June 1900 - June 18, 1900 (Monday)

June 18, 1900 (Monday)

• The Taku Forts of China surrendered at 8:00 a.m., 16 hours after Western navies had begun bombardment. More than 1,000 Chinese defenders were killed or wounded, while the allies lost 184 men. The Russian ship Gilyakwas sunk. The four destroyers of the Chinese Navy, anchored at the Peiho river, were captured and recommissioned as naval vessels in Britain, France, Germany and Russia. The Hai Lung became the British HMS Taku, the Hai Hse became the French ship Takou, the Hai Jing became the German ship Taku and the Hai Hua was later the Russian ship Lieutenant Burakov.