Show CIINA DECLARES WAR I Taku Forts Open Fire Upon the International 1 Interna-tional Fleet in Obedience e to Orders ofDowager Empress Losses to Internationals Six Killed Fiftyseven WoundedChinesc Loss Four Hundred KiIedAafazinc on Russian Warship Ex jlodesForis at Taku Occupied by Combined ForcesPowers Take Prompt ActionTroops Ordered to China I London June 19 330 a m China declared war against the world when tin Tuku forls opened fire upon tha 11 international lleet The accounts ot what took place arc still unsatisfactory unsatisfac-tory the best ficmlofllclal intormutloti b ing the dispatch received nt Berlin a from Che Foo The forces of the combined fleets occupied the l Taku north fortfc yesterday yester-day after exploding magazine The Irltlsh gunboat Algcrinc was dam rKd and two of her officers und four jiri wcie wounded Japan and Russia are reported to bo landing r large force I of troops ILls quiet here SOME GUESS WORK I r I fbeunof cal narratives coming by way of Shanghai vary and bqur evidence evi-dence of supplementing the main facts i with guess work One dispatch says that the Yorktown participated In the bombardment Another asserts that American marines formed part of the tormk force ot OliO OPENED FIRE UNEXPECTEDLY An Assorted Press dispatch from fM Foo dated yesterday afternoon s18 The forts on both sides of Taku are now occupied The Chinese opened lire unepcctedly The casual tLs to the mixed force were as follows CASUALTY LIST Killed British 1 German U Russian 1 1 v 1 and French v Wounded British 4 1 German 7 Rus nan J5 i und French 1 Chinese torpedo boats Were seized FIRED BY EMPRESS DOWAGERS ORDER The Shanghai correspondent of the Daily Mall telegraphing yesterday fays The forls began llrlng in obedience obedi-ence to orders from Peking conveyed Jn the personal edict of the Empress Jowge1byndIct of Kang YI President Pres-ident of the Mlnifatry of War SEVER VAH3IJIES STRUCK Several warships were struck by ehella from the 12Inch guns of the forts 1 fortsrhc heavy Russian losses were due to the bldwJng up of the magazines of Mamlshur1 S FOUR HUNDRED CHINESE ARE KILLED Four hundred Chinese lire reported killed The Chinese who were retreatIng retreat-Ing foil Into the hands of the Russian and force r The Dully News has the following l from Che Foo Two of the forts were blown up The thirtytwo warships at Taku aggregated 200000 tons and carried car-ried more than 300 guns LSSACRED BY MOB I The failure of Admiral Seymours column and Its retreat to Tien Tsln Increase It Is presumed the peril of the legations In Peking which is still isolated iso-lated although Shanghai forwards Chinese rumors that the legations were attacked by 1 mobs who were mowed c down by machine guns and also that thc membois of the legations were masnaoiod The situation at Nlu ChwanK Ja t reported critical POWERS ACT PROMPT The British Consul at Kin Kang has oidered foreigners to leave Ku Llug and Nuu King Chang The powers are taking prompt action Four thousand German troops have been ordered to rhino 10000 French troops are wanE hfl f ff = f h LU izuuiux iit OUKOI uupuui ui j < iLULH Cochin China and from OOO to OOO wore Rusnlanft have been ordered from Port Arthur to Tat SALISBURY SATISFIED Thf dlHpatcli of the Associated Press from Admiral Kempff dated Washington Wash-ington containing the Admirals < report of the engagement at Taku was the llrst news Lord Salisbury received of thr > capture of the Taku forts The 3rltlsh Government was aware thrft OT engagement was proceeding but It v a Ignorant of the reault and the gialeMt t satisfaction is evinced SEVMOUR HAS FREE HAND The ofilclala of the Foreign office say no word has been received from the 35rltlfrh Minister at Poking Sir Claude ZUacDonuld since June lth and the Government is Ignorant as to whether the lfiatlons at the Chinese capital have lC3n captured or not The Admirals Ad-mirals on the spot arc relied on to cntrrome all difficulties Admiral Sey nrCO not be mour the British commander ing hampered by orders and any requests re-quests which he may make will be pjomptly met SEYMOUR AT TIEN TSIN The Admiralty olllce has received the following official dtapatch from Cite Foo under todaj date Tho Japanese manofwar Teyashl IB just arrived from Taku She re I 1nrts tU that the rommandcrInchlef and tvo ps art back at Tien Tsln MIRALTY NEWS AMPLIFIED Ii the House of Commons today Mr 1 3uodulck the Parliamentary Secretary Secre-tary Irodllc Foreign office amplified the lie Foo Admhaltyfl news from