The record-union., 1894-09-21
Special TO the RECoRD-UNToN.

LONDON, Sept. 20.-A dispatch from
! Tien Tsin says: From Chinese officers
! with dispatches who arrived here and
later messages from Port Arthur, full
narrative of the naval battle OF Yalu is
! obtanable.
| Admiral Ting, commanding the
Chinese northern squadron, was in
! structed by the Council of War here to
convoy six transports and to land the
4 troops, guns and stores at Yo Chow.
/ from which base China intended to re-
new operations in Corea. The battle
ships Ting 1uen, Chen Yuen, King
! 4uen, Ping 4uen, Ii Yuen and Tsi
| Iuen. and the cruisers Chi Yuen, Ching
1uen, Chao 4uen, Yang We, Kwang
hal and Wang Tin, together with four
/ torpedo boats escorted the transports.
/ They arrived at the entrance of the Talu
River early Monday morning, and the
] disem barkation proceeded rapidly, the
transports steaming into the river while
the warshlpS anchored outside. At IL
O'Clock smoke on the horizon indicated
/ the approach OF large hOtilla. The situ-
alton was grasped Immediately, and Ad-
miral Ting gave orders for the weighing
4 OF anchors and the placing of the ships in
! battle array. His position was difficult
one. Ii ne remained near the shore his
movements would be cramped, and if he
steamed out for sea room he ran the risk
! OF a Japanese cruiser or torpedo boat run
ming in among his transports. lie
chose the lesser of the two evils. and
| formed a fighting line TO guard the
| estuary in single column in the following
order from port to starboard Yang We,
Che Yuen, Tsi Yuen, King Yuen, Ting
Yuen, Ii Yuen, Chin Yuen, Ping Yuen,
Ching Yuen and Chao Yuen.
AS a fighting line, and to meet any
Japanese ship which might succeed in
forcing the lighting line, the Kwang Kai
and Wang Tin, with four torpedo boats,
were stationed at the mouth of the river
! The japanese fleet approached at full
speed until within range. Then they ad-
| vanced in columns forming into two
lines. Nine ironclad cruisers formed the
! fighting line, while three gunboats and
tive torpedo boats formed the second line.
Firing commenced forthwith. The guns
on both sides were worked increasingly
at long range, and hits were infrequent
The Japanese crept close, and the gunners
made better progress. The Ting Yuen
was the first to suffer, shell bursting in
| her battery.
From the outset the Japanese directed
a powerful fire upon the Chinese battle
ships Chen Yuen and Ting Yuen. For
ninety minutes terrific cannonade con-
/ tinued. The result was that one Japanese
cruiser, reported to have been the Saiko,
was placed out of action. one Chinese
officer declared he saw her sink.
In the meantime the two big guns on
the Chen Yuen were disabled and the other
ships showed signs of damage Both
fleets were under easy steam, the jap
anese maneuvering, while the Chinese
held their original positions. Suddenly
two of the Japanese cruisers sought to
break through the Chinese line on the
starboard side. Three torpedo boats
swiftly pursued them. The Chen Yuen
and the Chang Yuen went at full speed
astern to avoid a catastrophe. The boats
fired their torpedoes, but the nets about
the Japanese cruisers stopped them. In
the meantime other guns were brought to
bear upon the cruisers, which are be-
lieved To have been the AkitsuShiIna and
the y 9Oshimo. They were beaten back by
the weight of metal in an almost helpless
state. Chinese officers declare they both
sank.
j The Chinese had Jared little better, for
the Chang Yuen had been several times
hulled and pierced upon the water line
while the Chen Yuen had stranded while
trying to evade the japanese torpedo
boats. All attempts to float her had been
frustrated by the fire directed against her.
Finally she burst into flames from shells.
The big guns OF the Chen Yuen were
disabled, but she remained in the fight
IL
chine guns. The Isl Yuen retired to be-
yond the lines and the King Yuen was in
a terrible plight n shell burst through
her decks and set fire to her, and with the
flames bursting from her she slowly
settled.
A score of times the Japanese sought
to break through the Chinese line. but
until the last the Chinese guns were able
to stop them, and the Japanese never
reached the transports. The Chinese
vessels gave way before the attacks, and
while doing so, the Yang Wei stranded
stern first. Her fate was similar to that of
the Chen Yuen.
The Chi uen was nothing more than a
walowing wreck when struck by a tor
pedo aud she sank with all on board.
The scene was now appalling. The guns
on several of the ships on both sides were
disabled, and the great ships rolled heav-
lily. The streams of green water pouring
from most OF them showed that the steam
pumps were working incessantly and
testified to the extent of the damage in
flicted. Some OF the Chinese ships had
exhausted their ammunition during the
last hours fighting.
More than one of the Japanese sbips
seemed To be on the point of laundering
1t was not until dark, however. that the
firing ceased and the battered Japanese
fleet departed in double line formation.
Toward morning the remnants OF the
|
for Port Arthur, which was safely
, reached.
The damage to the best Chinese shin is
so extensive that it can scarcely be re-
paired before winter The officers saw
both sides showed the most furious cour-
) age.
FOUR CHINESE VESSELS LOST
LONDON, Sept. 20.-A dispatch from To-
kio, dated to-day, says that the naval de-
partment has received a dispatch from the
Admiral commanding the japanese fleet
+ in the Gulf of Chi Ii to the effect that he
. engaged the enemy on Monday last and
inflicted heavy loss. A Japanese fleet
consisting of nine warships. two fast
transports, armed and converted into
cruisers, had been in search of the
enemy's fleet, which was sighted at
noon Monday, thirty miles east of the
} Island of Hal Young Pao. The Japanese
. pursued the enemy at full speed. The
Chinese showed no disposition to alter
their course, or to give battle. The chase
, lasted little over an hour, the Japanese
gaining.
Shortly after l o'clock the cruiser Chi
Yota got within range of the Chinese flag
ship, the guns opened fire on her and a
, running fight ensued. Several ships on
: both sides were quickly engaged. This
1 lasted for two hours. The Chinese tran
sports entered the Yalu River safely dur