The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-19
international Forces Reduced
Them After Bombardment.
Uncertainty Yet as toFate
Of Legations at Pekin.

London. June 1o.-China declared war
against the world when the Taku forts
opened fire upon the international fleet.
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 partici-
pated in the bombardment. Another
asserts that American marines formed
part of the storming party of two
thousand.
An Associated Press dispatch from
Chez Foo, dated yesterday afternoon,
says:
..The forts on both sides OF the Taku
are now occupied. The Chinese opened
fire UNEXPECTEDLY. The casualties to
the mixed forces were as follows:
Killed /; German. 3; Rus
sia. l6: French. 1.
Wounded-British. 4; German, a;
Russian, 45; French 1.
EMPRESS DowAGER ORDERED 1T.
The Chinese torpedo boats were
seized.
The Shanghai correspondent of the
Daily Mail, telegraphing yesterday.
.'The forts began firing In obedience
TO orders from Pekin, conveyed in a
personal edict OF the Empress Dowager.
by advice OF Kang vi, president of the
ministry Of war. Several warships
were struck by shells from the Pinch
guns OF the forts.
The heavy Russian losses were due
TO the blowing up of the magazine at
Mandshur.
-Four hundred Chinese are reported
10 have been killed. The Chinese.
when Fetreating. fell into the hands of
the Russian land force"
The Daily News has the following
from Chez Foo:
1.-TWO OF the forts were blown up.
The thirty-two warships at Taku ag-
gregated 200. 900 tons and carried more
than 300 guns"
THE MISSING COLUMNS FATE.
The failure of Admiral Seymour's
column and It's retreat to Tien Tsin
increase Il Is presumed, the peril OF
the legations In Pekin, which Is still
isolated, although Shanghai forwards
Chinese rumors that the legations were
attacked by mobs who were moved
down by machine Guns and also that
the members Of the legations were mas
sacred.
The situation at Min Chwang is re-
ported critical. The British consul at
Kiu Kiang has ordered all foreigners
20 leave Ku Ling and Nau King Chang.
The Powers are taking prompt ac-
tion; 1000! s!Gernan troops have been or
oered q China 10000 French troops
are waiting 20 embark al Saigon, cap
ital OF French Cochin China. and from
1000 TO 5000 more Russians have been
ordered from Port Arthur to Taku.
BLOOD THICKER THAN WATER.
These Taku forts are famous I'm in
ternational history. 1t was there, on
June 20. 1859. that old Commodore Jo-
siah Tattnall exclaimed Blood is thick
er than water when he dashed
through the battle smoke 10 the relief
OF the British admiral. Sir James Hope.
who had attacked the Chinese fortifica-
tions with feet OF light draught gun
boats, and was getting decidedly the
worst Of it.
The water is shallow of these Taku
forts. and the Chinese had choked the
dficnlt channel with obstructions.
Trying to remove these and at the
same time TO reply TO the plunging
Gre of the Chinese big guns on shore.
Sir James Hope was taken at n fearful
disadvantage. Hundreds of his brave
tars had fallen. and the British bat
teries were almost siIcnced. This spec
facie % his British kinsmen--a xainst
whom ~ mldshlpman he had fought
IN 1872, thus discounted BY yellow