se arrangements were simply made to prevent
smuggling, and that they would be immediately removed.

"Another day passed, and no steps having been taken by the Celestials to
do as they had promised, the admiral sent in word to say that if the
obstructions were not removed he should take upon himself to do so by
force. Having waited three days, he resolved to bombard the fort on the
left. As our shot would have fallen into the town of Taku, the admiral
sent an officer to advise the inhabitants to provide for their safety by
leaving the place.

"They, however, replied that they did not receive orders from
foreigners, and that if we touched the barriers the batteries would open
fire upon us. Of course it now became necessary to attack the forts.
Three of the larger ships and nine gun-boats were sent in two divisions
to attack, in the first place, the Taku forts on the right bank, and one
of the gun-boats was directed to pull up the stakes so as to afford a
passage to the rest of the squadron. She at length succeeded and made
her way up to the boom. The moment she struck it, the Chinese batteries
opened on her with heavy guns. The other gun-boats took their stations
astern of her. Two unfortunately got aground, one on the northern
extremity and the other on the southern.

"The former, however, was notwithstanding still able to render some
service against the forts further down the stream. In an hour one of
the gun-boats was completely disabled; her commander killed, and out of
a crew of forty men, nine only remained unhurt; the admiral himself, who
was on board, being severely wounded. On this he shifted his flag into
another vessel, with which he went close under the forts. Here he
received a second wound, but still would not quit the fight. Unable to
move, he took his place on the bridge, when the chain against which he
was leaning was shot away, and he was thrown to the deck with such
violence that one of his ribs was broken. Three times injured, it might
have been supposed that he would have retired; but again shifting his
flag to another vessel, he remained on deck in his cot, and directed the
battle until, faint from loss of blood and pain, he consented to yield
up command to the senior captain, who took his place.

"Still the battle continued; but three of our gun-boats were on shore
and reduced to mere wrecks. We had, however, vessels and men sufficient
to carry on the fight. At last it was determine