CO129-288 - Public Offices & Others - 1898 — Page 17

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

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Co's launch, at daylight, clinging to some striking the Wivern, which went down wreckage close to Green Island.

stern first shortly afterwards.

Naylor had headed E.S.E., doing his beat 11 knots, with Soper in 36 on the port beam, and Menzies Leslie in 72 on the

Running on to get out of the fire from the Wivern he crossed from her port quar- ter over to starboard, and, in so doing

starboard. The Harbarousk, about a mile crossed the bows of the third Russian, the and a half ahend, was firing at him from one that had ben making for the Wivern's her stern gun. The Borgo at prodigious starboard quarter. She had beon masked speed (nearly 30 knots) had circled round from him by the Wivern. Seeing her com- and was coming down on his port bow, the panion successful in striking the Wivern Revel was making for his starboard bow, she had turned to port, and almost im- whilst the three torpedo boats were sweep mediately afterwards 36 shot across her ing round for his stern and quarters. bows out of the blaze of the Wevern's fire. Anxious to be rid of his most formidable The Russian promptly blew up 36, striking antagonist, the Borgo, Naylor put his helm ber nearly amidships. hard a starboard, and turning to port, Naylor had been killed on the bridge keeping his search light steadily on the by the fire from the Borgo just before Destroyer, went at her full speed, raining her decks were swept and she was sunk, a hail of shot at her. The Borgo gallantly hence the slight delay in manoeuvring responded, and they approached one an- which proved so disastrous-thero being other with frightful rapidity, their com- no officer to take charge.

bined speed being 40 knots. The Destroyer When the Wivern made her sudden had her funnels, signal-mast, conning-sweep six points to port to meet the Borgo, tower and guns knocked away; suddenly the Revel was coming down on her star. she plunged downwards, about 600 feet board bow, and Menzies Leslie, in 72, was from the stern of the Wiver; her bows steering for her port bow to cut her off; had been shorn clean off by a heavy shell finding herself thrown so much further aft from the foremost gun of the Wivern. The and exposed to the Wivern's broadside; Wivern passing right over the spot where seeing also her consorts making for the she raged along scarcely a second before.

Wivern, the Revel put her helm hard a- By the wheel to port of the Wivern starboard and reversing his port screw the three torpedo boats, with a speed of 16 swung round stem on to Leslie. Leslie had knots, had been thrown further aft, and the to do much the same as the Borgo with the one making for the port quarter brought Winern, trust to luck to drive through the further forward on the port beam. Before zone of fire to use his principal weapon of the Wivern altered course after the des-offence, his torpedo. The guus opposed traction of the Borgo, the one on the port to Leslie were, however, lighter and less beam and the one astern rushed in close numerous thau those the Borgo had to face. enough to fire their torpedoes into The Revel blazed away with his three guns, the port beam, and under the port and Leslie with his one three-pounder. quarter of the Wicern with fatal precision. The Revel had the superiority in speed, but The one abeam of the Wivern was sunk by not enough to make it safe for her to at- her fire as she was backing off and turning tempt to manoeuvre, at the distance to to starboard. Soper, in 36, had seen the which they had now approached, Leslie go- approach of the one on the port quarter;ing 20 knots and the Revel 24. Both fired spinning round to starboard he ran at and their torpedoes simultaneously, about 80 or torpedoed her, but too late to prevent her 100 feet apart, with magnificent precision,

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ripping one another's port sides out, and gineers, Morgan and Hunt; and the end sinking in a whirlpool of steam almost houses abutting on Morrison Street and alongside each other.

Hillier Street blown up. All four blocks Thus ended the battle of Sulphur Chan-j between these streets, from Bonham nel, a veritable combat of Kilkenny cats. Strand to the Praya, were burnt A solitary second-class Russian torpedo or blown up. The loss of life was con- bout, with her funnel spouting fire from siderable. Robberies took place in several bullet holes, steamed off to the Harbarovsk. parts of the town. Burnslope-the re- Whether any Russians from the vessels sidence of R. M. Dray, one of the wealthiest destroyed were saved we never learned, men in tho Colony-known to contain much Seven only of our men survived,

valuable plate, race cups, &c., and jewellery, was broken into, robbed and burnt. Dray was cut down and disabled on leaving his As the Harbarensk steamed slowly east-room. Queensclere, belonging to the Hon. ward she fired at all lighted houses, one E. R. Delilios, was also robbed. Mount shell going through Bahar Lodge (the At Richmond, Ravenshill, and Ball's Court torney General's house), two struck Mei- were robbed and set fire to. Nine men rion, one of which killed a lady and her were shot at the latter place by the Police youngest child. Footbald's new house from No. 7 station. Attempts to break (Craig Ryrie) was completely demolished, into Wong ling's and Kuhn's stores 'in and the Mount Austin Barracks ruined. Queen's Road were frustrated, and several The Peak Hotel, Treverbyn, Mountain of the robbers killed. Inspector Mann, in View Terrace, Craigieburn, Stoltenfolls, the Eastern District, could only keep order and the Homestead were all riddled, as by shooting freely.

FIBER AND MOK LAW THE BATTLE OF

DEEP WATER BAY.

were Des Voeux and Cameron Villas, At 1.30 a.m., as arranged with the Yalta, and all the houses on the West of Commodore, General White (expecting Mount Kellett. Many shells dropped in the diversion by the Navy at 2), fluding no Toh-ka-wan and Kowloon Bay. Douglas other attacks developed, sent orders for Castle and Nazareth, though lying much Hush and Rox's men, with Farey's engineers lower in Pokfulam and therefore more ex and Harrington's Maxims, to move at 2 posed, were not shelled.

o'clock, the two last to come down by the Wanchai Gap Road. The order had been an-

In Victoria about midnight a fire broke

out in Winglok Street,-part of the Fire xiously expected, and at 2 the men started Brigade were quickly on the spot. Two with a cheer, the Maxims swinging and other fires breaking out across the street, bounding along with almost as many men it became apparent that they were the work on the heel ropes to check them as on the of incendiaries. Bands of marauders also drag ropes. Hush's men were first past appeared, many of who were armed and Pakfolum, down by the Reservoir Road, began looting. Miht, the Superintendent with Rox's hard behind them. of Police, very properly and promptly or- Passing through Abordoen at a run, it dered the Police, under Inspectors Hen- was 3 a.m. before they first felt the enemy in nessey and Kemp, to fire on them. Nine the wood at the junction of the Wanchai teen men were killed before order was and Aberdeen Roads, and a fierce combat restored. It being quite clear that the Fire took place. The enemy being constantly Brigade could not cope with the conflagra-reinforced was driving the two companies tion, after some delay powder was procured of West Borks backwards on Aberdeen, and the services of two Sergeants of En- till the Maxims getting into action and vol-

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