The Hf t Aid thft Japanese warships reported that tho Chinese forts opened fire on the gunboats at tho mouth of the river 1 aUrday gUtbonK llitfOa in that thu ships the forts and that the thm engaged engaged when the proceeding ngigemcnt was ploceeang I aselelt Japanese ships left at 530 a m y ia ttiday DETACHMENTS LANDED pMaebm < mtfl from all UH foreign varElilp were landed Saturday to pro arrllpa Chinese inl Taltu There was one Taku which remained at aralilp at Broderlck added tnut Mr DiMSlve ac 11 French British and ritIsb Russian Japanese 1nd reinforcements were due to arrive ltlnfolccmcnt thc last l lioui Thursday Within i c hOU about ThU JhJn conclusion ha said Mr Broderlck l In hI line from the telegraph had hcnrd that telelraph lne Taku to Tien Tain had been restored ANXIOUS ABOUT LEGATIONS failure ot the international ThiS lw forces to report 1 ranching Peking ha nnld hert as sreinly InteiiHinwJ t the her Jrctly huddled to thrata of the European CbS 1lgther In the legations at the ZIIL rsp cnpitatj4fl4l Jt wns fIIIPl J that thr ddt 10 Ihrll 11 nlur Joic necessitating their return to I i Tien Tsln will lead to large accessions to the ranks of tho Boxers and make their suppression still more difficult BATTLE AT TAKU Shanghai Is to the front again with statement that the Taku forts have been occupied by the international troojia According to n Cite Foo special spe-cial seventeen forts opened fire upon I the warships whereupon the fleet replied re-plied in kind and silenced the Chinese I guns The International forces subsequently I subse-quently landed and seized the forts PEKING LEGATIONS TAKEN An official dispatch from the German Consul at Che Foo received In Berlin confirms the arrival of a Japanese tor podo boat with the following message Thu Japanese torpedo boat reports that tho legations at Peking have been taken Whether talen by tho Boxers or the Chinese troops or the mob Is apparently appar-ently not stated BRITISH GUNBOAT DAMAGED A special dispatch from Che Foo under un-der todays date says The forces of the combined fleets occupied the Taku north forts yesterday after exploding a magazine The British gunboat Al 1 gorlno was damaged and two of her officers and four men were wounded Japan and Russia arc reported t be landing a large force of troops l Is qulot here RUSSIANS SENT TO TAKU More Russians have been ordered from Port Arthur to Taku This reinforcement re-inforcement says the St Petersburg correspondent of the Dally Telegraph is announced In the St Petersburg Cassette the Government pointing out that Russia Is sending so many troops solely for the sake of peace and humanity hu-manity MASSING SOLDIERS SOLDIEPS Tho Brussels correspondent of the Standard In a dispatch dated yesterday yester-day says Russia has massed 10000 men with seven batteries of artillery tl Iviachtn with orders to proceed to Malmathin a Chinese town contiguous to Klachto and thence to ndvance along the telegraph route llo the Mongol Mon-gol town of Urga 200 miles south of KlachUi and laO miles northwest of Peking PekingULTIMATUM ULTIMATUM PRESENTED the The Shanghai correspondent of Times under yesterdays date gives the following description said to be from official soures of the notion at Taku On the afternoon of Jiilv 16th In view of largo bodies of Chinese troops assembling at the forts and of the facto that torpedoes had been laid In the river und that all communications communica-tions were Interrupted the naval commanders com-manders held a council and decided to send an ultimatum calling for the disbandment dis-bandment of the troops and announcing announc-ing that If this demand were not complied com-plied with before 2 a m of the following follow-ing day the united squadron would destroy de-stroy the forts 10 FORTS BLOWN UP Shortly after midnight the forts opened fire The British French Russian Rus-sian German and Japanese warships replied Two of the forts were blown replc 10 up and the rest were carried by as EiUlH two British one American and five Chinese warships are in Che Foo harbor har-bor The morning papers consider that a state of war practically exists The Times says that the latest news Indefinitely Inde-finitely Increases a situation already sufficiently serious FALL OF TAKU PORTS I Admiral Kempffi Advises Naval Bureau Bu-reau of the Engagement I Washington June ISThe Navy department de-partment has been Informed by Admiral Ad-miral Kempff that the Taku forts have fired on the foreign warships and after a brief engagement