The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-07

20 completely wreck tbs GEEK 49,
hole fourteen feet In diameter was sssI ~
the deck and broken tanbsrs, benz GEEK
beams. torp steel plates and msnxssd
human bodies we're piled up on Al sides.
Il ga a sight to remember for lifetime
From that On IL Was . grim hsnd-.o-
hand strugxse. The effect Of shot de-
pended . great deal On g7esssork botn
vessels were enysfoped In SMOKE ano
rnaneuveyinz was almost oct OF the anss-
ton. The $40 vessels followed each other
around ia . circle, ike two pugilists IN
ring. each endeAvorfng 10 keep her bow
facing the other 90 a. 20 of1er the smallest
target It was difficult TO keep track OF
the engines from THAI time or. Nothing
IA particular happened. and everything
vas happening In two hours from the
beginning OF the action al our g1ns we're
disabled, except COR big guEs fore and sit
Two Of our ssx-snch guns were knocked
overheard and the rest we're thrown an
board and disabled. The upper deck v AZ
q mass Of ruins. The Jap wss only reply
ing 10 rs with three sineh gnns, though
her after gun was stiil IN working
order. The trouble was that she
could not bring IL to bear. Ne
kept continually crossing her bows,
and the gun was helpless unless she could
swing her stern around IN face u.s. lnns
things went on for some little time we
were continually endsavoring TO keep
at the same time bring our forward gun TO
bear on her coming tower. She finally,
however, succeeded in slipping around q
bit and landed one OF her big shells. liz
struck is mark. The shell burst right
under our 25-fon gun aft The big gun
was completely uprootsd. and is screen
was thrown back into the general wreck
The steering gesr was completely dis
abled and wrecked, and the alter part OF
the main and lower decks were ripped
down to ;hs steel protected deck. That
was not all the damage done by tbs one
shell. The guns crew Of fourteen men
and tho servers bsios were killed. besides
no one knows how many more.
t'Ehe next instant one Of the most tragic
incidents OF the fight occurred Through
out the whole engagement the Chinese
gunners had not displayed the slightest
BIT of fear. The mangied bodies OF their
comrades were stresn about the decks,
snd were piled about the sreckage- Shells
were exploding all around them. but still
they fought like intelligent machines
When the after gun was blown up. how
ever, the men a. The forward gun, which
Lieut.. Ii Yang himself was endsasortng
TO train on tbs japanese co1ning tower.
became scared aud ran below. ii Yang
realized the terrible stuation. One vel
directed shot from the forward gan would
end the struggle. IL hs could land q shot
shima the fight would De Won. lie called
60 his men To return to their post. They
would not obey hi. orders. Then Ii Yang
drew his revolver and cred SIX
shots. Sir Of the gunners dropped
dead. The other twelve returned
90 the gun. Within few seconds Ii
Yang had the gun trained on the coming
tower. The she'll struck IL below the
armor and exploded. The whole thing
went into the air. and there was big
splash. What was LEFT OF the u,ainmast
was also carried overheard and the re-
mains OF the shattered bridge we're blown
Into the air and thrown into the water.
The funnel was also wrecked by the ex-
plosion. Ii had previously been riddied
with ANAL shot. The shell knocked IL
over and 10 fell back. leaning aft The
Japanese admiral was in the coming
tower directing the movements Of the yes
eel. When struck by the shell the adj
miral and several of his officers were
killed. That was the last shot OF the en-
gagemenL When the smoke cleared away
the Chinese dag was floating over tho
NatsushimA. She had surrendered"
His description of the vessel after th6
engagement and the awful scenes of car
mage her decks presented so long way TO
substantGate the assertion that civilized
countries viii never engage in combat
with their IN odern engines Of destruction.
No country could afford the loss OF life
sntailed. In his narrative OF the battle he
explained how the Yang Wei moved down
on the Matsushima when the latter struck.
All firing had ceased on both vessels, and
1t Was the intention OF the Chinese to sink
the Japanese flagship. Just how this was
20 be done the engineer did not know.
The Yang Wei was not fitted with torpedo
tubes. nor was she bailt for rampng, bat
the Englishman thinks the Monaghan
commander intended TO board his help
less adversary and blow herup. Her sides
aud decks were open In dozen places
Slowly the Yang Wei dropped down
upon her victim. The Japanese had
three guns left intact. but were not using
them. No noise or confusion Of any kind
could be heard in the ship. The Japanese
evidsntiy realized that they were done for.
aud were awaiting the pleasure OF the
enemy. Before action could DO taken the
Japanese feet could be seen approaching
through the smoke which hung low upon
the water The six ships came tearing
along under full. steam. and were all
within range before the Chinese knew Of
the reinforcements. The moment the Jap
anes. sighted their game they opened =
~
time 20 return. She put for refuge with
ell speed. and managed 10 elude the Jap
anese. When clear OF the pursuing fset,
attention Was given the dead and wounded
Who strewed the decks.
liz was not until then that the FUN har~
rors Of warfare showed themselves. The
living had been too busy saving the ship
60 pay any attention to their less fortunate
unA hM II
on the nam deck were enough 70 sicken
even a Chinese. The place was worse than
o slaughter pen. Prom her upper to the
main deck the ship was completely
stripred, and aii the bodies that had not
been blown overheard BY the explosions
found Judgment on the main deck.
Blood an finch deep covered the deck aud
the crimson flnld washed from side 10 side
and splashed upon the beams strips and
fragments of the sailors who had died at
their guns we're nosting about in the
blood. Several heads. hands, arms, feet
and legs we're strewn about and
piled OPP in heaps. and from
splsatered bulkhsads OF iron and
stesl hung fragments of human bodies,
stiIi dripping with blood. Mixed in with
these evidences OF eoatiiet lay dozens o.
poor wrstehss mortally wounded; snsxnsi-
bic. some Of them. 10 the frlghtfni sur
ronndings and awaiting the cad. Others.
less seriously hurt. bore their rain with
that indifference 50 characteristics OF the
Chinese. ana looked upon the condition "a
. matter Of no particular concern. As
rapidly ~ possible. the ships doctor. a
young freshman named XIX. made ,he
rounds OF the wounded. Those who stood
. good chance Of recovery wsre cent BE-