The herald., 1894-10-07
CARNAGE ON THE OCEAN,
A Story of a Modern Naval
Battle.
First Gun of the War in the
Orient.
A Duel Between Chinese and
japanese Cruiser.
Tho Euga EN- on I Occ urrsd uly eth and
Tn" Engagement Occurred July 18th and
Was Not Herstofors Reported
Both Ships sDissbied-FeAr-
full siaughters

By the Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 6.-This ie .
story OF great sea fight, the first OF the
war that now RACES in the orient. Il
comes straight from the lips of one who
saw with his own eyes the tragic events
OF which he tells. and had, himself,
part in this remarkable duel of the sea,
The battle here described was fought
by the Chinese cruiser Yang Wei and
the Japanese flagship Matsushima, on
July 18th, about 80 miles southwest Of
Chemulpo, Corea. and lasted three
hours, resulting in the almost complete
destruction OF both vessels. and in ter
rible loss of life on both sides.
The narrator of these stirring events
ia young Englishman who was super
vising engineer Of the Yang Wei and
who has served for four years in the
Chinese navy. In subsequent engage
ment he was injured to suoh an extent
that he had to leave the emperor's SER
vice and come to the United States for
medical treatment. He is now in San
y
tered and feeble in health as result of
esting and most deadly naval battles of
modern times.
MEETING OF THE CoMBATANTs.
The engineer tells, as preliminary to
his story, how the Yang Wei was or
dered the Chemulpo and there met the
Japanese fleet of seven vessels. The
commander of the Yang Wei was or
dered to watch the Japanese feet. and
when the latter put to sea the Yang
Wei followed. This is what caused tbs
fight.
He tells how the Japanese ship Mani
wa signalled to the Yang Wei that il
she persisted in following abe would bo
fred on. The Yang Wei paid no atten-
tion 20 this warning and kept right on.
The Naniwa did not fire and the Chinese
ship passed the Naniwa and steamed
ahead of the Matsushima. the Japanese
flagship. The Japanese admiral evi-
IDENTIFY thought that the MatsushiIna
was more than match for the Yang
Wei, for he ordered the other ships to
fall back, which they did. The Yang
Wei cleared for action and took poei-
ton about 1000 yards off from the Mat
sushima's port bow and kept it..
The Yang Wei is an unarmored steel
cruiser of 1850 tons displacement and
was built in 1881 in England at cost of
81. 1.o00,0 900. Her length is 210 feet and
her speed 16 knots. Her armament
consisted of one 101a-inoh 38ton gun.
one 9inch 25-ton gun, six 5.inch, 10
Hotchkiss and six machine guns.
The Matsushims is an unarmored
steel cruiser of 4277 tons, built in France
in 1890, and has a speed OF 171a knots.
Her armament consisted of one 12-inch
45-ton Canet rife. III 34inch Sc pound
rapid-fring guns. IL Hotchkiss and six
Nordenfeldt machine guns. The 12.inch
rife was carried in 12-inch arbette.
The Yang Wei was commanded by
Captain Kwong Chow. but Lieutenant
Lii Yang, who had spent eight years at
the Annapolis naval academy, fought
the ship.
FIRST GUN OF THE WAR.
Says the engineer, continuing hin
story:
"We continued our speed and drew
the Japanese admiral on until we had
the Matsushima out OF sight of the rest
OF the feet. We had run about 40 miles
when at six bells OH the morning watch,
word was passed again to stand by for
action. Suddenly our starboard engine
was reversed full speed. the helm was
put hard aport and the Yang Wei spun
around on her keel, and facing the Mat
sushims, gave her l01a.inch shell out
of the 3S.ton gun, whicn struck her in
the port bow and exploded in her SEQ.
ondary battery.
"That ehot tore an enormous hole in
her upper deck and disabled three Of
her guns. 1t was the first gun of tha
war.
Then followed some OF the cleversst
maneuvering on record. Orders poured
into the engine room thick and fast.
We rushed past the Matsuahima on the
return tack and brought our three ak
inch guns to play on her secondary bst-
terry, at the same time covering her alter
guns with a perfect stream OF Hotchkisa
three. pound shells and Nordenfeldt and
Mackim bullets.
THE Japanese could not work one Of
their guns. The shower OF bullets thar
the Yang Wsi poured into the port holes
OF the othsr vessel rendered it impossi-
BILE for her gun crews to stay at their
posts. We had the Matsushima badly
crippled before We received return
shot.
1--WE passed astern, and as our after
25-ton gun came to bear on her after
barbette, where she bad 49aton gun.
we gave her nine-inch shell. 1t struck
the barbette and exploded.
THE JAPs' FIRST SHOT.
1--WE Immediately reversed our port
engine and then went full opesd astern
on both. The effect Of this maneuver
was to bring our starboard battery to
bear on her starboard battery. and the
Matsushims received another telling
blow in vital part. We gave her our
three six-inch starboard guns. The
shells beat in the after end of her star
hoard battery. Almost the same in-
stans we received shell from her 49,
ton after gun. 1t was the first shot she
had been able to ERE.
''rhe shell struck the after gun Of our
secondary battery ON the starboArd side
and exploded, fortunately not amid