The morning news., 1894-11-25
THE NEW TRAFALGAR.
Mr.. CTeelman'S Graphic Story Of Japan'S
Novel Victory.


who is now with the beIgerents in the
east. must now be ranked with the war
correspondents of the day. He and Mr..
Fred ViIliers OF the London Daily Tele-
graph have been actually upon the battle
felds. and are sending graphic descrip-
tions TO their papers. Mr.. Creelman'
latest letter is devoted to a description
of the great victory Of the japanese over
the Chinese fleet off the mouth Of the Yula
river on Sept. L..
Mr.. Creelman was the first newspaper
man TO interview Admiral Ito, who COM
manded the japanese fleet in what must
be considered as the greatest sea fight
of modern days, and secured his account
Of the fight from the admirars own lips.
In his letter to the World NIr Creelman
saws that the battle, in demonstrating that
swiftness. is the most essential quality in
a modern war ship, vindicates the plan
upon which the new American navy Is
being built, and then going on. he gives
a short description of Admiral Ito. after
which he follows with his description Of
the Trafalgar of the East"
AS me ueele uItW tip1tl N97 N''lN-
their guns roared from one end OF the
great battlefield 20 the other The ocean
shook with the tremendous shock, as the
iron storm swept through whiring smoke
and flame No men could he seen on the
upper decks of the Chinese line. The
crews were crowded below in true Mon
gol style Nor was there any trace Of
boats in the davits Of the Chinese ships.
I have heard since that the fleet left all
its small boats behind TO prevent the
men from deserting iu the face Of the
enemy
at first the Chinese guuuery was fairly
accurate. but the wheeling movement or
the japanese on the right and left TANKS.
combined with The terrific effect Of the
rapfd-6re guns. seemed to throw the line
into disorder and demorali2e the gunners-
When the rear of the main japanese
squadron was turning the left OF the Chl-
nese the Hiyei was so close 10 the enemy
that to avoid receiving their tire broadsl1e
she left the main squadron and steamed
straight at the Chinese line, passing be-
tween two large ironclads, the Tinsyuen
and Laiyuen, or the Kingyuen and Ching
yuen Right through the fiery gap she
went with Commander Sakural on the
bridge and all her guns Al Work, WINE
her heroic crew cheered as two torpedoes,
launched a hundred yards away. Kissed
through the wave and missed her. The
enormous batteries of the two ironclads
Numbered away, ana the Hiyeis decks
we're strewn with dead and dying men
as she fed through the dense smoke
between the floating iron forts.
She had passed half way through when
a shell from one OF the battleships PEN
etrated her side three feet above the water
line. shattered the mizzenmast killed the
paymaster two surgeons, all the medical
attendants, spare helmsmen ana machine
gun ammunition carriers ana destroyed
the ward room. In moment the Hlyel
was on fire and as the ship broke through
the line and passed to the satety sue OF
the Japanese main squadron her daring
captain sigualed that the flames would
compel him to leave the regular formation.
Admiral Ito did not see the signal through
the hillows of cannon smoke rolllhb over
the water. and made no reply, so When thc
Hiyei had transferred her wounded to the
transport ship she extinguished the fire
ana returned 10 her place in the squadron.
She was almost a wreck. but managed 10
kecp her guns going till the end of the
battle
.oThe van squadron of the Japanese fleet
after attacking the right OF the thlnese
line. turned about and fought It's way
back toward the northwest, while the
main SQUADRON continued on in circle,
the Chinese formation being destroyed
and the ships punched together IN con-
fusion. The two ironclads stuck close to-
gether fighting with great spirit Just
as the flagship Matsushima. at the head
Of the main squadron, was abreast of the
Chinese irOnclads a shell from one OF the
big guns struck her main deck dismount-
ing her heaviest gun and damaging the
whole port battery. The shell struck the
ammunition masscd on the deck and eX-
lIodad 81. sheet OF fire seemed to sweep
up to the sky and the flagship rolled
heavily as her riven sides yielded to the
sIstf 1.t4fnf -
ward
Dead men We're blown into the sea, a
part of the upper deck was blasted and
the officers quarters We're destroyed. a
lieutenant, a sub-heutenant, midshlp-
man and twelve of the crew We're instantly
killed Wounded men were scattered
about in the bloody wreckage. The ship
was on fire. Admiral Ito kept his course
until he found that the stif wind on the
port bow was spreading the flames, and to
save the ship he turned about, followed
by the rest Of the squadron. From his
place on the bridge the admiral could see
that one Of the Chinese irouclads was also
on FIRE and he decided TO return to the at
tack using his starboard battery while
the fire on the port side was being eXtin-
guished.
Meanwhile the little Akagi and the
transport Saikio Maru were separated
from the main squadron, being unable to
keep up with its swift movements The
Akagi was attacked on all sides by the
enemy. but fought bravely. Her mainmast
was shot away and her captain, Com
mander Sakamoto, was killed on tho
bridge. The navigating officer then tool,
command, but a few moments later fell
10 the deck wounded in the face and arm.
He was succeeded 10y the third lieutenant
who directed the lighting until the navi-
eating officers wounds were dressed and
he returned to the bridge
''As the AkaEls mainmast crashed down
over the side a lieutenant and gun crew
in the fighting top We're killed. The Chi
nese poured voley after volley into tho
battered ship, but the wounded Lieutenant
kept his place on the bridge and refused
10 surrender After three hours Of hare
lighting he succeeded IN Withdrawing
from tho battlefield ana gertins under
cover Of The main squadron
"But the Saikio Maru. Hemmcl iu by
the Chinese ships. the transport was
general target. Her upper works wer.
riddled by tho rapid fire guns OF tn,
enemy, but she managed 60 escape IN,
shots OF the heavier batteries BY thi
time the Chinese fleet WAS disorrauizet
and tho Puunery was wild A torped,
was launched at the transport but 81 cx
ploded before reaching her Another tor
pedo was sent from a ship not hu,