The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-23
THE FALL OF TAKU.
Detailed Account of the Bombard-
1uent and Capture.

m6nE ana capture.
New York, July 2s-An officer Of her
majesty's ship. the Barfleur, writing
from Taku, under date of June Is last,
says:
''On Saturday the admira1s met on
board the Russian f1agships and de-
terrnined that the Taku forts must be
taken. The Chinese in them were in
formed that they must give them up by
2 o'clock on Sunday or they would be
attacked
Five gunDoats were all the rorce
available. the fleets being unable to get
near enough. They were the Russian
Bobre and Horeetz, the German Iltis,
the French Leon and the English Al
gerine. The two British destroyers, the
Fame and the Whiting, were also avail
able
The A1gerine had had a most trying
time. having been anchored for days IN
der the guns of fort capable OF an
Initiating her at one discharge The
gunbOats were in the river and conse-
quently could not get up behind the
forts. which are chiefly planned to fire
| seaward. But it was known that the
Chinese had mounted extra guns to fire
| landward.
ION Saturday afternoon a little more
than one thousand men were taken from
| the fleets and conveyed up the river in
tugs, the Chinese foolishly allowing
| them to pass the forts. These men land
ed directly the fighting commenced,
and, making their way across country.
stormed the forts from the rear. 1t was
a bright moonlight night
THE Chinese commenced. They OPEN
/ ed fire at O'Clock, much to our people,
| surprise. The gun and torpedo boats
moved directly to the part of the river
settled on beforehand. and there, keep
/ ing in motion, engaged the forts. The
/ two British deStrOyerS went direct to
| the Chinese torpedo depot, where four
| torpedo boats were lying. Each destroy
er towed an armed boat, and they were
/ thus able to board all four Chinese
boats at the same time, overpower their
crews and secure them. They then
| towed their captures up above Tongku,
allowing the IltfS to come down
"All night a tremendous fire went on.
and at o'clock it seemed we should
fail, but after the new south fort blew
up with terrific explosion. shaking us
| like an earthquake The south fort still
kept firing, but at o'clock gave in.
What had happened during the night
| was that the British and Japanese land
ing party had captured the large north
batteries by O'Clock and then turned
/ those guns on the south forts.
| Strange to say, the gunboats suffered
| very little; the shot passed over them
| and did more damage at Tongku than
4 to them.
"One Russian boat only was seriously
| hit and she was put out of action, had a
/ boiler exploded and nearly sank The
4 boiler explosion, five inch shell being
| found lying in the bent tubes of heI
/ starboard after boiler. Three officers
and four men were wounded on board
the Algerine. One Barfleur man was
| killed and one wounded on shore anc
| the total British loss during the night
4 was one killed and thirteen wounded.
THE Japanese commander on shore
/ was killed and the captain of the Tits
/ had one foot shot off. He is, we hope
going on we'll now. The Iltis also lost
/ her second lieutenant and five men
/ The killed on board the Russian Robrt
was over twenty Had the Chinese fireC
shells that burst the losses would have
been very different, but either they die
| not fire shell or else 1t was shell tina
| seldom burst
"A Chinese cruiser forms part of thu
| fleet here, a new and very powerful
| ship. Had she dared she could hav'
| done great mischief in the fleet, for tn
ships, though powerful, are nearl,
| empty of men and very helpless. Sh
| has now been taken possession of by thu
Germans and her guns have been dis
| abIed."