Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-05-03
A eAIlaxr ExrLeur.


II
Of the destruction Of the t1o Chinese
vessels at Skeipoo, fuller than any that
have vet appeared, and differing from
them in some very important deealls-
The French squadron consisted Of fhe
Bayard. TFiomphAnis. DugGsy- Iro1in,
Nelly, Ecleireur, saons and Asplc.
, Having given details OF Admiral CooK-
bets search for the snemy, the account
proceeds: AZ daybrsak. on the 18th OF
February, our vessels, ready for action,
were not more than i've or SIX miles
from Sheipoo Roads. Suddenly the
Ecgaireur and Aspic. which were IN adj
vance, sighted the smoke of i've steam
ers ai1rg she shore: IL was the enemy,
no doubt marOeuynng 20 Get clear OF
the rocks and form his line of battle.
TIE cry of give Il France arose
from all the French vessels. Vain kopei
The Chinese took 20 flight with start
of several miles
The admiral signaIled bis vessels TO
pursue them at full Rpeed. Torrents of
smoke spFanR fron the tunnels. and the
Ssone and Aspie set sill sail 80 Is not TO
be left IN the rear. The gun from the
BayaEd announcing thai the enemy was
in range was expected every instant.
But, alas, the Chinese cruisers, fresh
cut of the dock, had the advantage over
oar ships, which had SEGA long and hard
service. Three of them escaped In the
fog and falling Rnou. Only the Yz-yuen
and the Chen ching remained, and
these, seeing that they we're being over
taken, ran into San-Taoon Bay and by
channels known only 20 the pilots sue
cseded ia getting into SheipoO, the dan
qerous entrances TO which they probably
thought rendered thsH safe from all at
tack, bat they had really only run in
to q trap from which there was no es-
cape. After a long Inrs1it, Admiral
Couroes had TO give up the chase after
shs fugitises. and then directed his st
tention to dissngagiDI himself OF she
other two vessels. He went in person
to examine the entrances to the harbor
from the east, to satisf imself that, as
the nautical instruetions stated. the cur
rents and rocks rendered them inacces-
sible TO large vessels. The interior
channels of the San-moon Bay. which
the Aspie had been sent TO sound, are
shallow and worry little known. The adj
miral then decided TO destroy the two
hostile vessels by torpedoes.
Lieutenant Ravel, the Admiral's aide
de-eamp, went the same evening to re-
conuoitre the position. The frIgate
and eugbSAt were found anchored in
the narrowest part OF the haroor, the
entrances TO which were commanded
with their heavy artillery, and the rifle
and mitrailleuse fire with which M. Rs-
vel was received, showed that they were
on their guard. The operation Of dis
charging tie torpedoes, always difficult
and muck more so than usual on this
occasion, with only the Bayard's little
steam launches, half worn sut by the
heavy service they had seen at Kelung.
was not too much for the bravery Of
our torpedo officers. Captain Gourdon,
second of the Bayard, and Lieutenant
Duhoc were told off for this brilliant
and dangerous mission.
The expedition. piIoted by Lieutenant
RaveI in small boat, left on the night
of the 18th, and AZ q. m. on the 18th
entered the Sheipoo harbor. Having
conducted she torpedo boats up 70 with
in about 1000 metres of the enemy, and
indicated their position, Lieutenant RAJ
vel remained in the rear, ready to afford
assistance IN case of accident. The
boats advanced as silently as possible.
but the enemy saw them and the ports
of the frigate vomited forth their dis
charge. Cannon balls and bullets from
tue rifles and mitrailleuses whistled
past, the steam launches were struck,
and one man fell mortaliy wounded.
"FoFvardm cried Captain Gourdon,
and Tips Ia Eranosm With this the
boats charged at full speed under q |
friehtful FIRE. Captain Gourdon at
Tackled the stern of the frigate and
Lieut.. Duboc the starboard side, and |
two large holes we're made in the vessel. |
Their duty was brilliantly and effec- |
lively done. The next care was to save
the boats, the engines of which had |
been rendered useless by the explosion |
and rush of water. A strong current |
carried them away from the enemy; but |
il also carried them to San moon Bay, |
far from the rsdezyous where Lieut.. |
Ravel awaited them. During this time |
the caHRonade continued.
What passed in the confusion intn |
which this nocturnal attack threw the |
Chinese IL is difficult to say, but rega- |
lar eight must have taken place between |
the two vessels, each taking the other |
for Freuchman. The fact is that the |
Chen-ching, which was not attacked ~ |
torpedoes. sank before the frigate,
which was kept afioat for several hours |
by its water-tight compartments.
Lieut.. Rayel, after having searched the |
harbor all the remainder Of the night |
for the two steam launches. returned at \
daylight to the Bayard, reporting the |
success of the operation and the disap- |
pearance of the heroes who carried ID |
into effect. This caused at once q live
~ and sad emotion. The Eclaireur
and Aspie were Immediately sent In L
search in San moon Bay. and she Ad-
miral himself left asone, without any
further escort, in q small boat TO ex-
plore Sheipoo. He there saw with his
own eyes the masts of the eaemy's two
ships standing up out Of the muddy va
ter OF the harbor.
The torpedo beats, however, after
some repairs, had bean a6le 10 reach
the Saore; which was anchored at the
entrance 70 San-moon Bay. and the 6a-
enc brought them back few hours af-
tervards amidst the enthusiastic accia-
nations OF the crews of the other ves-
sfls. which manned the yarda and rio