The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-07-25


?. The first gun was fired at 1916 and
with the simultaneous .Ascharge that fol-
lowed two OF the shots passed over the
| Mohocacy, although she was out of the
line of fire between the forts ana vessels
attacking
3. The Hits did not leave her berth which
was short distance from mine until
i:30 and the Japanese did not leave hers
during the bombardment.
4. The fire was well sustained on both
sides and at intervals passed near me or
burst short or beyond. | attributed IL 10
a wild firing by the forts. About 2;3O
was standing on the pilot house by the
gatling gun.
A SHELL TOOK EFFECT.
I had mounted there when heard a
shell approaching and Immediately saw
the second cutter, hanging at her davits
few feet below and behind me, had
been struck by shell. Ii entered her
stern, tore out the bottom and ranging
diaeonally close to the ship, passed AFT the
steam launch smashing port forccastie
ladder and passed through the ships side
in whi cih tembfgahtm rahtmtrfehmrf
i'm which IL left clear cut oval two feet
by six inches
There were many men on the FORWARD
main deck, and IL must have gone as
close to them as IL did TO me. IL fortu-
nately missed the launchs davit, as that
would have caused II 20 explode.
5. Ii was difficult 10 make out how the
allies were firing, but they were evident
ly closing I'm. as after 3 "A. m. discharges
like gatiings or maxim guns were heard.
At there was tremendous explosion,
and mass of flame which 7 attributed
TO magazine i'm one of the forts.
6. Towards o'clock the bursting OF
shells in my near vicinity increased To
70 f1,sat
the forts might be directing some of
their fire on the railroad station, as I'm
this fiat country IL was prominent
mark, and number of Japanese and
Russian troops were encamped around 1t.
WENT Up THE RIVER.
In such case the Monocacy would be in
considerable danger from "A fire which |
had hitherto considered bad shooting.
Acting upon the thought, ] at once cast
of everything | steamed away from the
bank and went two miles up the river
anchoring I'm the first bend This move
was made at 4:50 and $3.50 the fire slack
ening and n Japanese flag floating over
one of the forts returned to my berth.
ASSISTANCE RENDERED.
I. I was able to render the following
assistance
lst A party of 81 ladies and children
refugees from the Mission at Taku who
had hurriedly fed on notification of the
bombardment
They came aboard last night at 0 p. m.
and are still with me also came two off,
GERS OF Her -.ajesty's ship Barfleur who
had come down from Tien-Tsin too late
10 get to any English ship. As was COM
ing down river at six a. m. met an Eng
lish torpedo boat towing Chinese boat
prize-I had no small boat to make
landing SO ! sent this launch TO run her
line ashore for which thanks have been
returned.
have taken on board and had surgical
attendance for the following: A Japan.
ese soldier with a gun shot wound. a
Chinese coolie found close TO the ship
with arm torn off by fragment OF shell.
"a Russian soldier with wound in the
hands
s. This place is deserted by everyone.
no trains. no telegraphic communication
on shore, but j had phone from Mr..
Pettengill. who reports all quiet since
first disturbance.
.. ] know nothing of the fight except
that the forts were taken. | feel a natu-
raj regret. shared no doubt by the Of
flcers. that duty and orders prevented
the old Monocacy from giving her an
cient smooth bores last chance. Very
respectfully, tSigned)
T. NJ. WISE.
Commander u. S. ~, commanding.
WOUNDED AMERICANS.
Tien-Tsin, July 10, via Shanghai July
25-Most OF the American sick and
wounded have been taken in boats to
Taku. where they will embark on the
American hospital ship Solace for the
United States.
REFUSED TO SURRENDER.
Copyright. 1900. The Associated Press.)
Taku, Saturday. July T.-Chang-Yi
has unsuccessfully tried TO arrange with
the general commanding the Peh-Tang
forts for their surrender.
The general refused TO surrender the
forts, but said that IL the foreigners did
not attack him he would agree to main
tain neutral attitude.
SOLDIERS FIGHT BOXERS.
Copyright, 1900, The Associated Press)
Tien-Tsin, Friday, July 20.-Chinese
coming in from the country report that
the Chinese soldiers are killing the Box
ers wherever the latter are seen. giving
as a reason that the Boxers deceived
them into embarking on hopeless strug-
gle. IN,
An intelligent Chinaman said he re-
gardcd this as sign OF widespreading
dissension. IL was only a matter OF a
snort time, nf uttidFcu Dcfofe the same
state would exist I'm Pekin when I'm all
probability, Jung Lu. commander-in-
chief OF the Chinese forces, and Prince
Ching would be able 10 regain sufficient
influence to make peace. especially AZ the
foreigners in the capital were safe.
THE NATIVE OPINION.
This appears 10 represent the general
native opinion here as far as 1t is possi-
BILE to ascertain IL.
In the meantime reliable news as 10
events I'm Pekin and whether tho for
cigners are alive is entirely lacking or a.
only obtainable from Chinese sources and
even this is most meagre and contradic-
tory.
It Is now thought that the forward
movement of the allies will probably take
place earlier than was az frat Intended.
possibly by the end OF this month; but
nothing definite will be decided before
the arrival of Sir Alfred Gaselec. COM
manding the Indian contingent.
A runner who arrived from Pekin yes
tcrday reports that the foreigners were
safe on July 10th and that there had been
considerable fighting between the Boxers
and soldiers inside the city. 81.