Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-06-27

that American marines formed part of
the storming force of 5000. An Asso-
ciated Press dispatch from Chefoo says:
THE forts on both sides OF Taku are now
occupied. The Chinese opened fire unex-
pectedly. The casualties TO the mixed
force were as follows: Killed, British i,
German 3, Russian /. French / wound
ed. British f. GerInan Z, Russian 40.
French l. Chinese torpedo boats were
seized"
Discovering that the Chinese were plac-
ing torpedoes in the river and heavily gar
risoning the forts. and making other war
ike preparations, the foreign command
ers assembled on the Russian flagship
and addressed an ultimatum to the com
manders of the Taku forts, calling upon
them to withdraw their troops before 2
o'clock on Sunday morning. The troops
were said to have been brought from
Shan Hai-Kwan, and probably were
those lately supposed to be marching
west to put themselves under the COM
mand of Gen. Tung.
China Fires First Shot.
The only reply of the commanders of
the forts was to open fire suddenly at
o'clock on Sunday morning. The British,
Russian, German, French and Japanese
warships Immediately replied.
After a seven hours engagement be-
tween'the warships and the forts, during
which a Russian gunboat was blown up
by shell exploding in its magazine. the
German vessel Iltis and the British sloop
Algerine were each struck thirteen or
fourteen times, two British merchant yes
sells sunk and two Chinese forts blown
up, the European troops stormed the re-
manning forts with bayonets, and took
them all, killing. so some reports say, sew
eral hundred Chinese. OF the European
losses sixteen were killed and forty-five
wounded by the explosion on the Russian
warshlp. On the Tits three were killed
and seven wounded. On the AlGerine one
man was killed and four wounded. The
forts on both sides Of the river are now
occupied, and the Chinese torpedo boats
captured.
The return of Admiral Seymour's force
TO Tien TAn-due largely to lack Of food
lis regarded as a humiliating check, aud
one likely to encourage the Boxers to fur
Their harass the Europeans in Pekin. The
allied forces found the line cut in front
OF them, and were faced by 10000 i'm
perial troops. who are now regarded as
Boxers pure and simple. Then the line
was cut behind them. and the force could
not get from Tien-Tsin the supplies need
cd The retreat Is not to he marveled at,
being assuredly necessary. but in the eyes
of the army and navy officials ii amounts
to a serious disaster.
Attack Ordered from Pekin.
The Shanghai correspondent OF the
London Daily Mall says: The forts be-
gan firing in observance of orders from
Pekin. conveyed in a personal edict of the
empress dowager, by advice Of Kang Vi
president OF the ministry of war;. Sew
eral warships We're struck by shells from
the twelve-nch guns of the forts, The
| heavy Russian losses were due to the
blowing up of this magazine at Mand-
shur. For~ hundred Chinese are report
ed TO hive BEEN killed. The Chinese,
when retreating. fell into the hands of
the Russian land force
The London Daily News has the fol-
| lowing from Chefoo: Two OF the forts
were blown ~. The thirty-two warships
| at Taku aggregated 100000 tons and car
ried more than 800 guns.
! The failure Of Admiral Seymour's col
4 umn and its retreat to Tentsin increase,
| it is presumed. the peril Of the legations
\ in Fekin. which is still isolated, although
| Shanghai forwards Chinese rumors that
the legations we're attacked by mohs.
which were moved down by machine
guns, and also that the members Of the
| legation were massacred.
| The situation at Niu ChwanS is report
I ed critical The British consul at kiu
Kwang has ordered ell foreigners to leave
| Ku Ling and Nau King Chang.
The powers are taking prompt action.
-Four thousand German troops have been
ordered 10 China. 10000 French troops
are waiting Il embark at So yon, capital
OF French Cochin China, and from 5000
20 5000 more Russisns have been ordered
from Port Arthur to Taku. This re-en-
forcement, sam the ST. Petersburg CORE
spondent Of the London Daily Telegraph.
is announced in the st. Petersburg Ga
eetts.