surrendered The actual news of the situation In China was received by the Navy department de-partment In two cablegrams from Admiral Ad-miral Remcy and Commander Thus gig the contents of which were made 81 I known as fellows KEMPFFS STATEMENT Cavlte June 1 940 amBureau of Navigation Washington Tausslg cables that Taku forces fired upon foreign for-eign gun vessels and then surrendered to tho allied forces the morning of June 17th Kempff asks l Instructions about joining other powers who arc taking united action in demanding that the Taku forces be turned over to them to secure favorable termination of the trouble Will the department Instruct Kempff through Taku at Cho Foo and give me the tame information REMEY TAUSSIGS MESSAGE The telegram of Commander Tausslg of the Yorktown Is as follows Che Foo June 1iTaku force fired upon tho foreign vessels about 1245 a m Surrendered to allied forces at S The British Admiral is at Tien a m hc Brllsh TJ in TAUSSIG 1 The department has Instructed Admiral Ad-miral Kempff to concur with the other powers In taking all steps necessary powrr Interests to protect all AmerlcnnInlclcsts GAVE AWAY THE PLANS The press dispatches from Manila lust night saying that the Ninth In faritrv had been ordered to Manila for I service in China exposed the secret I plans of the War department to dispatch I dis-patch troops to the scene of trouble I I in Chlnu SECRET ORDERS ISSUED I I Secret orders were sent to Gen Mai I Arthur a few days ago to prepare tor the prompt dispatch of troops tb Tnku I but it was not Intended that the matter mat-ter should become public until the movement was at kast J under way Now that tho matter has leaked out from Manila the ofikiuls of the rn department Admit that the Administration Administra-tion ha tnncU dr > l to send troops to t uint flr rhl protection of thf llvcs mr iropor < t t Aniriliaii citizen ht Wai Up intent has received thi I following cablegram from Gen Mac Arthur at Manila dated yesterday I mtryCol Liscum order Ninth infantry ordered to Taku on Logan transportation Port Albert probably start 21th Typhoon Ty-phoon delay movement VOYAGE WILL OCCUPY A WEEK The voyage from Manila to Taku will occupy at least a week The State department this morning received a cablegram from United Slates Consul Goodnow at Shanghai repeating the news previously conveyed rcpeatns veyed to the Navy department by Admiral Ad-miral Remcy and Commander Taus sig OFFICIALS ARE PUZZLED I The olllclals here are puzzled by I Taussigs statement that the British I I i Admiral has arrived at QTlen Tsln They I do not know that more than one British Brit-ish Admiral was In the Pet Ho river I and that was Admiral Seymour who led the international relief column I If It Is this officer who has returned I to Tien TsJn then the assumption Is that the relief column has failed and I has been compelled to return to Tien TsinNO NO HELP FOR MINISTERS This assumption Is based on the statement brought by the Japanese torpedo boat that the foreign legation at Pelting had been taken for that lathe la-the only manner in which the news could have reached Tien Tain In this case It Is said nothing can be done for the relief of the foreign Ministers at Peking supposing they I I arc still alive until a very much stronger relief column can be formed I and marched over the land to Peking Weeks must elapse before this can I be accomplished I ONLY ONE REGIMENT TO GO The Ninth infantry regiment represents repre-sents all of the army which It Is proposed pro-posed at present to employ Col Lls cum has been ordered to report to the United States Consul nt Then Tsln NOT AT WAR WITH CHINA It is difficult to get a precise official I view of the status of our relations with China since this last news The conclusion con-clusion that we are In a state of war Is emphatically negatived by the officials offi-cials best competent to spefik The Chinese Minister Mr Wu was an early visitor to the State department depart-ment today 1 CHINESE MINISTERS VIEW He does not believe that we are at war with China He said that there had been a great misunderstanding and he was satisfied that if the TaRn forces had fired upon the international fleet it was because the Chncaa forts there did not understand what was wanted or had failed to receive proper Instructions from his superior through ail error ITcrr Von Holl ben the German Em bassador was without official Information Infor-mation At the State department the idea prevailed pre-vailed that there had