The sun., 1900-08-09
HEROIC WORK AT TIENTSIN.
JAPANEsE HIGHLY PRAISED IN TIE
REPORTS or THE BATTLE.

Up Gate Of the Native Ctty-Chinese Cans
Well Served Russians lncensed at . JAP
sness Victory where They Had Failed
VICTORIA, B. c., Aug. s.--Details have been
brought by the steamer Empress OF Japan
OF the taking OF the native city Of Tientsn
The China Gasctc's correspondent gives tho
following connected description OF the fight:
After a desperate battle. lasting from tho
morning before. the allies took possession
OF the native city on the morning OF the i+th
The Chinese stubbornly resisted. though. and
the slaughter was terrific. The scene which
confronted the allied troops when they took
the city defed description. There was no
counting the Chinese dead.
The attack was made by from 1000 to 5000
OF the allies. Gen. Dorward commanded the
British. Gen. Fukushima the japanese. Major
Waller the Americans and Gen. Asinroh the
Russians. The German commander was not
given. A handful OF Austrians also took part
The attacking force was divided into two
strong columns. while another smaller party,
consisting solely Of Japanese, was sent out be-
fore the direct attack on the native citadel be-
gan. There were forty-fve guns In all In the
possession Of the allies, including the British
A7-inch and the Japanese s-centimetre Krupp
guns. two batteries The opening attack was
made by the British. Americans and Japanese.
with few Austrian marines. They unlimbered
their batteries and opened fire at dawn.
The Chinese replied with great spirit and
their guns were well served and well directed
Their shells burst with admirable precision
and IL looked as though they were served by
foreign experts. The Chinese also maintained
heavy fire from the west arsenal. which fool
ishly had been abandoned after II had been
occupied the week before by Admiral Seymour.
The Chinese had fixed among the ruins Of the
arsenal battery of heavy field guns and six
or eight Maxims and one-pound auick-nring
pompoms. There were not less than from
IS, OOO to 10000 Chinese.
so heavy and well directed was the fire
from this battery In the ruins Of the arsenal,
which had been carefully trained upon the
allies as they advanced, and so calling was the
rife fire on the advanced column. that the at
tack on the city had to be diverted to the ar
senal. and It was not until after heavy struggle
lasting three hours. and costing heavy loss
Of life. that the arsenal was captured and the
battery there dismounted. The Chinese fought
with great determination here. and when
the allies rushed the position In terrific bayonet
charge the Chinese dead were found piled up
breast high behind the position.
The second column. In which were the Rus
SLAMS. French, and Germans. while the attack
on the arsenal was going on. slowly advanced,
shelling as they went forward to the position
held by the Chinese along the railroad embank-
ment to the north OF the foreign city of Tien-
tsin. The struggle there, too. was most des-
perate, the Chinese fighting strenuousy and
with a surprising vigor Slowly the batteries
worked forward. and then In an extended line
the allies rushed forward with xed bayonets
and clambered over the wall into the position.
The Chinese fought to the last. and many Of
the gnnners we're struck down beside their guns
Further to the NORTH small mud fort still
kept UP heavy fire on the advancing Germans,
French and Russians. After destroying the
guns captured behind the railway they ad-
yanced toward this under hail Of lead. They
stormed and took the position.
while these actions were in progress and the
bombardment Of the allies was In full play in
the city. the Japanese flying column was doing
good work. II had crossed the moat and sur
prised one Of the gates of the native city. and
the Japanese engineers placed a charge Of pow
der against the entrance to destroy it. II failed to
explode, and amid the cries and shouts Of
Banzai. a thousand years. from his comrades.
one OF the Japanese engineers rushed forward
with a torch through hail Of rife bullets and
fired the charge He was blown to atoms
but so was the gate and rushing over the body
Of the hero. bayonet In hand the Japanese
charged into the city storming II In the most
gallant manner. They got inside before night
fall and so had the honor Of being the first
TO get inside the important stronghold.
The japanese fred the city and camped
by the gate they had carried. During the
night the fire slackened but was kept up with
intermittent outbursts and II was not until the
following morning that the whole OF the allied
forces were able TO enter the city. They had
lain outside the walls of the burning city all
night.
The loss Of life was very heavy during this
engagement. which was one Of the bloodiest
vet fought. The casualties OF the allies were
over 100 killed and wounded, but this did not
compare with the thousands Of Chinese killed
They were literally moved down by the thou
sands and the work Of burial was no light task.
when the British entered the native city
they rushed straight on through Its narrow
streets In the hope Of capturing such things as
might be- useful 70 transport In the advance
upon Pekin to follow. The British also took
one river steamer and about 200 junks. The
japanese captured the Chinese treasury. and
there they found 1000, 900 taels OF silver. which
the japanese handed over TO the Americans.
The Russians took eleven guns.
The last stand OF the Chinese was made
within the city in fort situated In the north
east The Russians were attempting TO take
this, but were repulsed with heavy loss. They
carried off their wounded and decided to wait
until the following day before attacking 1t,
but in the meantime the Japanese forestalled
them. The Japanese took II with a bayonet
charge Just before noon after short fight.
The Russians we're greatly inoensed because
tho Japanese gave them no intimation Of their
attack on the fort. while the japanese were
a. proud as peaoooks that they had accom-
plished that which the Russians had failed
to do