lement by the
Chinese was inflicting daily losses. Hitherto their artillery had been
superior to ours, but by the arrival of two 4-inch guns, one from HMS
_Algerine_, and another from HMS _Phoenix_, the position was altered and
it was at length decided to make a general attack upon the enemy on the
18th, with a view to capturing the native city and finally relieving the
foreign settlement. In this action the British naval guns were assigned
a prominent part, and to their very accurate shooting the success was
mainly due. The plan arranged was that under cover of the naval guns on
the east the Russians and Germans should take the Chinese batteries to
the north-east of the city, while the Japanese and British should at the
same time deliver their attack upon the city to facilitate the capture
of the batteries by the Russians. The Japanese were under their own
general, the rest of the allies under General Donvard. The forces
consisted of 1500 Japanese, under General Fukushima; 800 British, of
whom 300 were naval; 900 Americans, 30 Austrians, 900 French, and about
3000 Russians and 400 German marines.

After about an hour's bombardment the main attack was delivered, the
French on the right, the British on the left, and the Japanese in the
centre, which was the point of greatest danger, for they were to advance
upon the south gate and blow it up to effect an entrance. The Americans
were ordered to support the left of the Japanese, and to their left were
the Welsh Fusiliers. The Americans unfortunately soon became involved
in a very exposed position, whence they could neither retreat nor
advance, their colonel was killed and they lost very heavily, and 100
men of the Naval Brigade under Lieutenant Phillimore were sent to their
aid.

Meantime the naval guns were keeping up a constant and accurate fire,
keeping down the fire from the city walls. Still, however, the day wore
on; the Japanese were unable to reach the gate, and the city, which it
was expected to enter by noon, was not yet taken, and the Japanese
general decided to hold his position through the night and to resume the
attack in the morning.

Under fire of the naval guns the Fusiliers and American marines were
withdrawn with very slight loss, and then the unfortunate 9th Regiment
with the company of the Naval Brigade. This was a very delicate
business, for they were in danger of being themselves hit by the guns,
but so accurate was the fire that it was p