San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-09-19
BLOODY SEA FIGHT.
FLEETS OF JAPAN AND CHINA
ENGAGED DESTRUCTIVELY.
Both Sides Evidently Lost Heavily,
Though China Came off the
Worst-Chinese Com
manders Killed.

first battle between the modern
ships OF war has taken place on the
Yalu river, north of the gulf OF
Corea, and both sides cla an the VIC
tory. The Chinese squadron was
covering the landing OF large force
of troops, destined to reinforce
the Chinese army operating against
the Japanese in Corea. According
to one account, the Chinese sue
ceeded in landing the troops, but
in the engagement which followed
with the Japanese fleet, Chin Yuen,
of the Chinese fleet, was sunk, and
the Chao Yung and Yong Wei, run
ashore. Three japanese ships are
also said to be lost. Admiral
Ting, commander OF the Chi
nese northern fleet, and Colo
mel Won Hannekin, formerly
aide-de-camp to the viceroy, Ii
Hug Chang, are reported to be
killed during the engagement.
Colonel Won Hannekin was the
German officer on board the trans
port Kow Shing, when she was
sunk by the Japanese cruiser, wit h
a loss of 1000 men.
Another report says the Japa-
nese succeeded in preventing the
landing Of the Chinese troops and
therefore the japanese claim the
victory. 1t is added, however, the
Chinese lost four war ships and
the Japanese fleet was compelled
to retreat after having suffered
heavy losses in killed and wound
ed. The Chinese fleet, it is said,
has returned to Wei Hal Wei.
A second report says Admiral
Ting and Col. Won Hannekin were
not killed, but were severely
wounded.
LONDON, Sept. l9-Dispatches
from Shanghai confirm the report
Of severe battle fought on the
Yalu river bay, between the fleets
of China and Japan. These dis
patches also agree in saying that
the Chinese ships were escort
ing troops bound for Corea.
The Chinese troops were the
second army corps, composed
entirely of Huanese. The ships Of
both nations, it is admitted, were
terribly damaged. The Japanese
had the advantage of weather
berth and so manGuvered that
both the Chinese boats and trans
ports had to fight it out. The Chen
Yuen, these dispatches say, af
ter fighting her guns to the
last, was sunk by torpedOes,
and a smaller Chinese vessel,
which was unarmed, was blown
up. The steel cruiser Chao Yung, it
is added, was so damaged that she
had to be beached to escape cap
ture. The cruiser Yong Hei was al
so driven ashore and beca me
hopeless wreck. The Chinese
claim that three Japanese war
ships were sunk Their names are
not given.
Another dispatch from Shanghai
says the Chinese war ship that
sunk was the Chi Yuen, although
it is believed a mistake has been
made and the important Chinese
war ship sunk by torpedoes is the
battle ship Chen Yuen, the flag
ship of the Chinese northern
squadron, commanded by Admiral
Ting.
Further dispatches from Shang-
hal dated today announce that the
entire northern fleet Of China was
engaged, reinforced by some ships
of the Foo Choo squadron. The
Chinese are said to have been
hampered by the want Of room to
vancouver. The number of Japan
ese war ships engaged is not stated,
and as many Of their vessels were
stationed off Ping Yang inlet at
the mouth of the Ia Tong
river, their number in the Gulf of
Corea, was probably small. 1t is
now said the sinking of the big
Chinese war ship is confirmed and
that the Chinese war ships Chao
Yung and Yang Wei were on fire
when they were beached. Adj
vices say it is significant
that two or three Chinese trans
ports, conveyed by this war ship
of China, have not returned, and it
is rumored that they all were
blown up with a loss of all hands
on board. From Chinese advices,
it is gathered, that the loss on both
sides will reach several thousand.
LONDON, Sept. 19.-The British
consul at Tien Tsin, in a dispatch
to the foreign affairs office, confirms