The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-03
DISCRETION HIS PLEA
CONTINUED from Page -

which was a short distance from mine
until 1880 and the Japanese did not
leave hers during the bombardment.
4-The fire was well-sustained on
both sides and although shells con-
tinued at intervals to pass near me or
short or beyond, l attributed it to a
wide firing by the forts. About 2:30 /
was standing on top of pilot house by
the Calling. / had mounted there
when 1 heard a shell approaching and
Immediately heard crash. The sec
ond cutter hanging at hes davits a
few feet below and behind me had been
struck by shell. 1t entered her stern,
tore out the bottom and ranging di-
agonally across the ship out after-fall
of the steam launch, smashing port
forecastle ladder and passed through
the ships side, in which it left clear
cut overall, two feet by ten inches.
There were many men on the forward
main deck and it must have gone as
close to some of them as it did to me.
1t fortunately missed the launch's
davit as that would have caused it to
explode
Sit was difficult to make out how
the allies were faring but they were
! evidently closing as after a. m. dis
charges from guns like Cuttings or
Maxims were heard. AT 4 o'clock there
was a tremendous explosion which l
attributed to a magazine in one of the
forts.
Towards o'clock the bursting of
i shell in my vicinity increased to such
an extent that it occurred to me that
the forts might be directing some of
the fire on the railroad station as in
this fiat country it was a prominent
mark and a number of Japanese and
Russian troops were encamped around
it. In such case the Monocacy would
be in considerable danger from a fire
which l had hitherto considered bad
shooting. Acting upon the thought
at once cast off everything. I steamed
away from the bank and went two
miles up the river, anchoring in the
! first bend. This move was made al
APO and $50 the fire slackening and q
q Japanese flag floating over one of the
forts, 1 returned to my berth.
I'll was able to render the following
2 assistance: First, party of thirty.
: seven ladies and children, refugee.
! from the mission at Taku, who had fec
hurriedly on the notification of the
I bombardment. They came aboard las
e night at 9 p. m. and are still with me
4 also came two officers of HI. M. S. Oar
S f1eur who had come down from Tien
Tsin too late to get to any Englisl
: ship. AS l was coming down the rive
at a. m. met an English torpedo boa
towing a Chinese boat prize; / had M
n small boat to make landing SO 1 sen
: the launch to run her line ashore, 10
e which thanks have been returned.
I have taken on board and had surgica
. attendance for the following: Jap
9 anese soldier with gunshot wound,
! Chinese coolie found close to the shi
: with arm torn off by fragment of shell
It a Russian soldier with wound in tn
Z hand.
II S-Taku forts deserted by everyone
:. no, trains, no Geographic communica
o. ton from anywhere, but / had tele
l. phone from Mr.. Pettengill which re
h ports all quiet since first disturbance
81 know nothing of the fight excep
:. that the forts were taken. I feel
- natural regret, shared no doubt by tn
:, officers, that duty and orders prevente
70 the old Monocacy from giving her an
,e Gent smooth bores last chance.
d Very Respectfully,
st F. NJ. WISE,
II Commanding u. S. N, Commanding