Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-16
HOW ORIENTALS FIGHT.
The Naval hattie between Japan and
Chinu July 20.

VICTORIA, 3. c., August 16.-The steam
er Tacoma, from Hong Kong, brings the
following accounts of the naval battle, July
20, in the neighborhood of Gasan:
Three Japanese men-of-war, the Akatishu-
ma. Takachiho and Naniwa. met at sea the
Chinese cruiser TsiYuen, with a small dis
patch boat. the Ko-Otsu, and the transport
Kow Shing, and after an engagement last
ing one hour and twenty minutes captured
the dispatch boat and sunk the transport
while the cruiser escaped. To fully appre-
ciate this action the relative strength of the
cCmbatants must be considered. On the
japanese side were the Akatishuma, with
a tonnage of $3.50, and speed of 10 krots..
the Takachiho. of 3,IO0 tons. with a speed
of Is knots. and the Naniwa, fully as large
powerful and swift as either of her COM
panions. The armament of the three in
ciuded one i2-ton gun, four 2S-ton guns.
twenty quick-firing, and thirty-two machine
guns. On the other side was Tsi Yuen, with
a tonnage of 2,355. and 300 horse power
with a speed of but 10 knots, and carrying
two 1-4-inch guns and one j-inch and nine
machine guns. The dispatch boat was
armed, and being a wooden boat not steam
ing more than knots, her power of resist
ance to capture was small as her ca
pacity to evade it.
The japanese warships were proceeding
toward Jinsen, when the Chinese vessels
were met. The Chinese warship, seeing the
japanese flagship, Immediately opened their
ports, instead of observing the usual court
estes, and began the fighting, apparently to
cover the retreat of the transport steamer
which left, promptly pursued by the Nam
iva. At this juncture the transport was
flying the white flag well as the English
colors What happened to her was not seen
by the combatants, but was reported by
the Naniwa- Her officers state that the
flag of surrender was no sooner displayed
than the Chinese on board prepared to at
tack the boarding party from the Naniwa,
and, in fact, did fire on them as they came
alongside The boats then returned to the
cruiser, and the transport was sunk with
one well-directed shot.
In the meantime. the Takachiho and
Akitshuma engaged the Tsi Yuen and Ko-
Otsu. The Chinese on the Ko-Otsu fought
stubbolnly for over an hour displayed the
flag of surren der, and the japanese men of
war were approaching her, when she sud
denly discharged torpedo, which, how
ever, the Japanese were able to avoid The
engagement was renew wed more hotly than
ever, till finally the Tsi Yuen turned and
made off at full speed toward Jinsen being
pursued for 100 miles by the japanese. but
not overtaken. The Ko-Otsu got aground
in shallow water while seeking sheltered
anchorage, and thus fell an easy captive to
the japanese.
The Chinese fired their guns more rapidly
than their opponents, and had they not
been so greatly outnumbered would un-
doubtedly have achieved a victory AS 1t
was, it is testimony to the skill of the Isl
YueLs commander that he fought two of
Japan's best ships for a full hour and
then escaped.
Since the naval fight off Gasan, the run
ming of japanese steamers between Jinsen
and Fusan has been suspended. General
travel on the smaller oriental liners is very
much broken and news of an authentic
nature is difficult to obtain.
In Yokohama 1t is believed that China's
plan will be to march troops into Corea by
the way of Win. and the Japanese govern
ment Is said to be taking measures accord
ingly. The Queen of Corea is reported as
missing, but is under medical treatment
having been attacked with malarial fever.
At the time of sailing of the Tacoma
from Yokohama four Chinese transports
were reported missing and were supposed
to have been lost in a typhoon or captured
by the japanese.
The government of the island kingdom
was still hurrying men and supplies to Co.
rea, not forgetting even an immense Gre
matory plant to follow up the land forces
and consume the dead. The mikado has
just issued instructions to the general Of
police to test the feelings of the people re-
garding the war and to report to him di-
rect.
The Fight Last Friday.
TOXIC, August LIT is officially an
nounced that the government has received
the report of the japanese officer who was
In command of the japanese squadron
which recently attacked Wei Hal Wei The
report says that on August nineteen jap
oEese warships left Corea for Wei Hal Wei
which they approached at midnight on the
9th. A torpedo flotilla was Immediately
sent out, and on the following morning
shots were exchanged with the enemy's
forces. But the report concludes, the Jap
anese, finding that the Chinese fleet had