July 28, 1900.]
Russians must have felt a pang, that they had so ruthlessly destroyed everything. The ruined villages still can give cover to an advancing enemy, but no protection from the weather.
Later, 9 p.m.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
the 145 shots which they fired at three thousand yards range did great execution. The big gun in the native city, supported by two smaller guns, was doing damage. Two bluejackets were killed, but the full list of casualties cannot yet be obtained.
The Chinese firing stopped about three in the afternoon. It is believed that their big gun was put out of action, as four shots seemed to find its exact position. It is believed that the south and east parts of the native city are con-
I hear the afternoon attack on the Railway Station was quite a big affair; the Barfleur had to send for large supports, which came from the Hongkong regiment and the First Chinese, besides the French and Russians. The casual- ties were close on fifty-one Pathan killed, six wounded; two-First Chinese killed, four wound-siderably damaged. od. The latter regiment, by the by, again behaved very well under fire: the fact that this fine body of men is where it is one of the most striking anomalies in a situation which is full of stark and staring incongruities.
A few more of our ladies went down stream to-day in towboats; this demonstracted the safety of the river. Not one shot was fired from
either bank.
Thursday, 5th July.
Our people opened proceedings this morning with very heavy gun fire directed on the Chi- nese mountings. Up to the time of my leaving the Settlement at 11 a.m. no shells fell in the British Concession, though the French as usual did not fare so well. The Naval authorities advertise the departure of the Lanchow (lighter) and the Fawan (tug) at an indefinite hour during the morning; se 220 civilians, mostly ladies and children, left the port under a guard of Tient- sin Volunteers, British and German with some German bluejackets. What with the rifles of patres familias, we number one hundred guns, The voyage was uneventful but safe, comfort and organisation at a minimum, but people did not mind that. The war is full of most ghastly objects and still more ghastly accompaniments. Enough to say that China's scavengers, the dogs and pigs, were seen at their worst.
I notice with pleasure that there had been very little or no devastation on the right bank, and that on the left there were more villages uninjured than injured. We have heard that not one village was standing or a human being The actual state of affairs is ap- to be seen.
palling enough, but it does not approximate to this. There was also abundance of vegetable food, especially of Indian-corn. We saw Jap- anese infantry (1,000) marching, and a goodly Railhead body of cavalry, 200 or 250 sabres. was distant from Tientsin still some 8 or 9 miles, but now that the river is open this is a less urgent matter than it was. The Algerine's two 4-inch quick-firers were passed on the way
up.
On arriving at Tangku, there was a very striking contrast in the various national arrange. ments. A Japanese launch was instantly along side and transhipped 20 or 30 Japanese to their destroyer. The Germans followed, taking every German subject to the Jaguar. The large crowd of British (possibly 160) had to crowd aboard the Shengking, and trust to the slender stores of the steward for food and drink, and (mostly) to the deck for bed room.
Still we were all so grateful to have women and bairns out of the cursed shell fire that we were grate- ful for such arrangements as Captain Warrener was able to make.
At Tangku we heard of an intended attack to-morrow on the Peitang forts. A Russian infantry regiment was to attack by land, after a shelling by a German cruiser from sea-but this was mere hearsay. Heavy firing heard occasionally in the Tientsin direction, twenty- eight miles in a bee-line.
Friday, 6th July.
The Volunteers' guard left us with hearty and reciprocated cheers at 6.30 a.m., to return to the trying air of Tientsin. Capt. Harris took us out to the Bar in the Shengking at 7, where Admiral Bruce boarded us from the Fame.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE SIEGE. The Special Correspondent of the N.C. Darly News gives the following details about Tientsin during the siege.
A DAY OF FIRING.
Tientsin, 6th July. To-day has been a long twelve hours of can- non-thunder. At dawn the Chinese began their firing, and were replied to by three of the Terri- ble's 12-pounders and several French and Japan- ese guns. Most of the Chinese firing came from the north-east, where they had a battery of eight guns. The Terrible's gunners were splendid, and
As soon as the Chinese fire stopped, a party of bluejackets and men of the First Chinese Regiment moved out to attack the suburbs of the city, with a 9-pounder. They had to pass over most difficult country, covered with burnt houses, and they encountered so murderous a fire that they had to retire. Major Bruce, of the 1st Chinese Regiment. was seriously wounded in the left side, and two of his men were killed. The rest of the force only suffered minor casualties.
Tientsin 8th July,
STILL SHELLING AND FIGHTING, There is still the heavy shelling of the Set- tlement by the enemy. Yesterday the Japanese cavalry found the enemy's skirmishers to the westward, and to-day, for the first time, the enemy appeared in that direction in force. The Japanese had a sharp engagement on the outskirts of the French Concession yesterday, in which they behaved splendidly.
The shooting of the enemy's gunners is sur prisingly good, and they threaten our com. munications somewhat.
The Russian Governor of Eastern Siberia, Admiral Alexieff, has arrived to take supreme command.
Tientsin, 10th July.
IMPROVEMENT AT TIENTSIN,
So far as Tientsin is concerned the position of affairs has considerably improved. The Chi- nese had been working round from westward toward the south, threatening the river com- munication, and posting guns. Then bombard- ment was resumed, and several casualties were the result.