been a bombardment bom-bardment and that our forces were on Chinese soil Still there was no war up to this stage ACTING WITH OTHER POWERS Secretary Hay was asked If I the latest lat-est developments made any change In the policy which the United States has adopted toward these Chinese troubles He replledOur naval forces In that region have been directed to act concurrently with the forces of the other powers for the protection of all American Interests GIVEN INDEPENDENT COMMAND Owing to the eccentric action of the telegraph wires and cables which interferes in-terferes with Admiral Kemptf communicating com-municating with the Navy department and also with his superior officer Admiral Ad-miral Remey at Manila the Navy department de-partment today gave Admiral KempfiT an Independent command in the interests Inter-ests of quick dispatch of business There has been no friction whatever between the two Admirals and the commandcrlnchlef of the station Admiral Remey has lent due support to Admiral Kempff during the crisis FEAR FOR MARINE GUARD Great apprehension exists at the Navy department as to the fate of United States marine guard of fifty six men which were landed at Tien Tsin and dispatched by rail to Peking before the railroad was repaired They went forward to Peking under permission per-mission granted by the Chinese Government Gov-ernment to the United States Minister at Peking In common with other Ministers Min-isters to employ a naval guard at the legation Just before the wjres from Pelting were cut word came that Minister Min-ister Conger had detached twenty of these marines from his legation and placed them as a guard at the Method 1st compound SOMETHING ABOUT TAKU In view of the international character char-acter of the attack upon and capture of the Taku forts some Interest maybe may-be felt In the following statement pre pired by MaJ Simpson In charge of the military Information bureau of the War denartment Taku Is situated at the mouth of the Pie Ho river In southern bank of the river about sixtyseven miles from Tien Tsin with which It Is connected con-nected by a railroad It is i noted for the three engagements that have taken place there between tho British and the Chinese Part of the Tien Tsln army corps a modern organization in drill and arms Is stationed sta-tioned at the Taku fort ARSENAL FOR NORTH CHINA Between Taku and Tien Tsln the center of the defenses and chief arsenal ar-senal of northern China are permanent perma-nent camps where there are usually 30000 troops Infantry cavalry and artillery ar-tillery armed with Mauser rifles and Krupp guns The cavalry also carry Mauser carbings These troops have beon well Instructed for ten or twelve years by foreign officers The armament arma-ment of the Taku forts consist of very heavy Krupp guns and the approach to the forts from the Gulf of Pcchlle is extremely difficult THERE ARE THREE FORTS The fortifications consist of three forts a large one on the right bank and two smaller ones on the left All of the forts arc armed with numerous guns of the most varied systems and calibers In the construction of the forts of the second zone the muddy clay soil of the coast was used which during the dry season becomes cracked and crumbles very raslly and the garrison gar-rison IK continually making repairs In Taku are the materials for closing up thiG mouth of the Pel Ho All the coast fortifications have mines KEMPFFS INSTRUCTIONS BROAD The Instructions Kent to Admiral l Kempff relative to his participation In seizure of Taku forts were broad consisting l of directions to protect all American Interests and to that end to net toniurrently with representatives of other powers The sole condition was that In his Judgment his acts I should tend to the protection of American Ameri-can Interests t TWO BRITISH ADMIRALS I It way learned nt the British Embassy Em-bassy ihl afternoon that there were two British AiftnlrulK In PcI Ho river Admiral Seymour and Admiral Bruce Therefore TAUSslgs reference to ar rival f British I Admiral at TIn Tsln I I Continued on cago I J 1 GHNA DECLARES WAR Continued from po 1 docs not mean necc > sarlly Seymour has returned with his foreign column I OFFICERS WITH MARINE CORPS Jntludel In detachment of one hundred j hun-dred marines with international ex I podltlon sent to relief of foreign residents resi-dents at Peking are the following wellknown olllcers of marine corps MaJ L W T Wpllcr and Lleuts R Ii Winne G C Reid A E Harding II Leonard and N I Jolly I |