The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-10-03
4 CHINESE TRAFALGAR.
THE JAPANESE WIN a DE-
CISIVE NAVAL VICTORY.

Vhe Fleets OF the Two Oriental
Belligerents Fight Great Sea
Battle Of the Mouth Of the Ya1u
Rfver-Four Warships Lost-Tht
Japs Capture Big Booty.
The Central News Shanghai correspond
ent telegraphs that advices from Chinese
sources report severe naval engagement al
the mouth Of the Talu River, between the
Chinese northern squadron and the Japan
ese fleet. The battle lasted six hours. Dur.
ing the fight the Chinese warships Yang
| Wei and Chao Yune caught fire and
were burned and run ashore, and the
Chih Yuen and King Yuen were sunk.
No Japanese ships were sunk. The treas
ure captured at Ping-Yang amounted to
-S8,000.000.
4 despatch to the Central News from
| Shanghai, says: "a number of officers who
were engaged In the naval battle at the
Yalu River have arrived at Port Arthur with
half o dozen warsaips, badly damaged and
| filed with wounded men,"
The despatch states that Admiral
Ting's fleet left port to convoy seven
steam transports, conveying large force Of
troops- A number Of Europeans In the ser.
vice OF the Chinese Admiralty accompanied
the troops, which were to be landed near
Wlpi, from which point they were to be sent
to the front. These troops comprised some
artillery, but were mostly composed OF In
fantry. Nothing was seen Of the enemy un-
til the Chinese feet reached the mouth Of the
Yalu River, when a feet Of japanese war
ships was sighted. Thereupon the
transports were hurried forward and the
warships were cleared for action. The eff
forts Of the transports to land the troops
were successful, and most Of them were
gotten ashore before the naval battle began.
The Chen Yuen was the first vesselto open
fire, and was soon engaged With two Japan
ese warships of about the same size, one OF
which is supposed to have been the cruiser
Chiyoda. Soon all the vessels of both fleets
were engaged. Tho Chinese cruisers Chih
Yuen and King Yuen were sunk, and 600
officers and men on board Of them were
drowned. Only q few OF the men struggling
IN the water were picked up.
The Chao Yung and Yang Wei; In manoeu-
vring for more advantageous positions, got
into shallow water and ran aground. The
stranded vessels were helpless under the fire
OF the big guns OF the japanese ships, anu
were finally set on fire by the enemy's shells
and became wrecks.
It was feared that some Of the transport
ships were sunk, including onewhose troops
had not set been landed. The Chinese loss
is estimated at 1900 killed and wounded, and
the Japanese loss is supposed to be 1000 but
none Of the Chinese officers giving accounts
OF the:battle knew the names or size Of the
four vessels OF the enemy which are alleged
to have been destroyed. -
Taking the Chinese best view of the bat
tie, it Is plain that the encounter has re-
suited IN seriously cripphne the naval
strength OF China.
Dispatches from Shanghai say that de-
spite the previous despatch stating that the
Chinese warship Chen Yuen was sunk In the
engagement of the mouth ofthe Yalu River,
II seems certain that she was not sunk,
though she Is badly damaged. At the same
time, It seems equally certain that the Chen
Yuen and the otner Chinese ships mentioned
were sent to the bottom as stated.
The captain of the Chinese turret ship Tst
Yuen, which withdrew from the engagement
and witnessed the fight from distance, re-
ported that he saw tour Japanese vessels
sunk.
Great CONSERVATION prevails In the palace
at Pekin. The Emperor is determined to
take the dagenent OF affairs into his own
hands, but this step is not looked upon with
favor By the Government officers, who con-
slider such course as beneath the dignity OF
His Majesty.