ctice, and the
position became more serious for the allies, and it seemed as though the
attack was going to fail. The Russian ship _Gilyak_ was hit by a shell,
and lost several men. She could not leave her moorings in consequence,
and suffered severely from rifle fire from the shore, her losses during
the action being the heaviest in the fleet, 2 officers and 10 men killed
and 47 wounded.

The tide now rising, the ships boldly steamed amid a storm of shot and
shell close under the forts. The German _Itlis_ was seen constantly in
the post of danger, and the gallantry with which she was fought evoked
the admiration of all.

HMS _Algerine_, commander R.H. Stewart, greatly contributed to the
final success, which at one time was so doubtful. She was always in the
thick of the fight, but escaped with only slight damage to cowls and
rigging, and received no shot in her hull, largely owing to the fact
that her commander put her so close into the forts that they could not
be brought to bear on her, and the shot passed over. She had only 1
officer wounded and 3 men killed.

Still the battle continued, and the Chinese kept doggedly at it, and
succeeded in bursting their shells. Fortunately about seven a.m. an
awful explosion occurred, the chief magazine blew up, and the Chinese
lost heart, and soon after all firing ceased. Meantime the
storming-parties had seized the north-west fort.

The landing party consisted of British, 23 officers and 298 men, from
the _Alacrity, Barfleur_, and _Endymion_; German, 3 officers and 130
men; Japanese, 4 officers and 240 men; Russian, 2 officers and 157 men;
Italian, 1 officer and 24 men; Austrian, 2 officers and 20 men,--total,
904 officers and men. The command was confided to Commander Craddock,
RN. These landed under heavy shell fire in the dark by 2:30 a.m. with
no loss, and at 4:30, when the ships' guns had silenced those of the
forts, advanced upon the north-west fort. In the firing line were men
from the _Alacrity_ and _Endymion_ on the right, Russians on the left,
and Italians on the right flank; the _Barfleur's_ men supported the
charge, and the rest of the force were in support. The Japanese,
however, were not to be restrained, and as soon as the charge sounded,
raced with the British for the west gate, and both nations climbed the
parapet together. Their commander was first in, and the English
commander a good second, the former unfortunately being killed. The
remaini