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The Chinese firing was so good that the sus- picion grew that foreign gunners must be at work.
Yesterday the allied forces decided to make an attempt to dislodge the enemy in the south
west.
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The
The Japanese cavalry got among the enemy, and inflicted a loss estimated at 200.
Altogether the Japanese deserve high praise Their transport is surpassingly complete, even for their military arrangements and tactics. to the smallest detail, and includes small boats adapted for work on the Peiho river. provision of stores for their troops has also been well thought out. The recent naval man- ceuvres have evidently left them in a high state of preparation. The cheerful way in which they co-operate with the British, American, and other forces is also notable.
work.
The British gunners have done splendid They have had the additional difficulty in the fact that the guns had to be brought from ships fourteen miles outside Taku, and thence for twenty-five miles up-stream to Tien- tsin. The exceptional transport difficulties. however, are steadily being overcome.
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under General Dorward, the troops were French under Colonel de Placot, and the General Fukushima, al- Japanese under together four thousand men: and on the other side of the city the Russians and Germans, also numbering four thousand.
In the darkness the allied line moved ont and forward, and finally lay down under the city wall. over was good, and the heavy fire of the Chinese through the night was little more than a waste of ammunition. Before the day broke a party of Japanese sappers crept cautiously to the south gate, while the troops behind them waited for the signal. This came with a flare and a dull crash, and the men sprang forward at a run. They poured through the wrecked gateway, the Japanese having the honour of being the first to enter the city.
The British ran straight on through the nar- row ways, in the hope of capturing such things as might be useful as transport in the advance on Peking which is to come. One river steamer and about two hundred junks fell to them. The Japanese share was one million taels of silver, which they found in the Chinese government treasury, and handed over to the care of the Americans.
The Russians captured eleven guns, but failed to take the fort in the north- east of the city. They had decided to do it on the following day, but the Japanese forestalled them by taking it shortly after noon.
PENALTY OF VICTORY.
The losses of the allies in this brilliant affair - which reflects credit on all alike—were unex- pectedly heavy. They totalled 775 killed and wounded.
Of these the British lost fourteen killed, including Lieutenant Ollivant, 1st Chinese Regiment, and ninety-one wounded; the Americans, forty killed, and 125 wounded; and the Japanese, six officers and fifty men killed, and 150 wounded.
And now foreign flags fly triumphantly over the captured city-a great part of which is It has been divided into sections. burning. The British take the north-west, the Japanese the north-east, the Americans the south-east, and the French the south-west. Colonel Bower is the administrator of the British section.
OTHER DETAILS.
This capture secures the settlements of Tien- tsin against the continual shelling which has gone on for so long.
The fires caused by shells in the city are still burning, but it is hoped to put them out shortly. The fighting altogether lasted for sixteen hours.
It is impossible to estimate the Chinese losses. Their force probably numbered 25.000 Boxers and 10,000 Imperial troops.
AN AUTHORITATIVE CRITICISM.
This war gives an interesting opportunity of comparing the troops engaged, I have it from a high military authority, that he considers the Japanese fighting with great dash, but that their uniforms and movements are both anti- quated. Against such an enemy as the Boers, he says, they would be wiped out. He added that much the same criticism applied to the Russians. He considers that the British army is equalled only by the German.
JAPANESE OFFICIAL REPORTS.
THE CAPTURE OF TIENTSIN ARSENAL.
On Sunday a mixed naval squadron, consisting of the British Aurora, the German Hansa, the
Tokyo, 16th July. French Surprise, one Russian, and one Japan-
The following report from Captain Yama- ese, left Taku to demonstrate in the neighbour-shita, the second in command of the cruiser hood of Shanhaikwan.
Sixteen hundred American troops have ar- rived-a valuable addition to the allied forces.
On all hands comments are made on the bravery of the British middies in action. Al- ready two of them, Donaldson and Esdaile, both of the Barfleur, have been killed.
CAPTURE OF THE NATIVE CITY.
The same correspondent of the N.-C. Daily News gives the following details of the capture of Tientsin native city :--
Tientsin, 14th July. Tientsin native city has been captured. Dur- ing the whole of last night the allied forces bivouacked, and this morning the successful attack was made. There were concerned in this matter some sight thousand troops. Of these the British, American, and Austrian
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Kusagi, who is commanding the Japanese marines at Tientsin, has been received by the Japanese Government. The telegram is dated the 13th inst, at Chefoo—
"At 5 a.m. on the 8th inst. the enemy at- tacked the foreign concessions at Tientsin. At 9 a.m. the Allied forces placed two guns in the vicinity of Hachiritai, about 2,800 metres south of the West Arsenal, and shelled the enemy, who were repulsed by noon.
"Twelve Japanese field pieces, four British twelve-pounders, one six-pound quick-firer, four Indian field-pieces, six French Tonkin mountain guns, and four 12 c.m. guns landed from the British battleship Terrible, were placed in posi tion.
"On the afternoon of the 8th inst, the Allied forces, consisting of Japanese, British and Americans, advanced to the south-west of the
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