LATER

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 15000, 20 June 1900, Page 3

LATER

CAPTURE OF FOREIGN LEGATIONS. WARSHIPS BOA3BARDING THE TAKU FORTS. •* --FOREIGN TROOPS ASSEMBLING AN' ENGAGEMENT AT TAKU. TWO FORTS BLOWN TO PIECES. THE OTHERS STORAIED BY RUSSIAN TROOPS. SURRENDER OF. THE CHINESE. Received Juno 19, 9.55 p.m. LONDON, June 18. The German Consul-in-Chief telegraphs that a Japanese torpedo boat reports the capture of the legations at Pekin. Warships are now bombarding.the Taku forts. Received June 19, 10.10 p.m. . LONDON, Juno 18. The Chinese are asserting that Russia helps them, but there is no present indication that Russia or Japan are out of line 'with the other Powers. Received June 20, 0.15 s.m. HONG KONG, June 19. , A foreign detachment were landed oh Saturday to protect Taku. The British troops from Hong K6r% are expected to reach Tientsin on the 21stDetachments of French, Russian, and Japanese reach there the same day. The wires between Taku and Tientsin have been restored. The Ist Sikhs will garrison Hong Kong. Japan is landing 10,000 men, equalling the Russian force. Ten thousand French troops are leaving" Saigon, 1800 *Germans land to-day, while 3000 more Russians have been ordered to the front., Received June 20, 0.25 a.m. LONDON, June 19. The Hon. W. Broderick informed the House tbat the latest information from Sir Claude Alacdonald was dated Tuesday. There had been nothing since confirmatory of tho attack on the legations. HONG KONG, June 19. The Chinese have laid torpedoes in the Taku River, and massed the Shan Haikwau troops. The admirals sent an ultimatum to m ithdraw the troops before two on Sunday morning. At one in the morning the forts opened fire unexpectedly. Tho British, French, Gornwn, Russian, and Japanese gunboats responded vigorously, keeping up the bombardment for six hours. The thousand Russian troops on shore co-operated. ■ The French sloop Algerine was damaged and two officers and-four men mounded. A shell exploded in the magazine on the Russian gunboat Alanshur, killing seven bluejackets. The commander of the German gunboat •litis was seriously wounded. Two of tho forts were blown to pieces, while others were stormed by the Russian troops and the occupants bayonetted. Hundreds were killed. A' shell caused the magazine in the forts to explode. The Chinese then surrendered. Alany, however, previously fled to the northwards. The Germans lost three killed and seven wounded, the Russians 16 killed and 45 wounded. Al. Francois, the French Consul-General, and his staff at Ynnnanfu were taken prisoners to Yunnanhsien. • Their houses were plundered and burned. The Viceroy said he would answer with vis. life for the safety of the French. LONDON, June 19. . Lord Salisbury announced in the House of .Lords that Vice-Admiral Seymour has returned to Tientsin. His reasons and intentions were,unknown, but '.ate information shows that Seymour's retreat was due to luck of food.