The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-26

" july - re Navy .'fl''i l.
nieut to-day made public lie mail reports
Of Rear Admiral Kempff. explaining his
reasons for refusing to Join with the ships
"f the Powers in the attack On Taku forts
and giving an account Of the atta'b which
includes many details not heretofore pgb-
lished- Admiral Kempl also inclps.s the
report Of Commander Wis" ~ the Monoc-
acy. giving a graphic account nj the ac-
ton. Rear Admiral E'mInS explanation
for refusing to participate in :E~ attack on
the Notifications Of a Power with which
we were Al peace is warmly commended by
Secretary Long. The reports are as fol
lows:
United States Flagship Newark. Taku
!, China, June IL lg0-Sir: / would state
what follows in REGARD TO the happenings
previous TO the resolve yesterday ~ other
senior foreign nara, officers here TO get pos
session OF the TaIlu forts.
''2On Thursday june Il. Rear Ad-
miral Bruce called and asked what |
thought of the matter. and | informed him
that l WIS not authorized to initiate any
act Of war with country with whom my
country was a peace; that my limit vas to
protect American interests both by reEGlJ-
lions and under recent instructions from
both the department and from the com
mander-in-chief OF the United States naval
force on the Asiatic Station.
'3.-On the 18th. at Il consultation Of the
other foreign naval officers & WAS agrea,;
HAT the railroad station at Tong u should
- taken Cthe railway Is under Chinese
Government control. ana in case any schi-
uese Government force acted against the
force of any foreign nation. all should be
involved and act unitodIy. Under my in
srructions. l could not Join in taking pos
session Of Chinese Government prOpcrty,and
did not care to become parry 10 such an
agreement without special authority
"i.-Ye~ter5Gy, June 3. 1he same foreign
naval officers signed Il compact that 1t was
necessary to take temporary possession Of
ne Taku forts, and notice Vas served Oh
the Niceroy a Tlsu-TS.n and on the com
IN aEla.t Of fhe iuy;s. jui.suis aJ Tleu-Tsiu
tS"re Informed Of What was cu,lts n,p.are,l.
Md not JON the attack on ;he forts. cap
Ia!u Wise o: the MqnoCacy had orders 10
protect American interests based upon de-
paTtmeuts orders, tux III CIse of attack by
a Chinese Government force he was 70 con-
s-!er il as declaration OF war anu act DC
vordinsiy. Very respectfully,
"Lo!IS KEMPFF.
Rear Admiral UuiJol States Navy
TO the Secretary OF the Navy- " ashington.
II. &"
Repor, of the Battle.
Admiral kempif's report OF the battle:
United States Flagship Newark. Taxa,
China, June i. l"u9.-Sir: ! have TIL i,uuo.
10 report follows: The commanding OFF,
GERS Of The guIbua-s IN the river met On the
afternoon OF June 10 and agree. for the Sc
NOR officer o. the guaboats 10 direct the
movement. This officer happened To DE a
Russian. The positions Of the various gun
boats were then assigned. taking positions
in the second reach Of the river above the
the koreetz, Gu!iak. BooOra, Russian, Iltis,
German, Lion. French. AlgeIine. English
The English tOrpclO-UOat drstroyers Fame
and Whiting Joined in the latter part, after
securing the captured torpedo boats near
Tong-ku. The japanese --UnoaJ claimed
taat her engines weGe disabled, 60 she re-
manned moOTea near TouE-hu and WAS
signed charge OF the railroad station at that
place. The /. :. :. MoaGcacy. tein; under
. orders, remained m0cred ~ TOng-hu and
took no part in the action. Many foreigners
were afforded shelter and protection during
the night. copy of the report of tie com
manding officer Of the MoRocacy is herewith
inciossd.
Battle Opens.
The vessels, except the Hits. took their
assigned positions early in The evening Of
the 10Th inst, and 81 about l2:55 j. IN. one
hour before the expiration uf time limit, all
the fort guns which could be trained IN the
ships fired simultaneously, many shots stTik-
ing the koreetz
The vessels returned The tire with a
rapid fire from thei. gums. which. with the
exception of the guns o: b-irCh CALLER, were
OF tho small rapId-hre type.
The guns the norm fort were chiefly
43-inch, while the south fort has a number
OF guns from TO inches in CALDER.
THE Alger!ns, having aboard landing
party Of some $50 men. Immediately put
them ashore. A portion Of them advanced
through Taku to the Navy Yard and took
by surprise four modern TORPEDO boats,
carrying two tubes and six 3-poun,iers each.
and. conveyed by the Fame and Whiting,
took them 10 TonskU. The ott;er landing
parties and the remainder Of the English,
aggrega ting some 6,c men. awaited an op-
perfume time for the assault.
The FIRE continued with more or less spirit
until daylight, when il became very rapid
and active. and. it is reported. very disas-
trous TO the Chinese. About $50 shell en-
tered the magazine Of the tiuilaa, blowing it
up, causing her To make water and burning
forty-seven Men more OF less severely. She
Got over an awning (as a collision mat and
Ner a few hours work floating at her
normal height
Charge lay Landing Party.