The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1900-06-22


London, June 20. - China declared
war against the world when the Taku
forts opened fire upon the international
fleet. The accounts of what took place
are still unsatisfactory. the best semi.
official news being dispatch received
at Berlin from Che-fOo.
According to Chee-foo special sew
enteen forts opened fire upon the WAR
ships, whereupon the fleets replied in
kind, and silenced the Chinese guns
and the international forces subse-
quently
Landed and Seized
the forts. The news Of this engage
.ment is stated to have beer brought to
Chee-foo by u Japanese warship, but
the date of the occurrence is not given.
According to a dispatch the Chinese
bombardment followed an ultimatum
sent by the commanders of the fleet.
An official dispatch from the German
consul at Chce-foo. received in Berlin,
confirms Tie arrival OF Il Japanese tor
pedo boat with the following message:
'The Japanese torpedo boat reports
that the legations at Peking
Have Been Taken"
Whether taken by the Boxers or the
Chinese troops or mob is apparently
not stated. \ later dispatch from The
same consul states that an engagement
is proceeding at Taku between the
Chinese forts and the foreign war
ships. Berlin also has official nOtitica-
tioE from Shanghai that owing to the
interruption of the telegraph lines no
trustworthy news whatever can be OBJ
tanned of the events transpiring in
Peking.
Taku Forts Captured.
Later Il semi-official dispatch from
Che-foo announced that the Taku forts
had been captured after combined at
tack by the foreign warships- Three
men on the German WarShip Hits were
killed and seven were wounded. The
dispatch added that the foreign settle
meIts at Iien-tsin We're being fired
into by the Chinese. When the dis
patch left nothing had been heard
from the German detachment sent to
Peking or from the German legation
there.
Narratives Vary Widely.
The unofficial narratives coming by
way of Shanghai vary widely and bear
internal evidence of supplementing the
main facts with guess work. One dis
patch says that the Yorktown DArtici-
pated in the bombardment. another
asserts that American marines formed
part of the stOrming force of 1000. An
Associated Press dispatch from Che
foo, dated yesterday, says: 1.-The forts
on both sides Of Taku are now occu-
pied. The Chinese opened fire unex-
pectedly. The casualties of the mixed
force was as follows: killed-British,
1; German, 3; Russian, I; French. 1.
Wounded-British, 4; German, q; Rus
sian, As; French, 1. A Chinese torpedo
Boat Was Seized.''
The Shanghai correspondent of the
Daily Mail, telegraphing yesterday,
says: "The forts began firing in OBJ
servance to orders from Peking, con-
veyed in a personal edict Of the en-
press dowage-., by advice of Kang vi.
president of the ministery of war.
Several warships were struck by shells
from the twelve-iach guns of the forts.
The heavy Russian loss was due to
the blowing up of the magazine Al
Mand-shur. Four hundred Chinese
are reported to have been killed. The
Chinese, when retiring. fell into the
hands Of the Russian land force.
SeymOur's Column Retrents.
.'The failure of Admiral Seymour's
column and it's retreat to Tien-tsin in
creases. it is presumed, the peril OF the
legations in Peging. which are still iso-
lated, although Shanghai forwards
Chinese rumors that the legations We're
attacked by mobs who were moved
down by machine guns, ana also that
the members of the legations were
The powers are taking
prompt action. Four thousand Ger
man troops have been ordered to
China; 10000 French troops are watt
ing to embark at Saigon. capital OF
French Cochin China, and from 1900
to 5000 more Russians have been Or
dered from Port Arthur to Taku."
Kempn Receives Instructions.
Washington, June 2O.-The instruc-
tions sent to Admiral Kempf relative
to his participation in the seizure OF
the Taku forts was broad. consisting
of a resolution to protect all American
interests, and to that eEd to act con-
currently with the representatives of
other countries. 1t is explained that
in the opinion Of the authorities this Or
der conferred upon Admiral KemDf |
ample power to seize forts. to fight or
to do anything in fact On the sole con-
dition that in his judgment his acts
should tend to the protection of Ameri-
cans.
Won kettler's Death Unconfirmed.
Berlin, June 2O.-An official Of the
German foreign Office says: The re-
,orts regarding the burning of the lega-
ton and the murder of the German
minister, Won Kettler, have not been
confirmed. Although the foreign Of
icers have tried every possible way of
getting something definite they have
30 far been unsuccessful.