The record-union., 1894-08-13
A Japanese Fleet Attacks Chinese
Forts, But Are Repulsed.
NO MATERIAL DAMAGE DONE ON
EITHER SIDE.
Match Arranged Between Gould's
Sloop Vigilaut and the Prince OF
Wales Cutter Britannia, to be
Given an Opportunity to Show the
Merits of the Crack Yachts on the
Open Sea.
Special to the REooRD-UNroN.


Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
| SHANGHAI, Aug. 13.-A dispatch from
Chez Foo says the Japanese attacked Port
| Hamilton port Arthur Friday evening,
and were repulsed.
! A special dispatch from Chez Foo con-
! firms the report that the Japanese fleet
attacked the Chinese fleet at Wei-Hai-
| Wei and were repulsed at one entrance
| Of the harbor and subseq uently attacked
the other entrance. The dispatch says the
Japanese made daring attempt to cap
ture the forts and arsenal at WeI-Hai-
Wei. The Japanese attacked in force.
four cruisers and several smaller vessels
holding the advance. The first shots
were exchanged at daybreak, but the
Chinese were on the alert and their gun
ners returned vigorous fire from the
forts.
The Japanese apparently expe cted to
take the Chinese by surprise while the
latter's warships were away-the Chinese
squadron, with the exception of some
small gunboa and torpedo boats, hav-
ing sailed the day before for another
port.
The gunboats at thefort kept up such
a well-directed fire that the Japanese
were unable to enter the harbOr. The
| Chinese torpedo-boats were then ordered
to advance, and when they did so the
Japanese fleet retired.
The same fleet of Japanese attacked the
harbor entrances later in the day, and
dispatches received here say the second
attempt of the Japanese fleet upon Wal
Hal w Ell was defeated.
THE ATTACK WAS MADE ON THE FORTS,
The Japanese squadron that attacked
Wal Hal Wei Friday consisted of twenty
six vessels. 1t is not definitely known
how many of the fleet were men-of-war.
The warshlps drew up in line of battle off
the port and opened fire early Monday
morning. There were no Chinese war
ships III the vicinity and the engagement
was entirely between the Japanese men,
of-war and the forts. The forts, however,
were able without much difficulty to re-
pulse the attack. About fifty shots were
exchanged, but no material damage was
done on either side. The soldiers man
ming the guns of the Qualifications showed
themselves to be lamentably deficient in
craftsmanship. Most OF their shots were
iIl-directed, the shell either falling short
of the vessels aimed at or going wide of
the mark. The fleet withdrew to Port
Arthur, at which place it attacked. Little,
If any, damage was done.
The operations are regarded as having
been no attempts to conquer Wal Hal
Wei or Port Arthur, but simply rush
on the part of the Japanese commander
to ascertain the exact position and
strength of the Chinese guns at the two
| places.
On Thursday last two small gunboats
were sighted going at full speed in the
direction of Tien-Tsin.
THE REPORT CONFIRMED.
LONDON. Aug. 12.-The Times to-mor-
row will publish dispatch from Tien
Tsin confirming the Associated Press
dispatches of the attack by the Japanese
fleet upon the Chinese fort at Wei Hal
Wei, and its repulse. a dispatch to the
Times from Shanghai says that the
Chinese official report of the engagement
states that only l20 shots were exchanged
between the Japanese warship and the
forts. The report adds that one of the
Japanese ships was hit three times and
another one once. The fire of the war
ships did no damage to the forts.
NO INFORMATION AT WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12.-Officials of the
Japanese Legation are without any infor-
nation respecting the fighting at Wei
Hai-Wei and Fort Arthur, on the Chi
nese coast. They are inclined to believe
that the home Government is awaiting
full and complete reports of the battles,
as it had been regarding the fight at Ga
san, COfea. Much interest IL the move
ments against the above places is felt by
officials of the Government here. At or
near Fort Arthur Lii Hung Chang has his
military stores, arsenal and other re-
sources for the continuation of warlike
operations. Both Fort Arthur and Wal
Hai-Wei are on the line of the direct
route by water to the mouth of the Pei
Ho River, by which the city of Pekin can
be reached, and any movement against
the former places is likely to be factor
in the attempt which many persons here
believe the Japanese will make to over
throw the dynasty at Pekin.
TELEGRAPH LINE OPEN.
NEW YORK, Aug. 12.-The Western
Union Telegraph Company issued no.
tice to-day that the Chinese telegraph
line running north from Tien-Tsin
through Marchuria to Helampo is now
open for business, written In plain Ian
guage. This restores to the public the
route to Russia via Tien-Tsin.