Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-10-05
THAT NAVAL BATTLE.


The Engagement at the Mouth of the
YaIu River.
LONDON, September 24.-United States
cruiser Chicago sailed this afternoon for
Havre, where she will be locked. She
will return to Gravesend in ten days to
take coal. Just before the Chicago sailed
a reporter went on board OF her and OBJ
tanned an interview with Captain Mahan,
her commander, on the recent naval bat
tie between the Japanese and Chinese
fleets. Captain Mahan said:
1.-THE great thing with fleet OF war
vessels with lot OF transport ms charge
is to prevent surprise and embarrass-
ment. In this case there was surprise,
and this fact to my mind supplies
prominent lesson. 1t is necessary in at
tempting to convoy transports that the
conveying fleet should be declsively SUI
perior to that of the enemy. | am in
clined to think that the Chinese Admiral
formed his feet so close in shore because
he was Obliged to do so. If he had gone
out to meet the Japanese fleet, which
was the proper course, he would have
uncovered the mouth of the river, into
which the transports had gone; conse-
uutILlY ne uIGh vi NlOoN IL DlC'Nt ~
which movement he was tactically en-
barrassed in the maneuvering. If his
feet had been larger than the Japanese,
he might have advanced at the same
time leaving a sufficient number of YES
sells to head of rush, which the Japan
ese might have made. The whole affair
illustrates the extreme difficulty attend
ing an attacking movement across the
water, unless YOU have control of the
water absolutely.
"Whether the Chinese succeeded in
their object it does not appear, but the
question is whether it was worth such
risk for the sake of landing the troops.
1t certainly was bad management to
fight SO close in shore, for two OF the
Chinese vessels had not room to turn,
and SO went ashore. That is one reason
why the Japanese did not try to pass
through the Chinese line, for they would
have gone into shallow water and be-
come entanged. 1t was big engage
ment for modern vessels, but | see
nothing vet to lead me to suppose that
the engagement will point to the recon-
struction or remodeing of war vessels.
The details so far are very meager.
don't know anything about the manner
of attack, but doubtless before long the
Japanese will give full information. l
don't even know what was the formation
of the Chinese fleet in resisting the at
tack. All that is clear is that the Jap
anese were on the offensive and Chinese
on the defensive.
"What interests me most is to know
the manner in which the battle was
fought. Upon this point we have
nothing. But the great lesson is in the
risk of attempting to carry great, force
across the water. AS a general rule
such an attempt is unsafs. Nh e,Yeertthheeff
IIIoIO o4,tuVUnCc vi nOSJle HeeC
does not constitute such determent
upon the resolute man who sees that
the object of his attempt is sufficient to
Justify the risk. 1t remains to be seen
whether the object the Chinese accom-
plished was sufficiently important to
Justify the risk he took. To anaval man
the most interesting thing will be to
know in what order the Japanese fleet
approached the Chinese, whether it was
concentrated upon part of the Chinese
line or spread out over the whole line.
/ have no time to say more, as | have too
much ship work to carefully study the
matter"