The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-07-17
At the Gallant Relief Of British Fleet
at Siege Of Tlsn TsIn
BLUFF OLD ADMIRAL rATTMALrs ACT
That Saved ihstngIlsA Vessels and Crews
When They Were HupsIsssly Il tho
Mercy Of tho Chinese.

Forty-one years ago, American and Bri-
tish sailors and marines fought side by
side at Ticn Tsin. China, just as they are
doing again today. .Forty-one years ago
they stormed the Taku forts together.
as they did the other day In going TO the
succor or the foreign devils" shut up In
Pekin, at the mercy OF tite BOXERS.
Blood Is thicker than water saio
Captain John Tatnail OF the u. B. Pow
hatan as he went to the assistance OF Bril-
tish seamen In Admiral Hopes Meet In
1863. The action will be remembered as
long as the Stars and Stripes fioat In the
new world and the union jack In the old.
Captain Tatnalrs help saved the English
navy from a disaster which promised
To be one OF the most appalling I'm the
history OF sea fights. His only excuse
for Interfering In q battle which was
strictly an affair with which America was
not concerned was the blum remark that
''Bloods thicker than water, and I'll be
id II 1 can stand by and see white men
butchered before my eyes"
II was June "a, 1859, and an allied feet
OF British ana French war vessels, under
Admiral Hope OF the English navy. were
endeavoring to force treaty from China.
The Taku forts tffsn. as now. guarded the
entrance TO the Pei-Ho. which flows past
the gates OF Tien Tsin and on to Pekin.
Pei-Ho, or North river. is q short stream.
turbulent and rapid. cutting through the
alluvial plain of the Pechili. A low. nat
country, scarcely above the level Of the
river, surrounds its approach 10 the city.
Across It's mouth In q high, clay bank
forming a bar and over this bar at low
tide the water stands barely two feet
deep. At high tide the sea rushcs over
the bar eleven feet high and Hoods the
A. .Aa h>s n
bar and the main part of the river. Two
miles up stream from the mouth the
banks OF. the Pei-Ho rise abruptly to q
considerable height Consequently be-
tween the harbor bar and the rivers main
sehannel IL a large expanse Of shallow
water. The Chinese erected formidable
fortifcations at the mouth Of the river.
ostensibly for defence against rebels and
pirates. but really designed as a barrier
against foreigners. Where the banks OF
the Pei-Ho river rose abruptly back from
the shallow rivers mouth they construct
ed solid stone forts. On the left bank.
looking up stream, were three mounds OF
earth thirty feet high and faced with
masonry.
on each OF the three mounds every en-
brasure was filled with a mantlet. or stout
wooden framc working on hinges, covered
with rattan, and bullet-proof When
closed It was exceedingly diffcult for an
enemy even when the parapets were not
enveloped in smoke, 10 distinguish the
embrasure from the solid wall When all
was ready the mantlet was dropped. the
gun run out and the shot fired, while
the recoil sent the gun back and the same
action drew up the mantlet.
Above and below this battery were two
forts each fitted with three tiers OF guns.
in front OF the forts and the mounds OF
masonry the Chinese had arranged three
barricades in the river. The first was $50
yards In front OF the centre OF the grand
battery and consisted OF row OF sharp.
iron stakes driven In the h1d of the river
and armed with spur which would
pierce the bottom Of any boat OF con-
siderable size as IL came up stream.
-Four hundred and fifty yards above this
was a second barrier OF ropes, eight In
ches in diameter. and two heavy chain
cables drawn as tightly as possible under
the surface OF the water. The third and
most formidable barrier consisted OF two
massive RATS up close under the frowning
front of the grand battery.
ERRAND OF ALLIED FLEET.
On the night of June 20. 1859. the Eng
lsh and French allies arrived on the
mouth OF the Pei-Ho, They had come to
negotiate treaty with the Chinese. and
though there is-no doubt that trouble
was expected. The Chinese preferred not
TO negotiate a treaty. Along with the al
lied fleet was the steamer Toeywan and
~. S. q. Powhatan. commanded by Capt.
Tatnall. The warship Powhstan was too
bulky to cross the bar at the mouth of
the river and Capt TatnaIl chartered the
steamer Toeywan and transferred his flag
10 that The only purpose OF the Amcri-
can boat was to convey Minister John Il.
Ward and suite. who were 10 see that
the treaty about to be negotiated be-
tween England, France and China was
fair to the United states.
AZ soon as the feet arrived Admiral
Hope sent a boat ashore with the request
that the commander of the fort remove
the barriers. lie had come on n friend
.ly mission he explained The officer with
the message was not permitted to land.
and was curtly informed that the bar
riers were up TO stay. Hope then sent
word TO the Chinese conmandant:
II give you until the Ath to remove the
obstructions and allow my ships to pass.
II they are not. down by that time shall
take them down myself"
Capt. Tatnali and Mr.. Ward. the
American minister. held a consultation
and decided TO move UP the river with
the Toeywan as N they had received no
inkling that the Chinese had refused to
allow the English and French to enter
the Pei-ffo. II the forts fired across his
bow the captain would anchor and hold
conference with the authorities. II
they put shot into tho vessel he would
retire.
At II o'clock on the morning or June 20.
1859, the Toeywan pushed through the
English and French squadron and
steamed toward the barriers. Before she
reached the FIRST line Of defence she sud
denly grounded ON the tresoherour bank
of the river. receiving tremendous lar
and sitting down solldly on the sticky
bottom OF the stream. Admiral Hope
sent the plover. a sunboat, 20 the aid OF
the Toeywan. but In attempting 10 tow
tho larger boat OF the cable parted.
second gunboat was dispatched and
meantime Admiral Tatnaii sent Lieuten-
ant Trenchard ~ his star n ssy n the
officers 81 the fort that American Minis
fer was aboard stranded steamer. Lieu
tenant Trenehsrd and some missionaries
1T a