Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-07-23
TAKING THE TAKU FORTS.
British Officer Tells Why the Attack Was
Made.
Admlrals Decided IL Was Necessary
They Really Began the War
ON China,

New York. July pam officer Of H.
NJ. S. the Barfeur writing from Taku,
under date OF June is last, says:
"On Saturday the admirals met on
board the Russian flagship and dc
termned that the Taku forts must be
taken. The Chinese In them were In
formed that they must give them up
by o'clock on sunday or they would
be attacked.
give gunboats were an the force
available. the fleets being unable 90 get
near enough They were the Russian
Bobre and Horeetz. the German HIS,
the French Leon and the English AL
gerue. The TWO British destroycrs. the
Fame and the Whitlng,were also avail
able.
THE Algerne had had a most trying
time. having been anchored for days
under the guns VI fort capable OF an
Initiating her al one discharge. The
gunboats were in the river and con-
seQuently could not get up behind the
forts. which are chiefly planned TO fire
seward. But 10 was known that the
Chinese has mounted extra guns 10 fire
landward
con Saturday afternoon a little more
than 1000 men We're taken from the
fleets and conveyed up the river I'm
tugs the Chinese foOiishly allowing
them 90 pass the forts These men
landed directly the lighting commenced.
and. making their way across country,
stormrd the fonts from the rear It
was a bright moonlight night They
opened fire at 4 o'clock, much 20 our
peoples surprise The gun and torpedo
boats moved directly 40 the part Of the
river settled on beforehand, and there,
keeping in motion engaged The forts.
The two British destrOyers went direct
90 the Chinese torpedo depot where
four torpedo boats were lying Each
destroyer tOWed an armed boat and
they We're thus able 20 board an four
Chinese boats al the same time. over
towering their crews and securing
them They then t0wei their captures
up above TOng-ku, allowing the Hits
70 come down.
AN night "a tremendous fire went
on and az 6 "a. m, IL seemed as II we
should fail, but just al 6. the new south
fort blew up with terrific explosion.
shaking us like am earthquake The
south fort still kept firing but az s
O'Clock gave in.
What had happened during the night
was that the British and Japanese
landing party had captured the large
north batteries by 4 o'clock, and they
then turned those guns on the south
forts.
Strange 90 say. the gunboats suffered
very little, the shot passed over them
and did more damage at Tong-ku than
TO them one Russian boat only was
seriously hit. and she was put out OF
D
~ sank The Whiting was pierced
and just escaped a boiler explosion. @
iiye-inCh shell being found lying In the
bent tubes of her siarb0ard after-boiler.
Three officers and four men We're
wounded on board the Algerine on
the Barbour one was killed and one
wounded on shore. and the total Brit
ish loss during the night was one
killed ana 10 wounded
THE japanese commander on shore
was killed and the captain OF the Uus
had one foot shot Oh. He is going
on well now. The Hits also lost her
second Lieutenant and four men. The
killed Jn board the Russian Bobre was
over 90
~ the Chinese had fred shells that
buuted the losses would have been
very different. but they did not fire
she'll or else IL was shell that seldom
bursted
"a Chinese cruiesr forms part Of the
feet here now. and is "a very powerful
shin. Had she dared she could have
done great mischief n the fleet. FOR
The ships, though powerful are nearly
empty of men and very helpless She
has now been taken possession ~ by
the Germans and her guns have been
disabled