The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-10-22
BLOWING SHIPS TO PIECES.
now TIE CHINESE FLEET MRLTRD
AWAY BEFORE TuE FRENCH GUNS.
The Battle In the River NIin ms Seen from
the Deck Of IA United States Ninu-of-Wnr
"A War ship Annihiinied by IA Torpedo
BOut.

The Battle In the River NIin as Seen from
the BECK OF "a United States Mnu-of-War
"A War ship Annihiinted by II Torpedo
Boat.
The following letter was written by special
correspondent who Is naval officer on the
United States -hip Enterprises:
Upon reaching the mouth Of the Whampoa
river, we found the Chinese Notifications full
of men and everything in readiness for battle.
There were also sew raj Chinese men-of-war at
the mouth of the liver. The French had
three vessels stationed near the furtiications
and every day we expected the fighting 10
commence. Onr ship proceeded up the river
as soon as the water on the bar permitted, and
on our arrival at Shanghai we found every
thing in readiness to protect the foreigners.
The captain Of the Italian mal-of-war Christie
foro Colombo. being the senior officer present.
had command Of tie united forces, and land
ing parties we're formed on each manof-war to
land with small arms and Gattling guns ts
keep back the mob in case of trouble.
'Thc great trouble with the Chinese is thai
they cannot or will not discriminate between
I reigners, In a Chinaman's eyes any one
that IL viii Is "A foreign devil, and In case OF
trouble between France and China the mob
would try and revenge themselves on all
foreigners. Shortly after our arrival ~
Shanghai the Trenton arrived, and IN day
or two Admiral Davis transferred his flag
from the Trenton to this vessel, and we
steamed down to our present anchorage,
viii h il twelve miles from the city of Foo
Chow. 1t is impossible for vessels drawing
more than eight or nine feet to get up to the
city.
consequently most of the shipping is done
from Pagoda Anchorage. The United States
ship MonOcacy, being u light draught vessel,
was up at Foo-ChOw, and also an English gun
boat Merlin. Admiral DAVIS went up to the
Monocacy at once, and the landing party FOL
lowed soon after. Just before The battle
in the morning an officer from the French
flagship came on board with his Admirals COM
pllment- to our Captain and m, ssage to the
effect that they would commence operations IN
a few hours, as the Chine'o Government had
refused to pay the SO,OOO,OO francs demanded
by France
"rhe vessels in both fleets prepared for
| action. Three English men-of-war, this vessel,
| and four or five merchantmen were anchored
about half mile down the harbor, giving
| clear space to tbs opposing forces. At l:55
n. m. single shot was fired from one OF the
| French vessels, aud III II few seconds the battle
commenced. 1t is supposed that in the first
| minute and half fully 100 shots were fired,
most of them from modern brcech-lOading
| guns.
"rhe French fleet consisted of the Volta,
| flagship; Aspie, lvipere, D'Estange, Lynx,
| Dougay, Ir0uin, Willard, and, later, the Tri-
| umphant The Chinese feet consisted OF nine
| sloops-of-var, two gunboats, and eleven war
| junks. At :56 O'Clock the flagship Volta
| opened fire from her tops, when general en-
| e cement followed. At 2 o'clock the Chinese
flagship was blown up by torpedo. At 2;OS a
Chinese gunboat was blown mp. At 2a5 q
Chinese sloup-oi-war on fire driftcd down the
haIbor and sank abreast of us with colors ily-
ing, while another Chinese soop-of-war ON lire
grounded on Hat island near us and blew up
at 4;5l. At $3.50 another Chinese sloop-Of-war
on fire, with the French colors hylIS, drifted
down the channel.
"Ihe French kept on bombarding the navy
yards and forts on shore, which took an &C.
tive part in the engagement During and
| subsequent to the engagement, fire rats anc
iunls came floating down the river.
''rhe destruction of Ynng Wo, the Chinese
flagship, will show what torpedo can dc
when properly handled As soon as the fight
began II torpedo boat dartod toward the Ill
| fattd vessel. and in an instant there WIS moth
ing left OF the stately craft but some drifting
timber and broken spars. The Yung Wo wal
| built Mt the navy yard ut this place. She wa
| 1llll klllD IlEHtu, VI S,NNu lNho hihIiuSo
mont, and was beautiful vessel Her de
stloyor, the torpedo boat, was about fifty fee
long cigar shaped, very low III the water, ant
capable Of stcaming about twenty miles al
| hour.
"Afler her terrible work she drifted dow
the harbor and anchored near us. We cou
see that some of her crew were wounded, a
well as her commanding officer. Our vess'
| scnt surgical aid to her AZ soon as internatloni
law permitted 1t.
AS far as could be seen only one Chimes
vessel made determined fight This was
punboat commanded by young Chinama
who had been educated in America. His gur
boat was the target for great many Frenc
guns, but ho went down gallantly, his flag fl!
ing. and Just as his vessel was sinking he fire
apariinB rhot. ,,..
demoralized the Chinese, and the French gui
ners' workmanship was excellent. Their mf
| chine guns did frightful execution. One
the Chinese vessels that sunk shortly aftt
the fight commenced WAS terrible sight. HI
decks were covered with blood and the maj
gled remains Of her crew. The Hotchkiss n
volving cannon on the French ships kept up
steady fro. One of these guns. properly mai
aged, IL enough to clear the deck OF any shil
,, "Only two of the Chinese vessels were aflo,
after the engagement. They escaped by ge
ting up the river into shoal water. One
these vessels sank shortly afterward on accoul
of injuries received in the fight, and the oth'
s one Is now aground with her back broker
The French fire continued until night. Tht
! shelled the batteries on shore, and drove Il
I Chinese from them. The navy yard and a
, senal were shcled, and great deal OF DANA
0 done to Government property.
) "At night fire RATS and burning junks car
% down the river, but the French gunners 81
ceeded in sinking them. With but one or t
n exceptions the French vessels are uninjur
" The Volta had been hit once near the wa
~ ~ line. The D'Estange had two shot holes NJ
y y her rail. The loss Of life on the French s
I was only six. besides the pilot OF the Vol
y who was an Englishman. The Chinese loss
u u life is reported as being nearly two thousant