Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-19
TAKU FORTS TAKEN.
- ts9st EST
China's Var with the World
Opens in Earnest.
Chinese Fire on Foreigners Who Bonn
bard and Capture Forts.
9Th U. S. Ini. Ordered from Manila 10 China
Situation Worse.

London, June 1880 A. M-China
declared war against the world when
the Taku forts opened fire upon the
International fleet. The accounts of
what took place are still unsatisfac-
tory, the best scmi-Official information
being the dispatch received at Berlin
from Chez Foo.
The unofficial narratives, coming by
way Of Shanghai, vary widely and bear
Internal evidence Of experimenting the
main facts with guess work One dis
patch says that the Yorktown party
reported in the bombardment. An
other asserts that American marines
formed part of the storming party of
2G00 men.
An Associated Press dispatch from
Chez Foo, dated yesterday afternoon,
says; The forts on both sides Of the
Taku are row occupied. The Chinese
unexpectedly opened fire. The casual
ties to the mixed forces wre as fol-
lows: Killed-British, /; German, 3;
Russian, 16: French. l. Wounded
British. 4; German. I: Russian, As;
French. |. The Chinese torpedo boat
was seized"
The Shanghai correspondent of the
Daily Mail telegraphing, yesterday.
says: The forts began firing in ObedI-
ence to orders from PckIn. conveyed in
4 personal edict Of the Empress Dow
ager by advice Of Kang vi (president
Of the ministry of war;. Several war
ships We're struck by shells from the
Pinch guns of the forts. The heavy
Russian losses We're due to the blow
ing up of the magazine at Mandshur
Four hundred Chinese are reported to
have been killed. The Chinese, when
rctreating, fell into the hands Of the
Russian land forces"
The Daily News has the following
from Chee Foo: Two of the forts
were blown up. The 80 warships at
Taku aggregated 10000 tons and car
ried more than 100 guns
The failure of Admiral Seymour's
column ana its retreat to Tien Tsin
increase it is presumed, the peril Of
the legations in Pekin. which is still
isolated, although Shanghai forwards
Chine Sc rumors that the legations were
attacked by mohs, who were moved
down by machine guns. and also that
the members Of the legations were
massacrcd.
The situation at Niau Chwang is re-
ported critical. The British consul at
kiu I[iang has ordered all foreigners
to leave Ku Ling and Nau King
Chang.
The powers arc taking prompt action.
Four thousand German troops have
been ordered to China; 1000 French
troops are waiting to embark at Sal
gon. capital of French Cochin China;
and from 5000 to 5000 more Russians
have been ordered from Port Arthur
to Taku.
This reinforcement. says the St. Pet
ershurg correspondent Of the Daily
Telegraph, is announced in the ST.
Petersburg Gazette. the government
pointing out that Russia is sending 50
many troops solely for the sake of
peace ana humanity.
The Brussels correspondent of the
standard in a dispatch dated. yester-
day. says: Russia has massed 400 600
men with seven batteries at Kiachta
with orders to proceed to Maimatchin,
a Chinese town contiguous to Kiachta
and thence to advance along the tele
graph route to the Mongol town Of
Urgua. 200 miles south Of kiachta and
80 miles northwest of Pekin.'
The Shanghai correspondent of the
Times. under yesterdays date, gives
the following description, said to be
taken from official sources of the ac-
ton at Taku: ION the afternoon of
June 16. in view Of the large bodies of
'hncse troops assembling at the forts,
If the fact that torpedoes had been
aid in the river and that all commu-
nications We're interrupted. the naval
commanders held n council and decid-
a to send an ultimatum. calling for
he DISARMAMENT of the troops and an
that if this demand We're not
with before > a. NJ. of the
GLOWING day the united squadron
would destroy the forts.
shortly after midnight. the forts
,pened fire. The British, French, Ger
nan, Russian and japanese warships
cplied. Two Of the forts were blown
~ and the rest We're carried by as
ault.
Two British, one American and five
'hinese warships are in Ohee Foo har-
,or."
The morning papers consider that a
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