Sultan Hamed Bin Thwain, had
been strongly reinforced and positively
refused TO surrender.
Seyyid Khalid had with him about
Q, 500 well.armed and well disciplined
men, including 900 Askaries, trained
under British officers, plenty of ammu-
milton, filed guns and other pieces Of
artillery, which were trained on the
British warships, the flagship St.
George, the third.class cruiser Rae.
coon, and the first class gunboats Spar
row and Thrush.
Later in the day cable instructions
were received from London. and an
ultimatum was sent TO Seyyid Khalid
ordering him to haul down his flag
and surrender with his forces not later
than o'clock this morning. At the
same time the British residents Of Zan.
zibar were notified to be ON board Ad.
miral Rawson's ships by o'clock.
During the past night disturbances
among the natives in the outskirts
were promptly suppressed by $50 Brit
ish marines and sailors. landed to pro-
tect the property and guard the con-
sulate of Great Britain. 1t Ia under
stood that Seyyid Khalid received fur
ther reinforcements from slayedealers
who flocked to his support, as the
formal hosting of the British flag over
Zanzibar would mean the liberation Of
about 250.000 slaves, and a death
blow to slavery in this part of East
Africa.
By s A. M. today over a hundred
British subjects and some other for.
eigners had embarked on the warships,
the Italians going ON board the Italian
gunboat Volturno and the Germans
seeking safety at the German consul
ate. A naval officer was sent to the
palace square with another message
for Seyyid Khalid, asking him if he
was prepared to surrender, and again
notifying him that the palace would be
shelled at 9 o'clock promptly If he
failed to haul down the flag. Seyyid
replied that he would die sooner than
surrender. His answer was conveyed
to Admiral Rawson.
At 8 O'Clock the flagship signaled the
Kaccoon, Thrush and Sparrow to com.
mence 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 1t, scattering death and confusion
among Its defenders, while dismount.
ing some guns ashore and putting tc
fight the gunners handling the pieces
The fire Of the warships was admirably
directed. Smoke was soon seen issuing
from several parts Of the palace.
During this time the st. George and
the Philomene were held in reserve, al.
though they occasionally pumped 8
shot into the enemy's camp, adding te
the dismay Of its defenders. The Rae
coon, Thrush and Sparrow kept up the
bombardment until $3.50. when the
palace was tumbling in ruins and large
rents had been made in the barricade
Of the sultan's followers, who answered
the fire of the warships with persist
ency and gallantry, and did not stoT
firing until in response 10 the fiagship't
singal of cease firing,"' the guns Of
the warships stopped showering sho,
and shell ashore.
The losses of the enemy are not
known, but must have been heavy. es
pecially among the defenders of the
palace proper.
During the bombardment the sui.
tan's armed steamer Glasgow opened
fire on the British warships A few
well-aimed shells from the heavy guns
of the Raccoon and a shot or two FROM
the four.inch guns Of the Sparrow
crushed through and through her,
silencing her fire in short order. Ulti
mately she sank at her moorings
Soon after the palace caught fire and
the walls and roof were sent flyine
here and there by shells.
Seyyid Khalid and Seyyid Sales
commander Of the usurping sultan,
army, escaped with some Of their fol
lowers through the back part of the
palace, and hurried to the German CON
sulate. where protection was accorded
khAu