, 1863-10-06

fJapan Commercial Eewe Exha.1
KARAcAwA, 1span. Friday. July eth. 1865.
We have been furnished the following &C.
count Of the trip Of the United States steam
CT Wyoming by E. 8. Benson, Esq, who MAS
q passenger on board:
Information having reached Yokohama On
the 18th instant TINT the American steamer
Pembroke had been fired into by two Japan
ESQ a1med vessels, Captain McDougal imme.
oiAtely Issued the necessary orders TO prepare
for sea. Ceal and stores having been ta+
o'clock cn the morning Of the 18Th instant;
entered the Bur 20 Channel on the 18th, and
anchored at the Island Of Hime Sima The
next morning, {1Gth inst } We proceeded to-
wards the Straits Of fShlmonoseki. the Western
entrance Of lie Inland sea. On the northern
thore Of the narrow passage is the Province
q Nagato, governed By the Prince Of Tchu-
sbu.
Within the past year he purchased the
steamer Lancefelc and brig Laur1ck, former
On nearing The Straits signal gun was 1ir.
ed from masked battery on tie northern
shore, which was repeated By two uthers to
the westward towards Shimonosekt.
Rounding the point on the southern side of
the entrance, : bark, brig, snd steamer,
brig were Immediately made out to
be the "Lince 1e1d'' and the Lanrek;''
the bark's name ne did not know. All
the vessels were flsipg the Japanese flag at
the peak, and the private co1ors II the PEioee
of Negato ut the main. We now steered d.
recsly Tor the vessels, when battery Of three
guns on the northern shore, about fifty feet
aboIe the leyel OF the eea, opened fire On IF,
cutting up the rigging between the main and
aag, and, ftill steauipg on, wers fircd on By
battefy Of four guns. To this Te replied
with broadeide.
We were NOW rapidly approaching the res.
ee1s; bark WAS close In shore; ABOUT fifty
yards ont1ide of her and, at oae length ahead,
yards outside the brig WAS the s:eamer.
The main channel wns outside Of ali these
vessels. Captain McDougal gave orders to
run the Wyoming between the steamer and
| the brig, As we got abreast Of the bark she
opened broadside fire from three guns In
1e.s Than two minutes ne were abreast OF the
brig and received her fire from four brass
| 32-pOunderr. We now had the steamer on
cur port side, her guns, like the others, be-
Ing trained on the channel, she fred few
gaye them all our guns en- both sides hulllnigs
both the brig and steamer. Keeping close
round the bows Of the steamer We stood
over toFard the southern shore receiyiag a
constant fire from Efx batteries, the steamer,
brig and bark: We here sgt aground,
|
The steamer Lsncefeld having steam up,
elipped her cable, keeping close along The
northern ehore, either with the iutentoa Of
| escaping, or running OF shore, to examtne
The damage caused BY our first shots. The
Wy omipg Was now mannuyfed into position
| aud an u-fnch shell WAS planted In the steam.
er amld.ehips, about one foot above the MA
ter line. In an instant, volumes Of eteau,
and emoke Issued ous Of her fore and
nc, her boiler WINS exploded. After drop
ping two more shells inte her hull, the ordet
Was given to cease firing On the g~eamer, and
to direct the shots upon the different batter.
les, the barque. nud the brig, all Of which
we're loading and firing as rapidly as possible
Quite number Of shell exploded In tha bat
ttries and considerable damage was done t1
tie town.
In passing out Of the Straits We delivered a
few very effective shots into the brig and tue
last seen Of her she was last settling By tht
stern; the fire from the batteries was Kept uE
throughout, but someHhAt slackened on oul
retur1
By that time re had four men killed out
| right and eeyen wounded lone since dled).
The armament Of the Wyoming being on1,
four 12pounders and t@o pivot guns, op
poeed to six ehore batteries Of an aTer1ga o
three guns each, the barque Fix, the brit
eight, and the steamer two, making IN ali
thirty-four guns, mostly ~ FOUNDERS; Capt
McDouga1 very wisely concluded to Withdraw
from 50 unequal contest, and proceeded
to Yokohama for more force The Captain
MI his officers and crew, behaved Eitl
the utmost GOODNESS md bravery. Tn
| Wyoming Was run into the midst Of the cne
sides st pistol range, ut the same time SUE
tafnirg hot and Continuous fire from shor
batteries When the successful shot strucl
I the steamer. oQr crew EaTe three 1eArty