The herald., 1894-10-07

plosion took out our port after gun and
killed two gun crews, total of 10 men.
The shot also took out our main mast
and ripped off the whole OF the port
after end of the upper deck. The effect
OF the explosion downwards was to com.
pletely wreck the deck. A Jagged hole
IA feet In diameter was left in the deck,
and broken timbers, bent deck beams,
torn steel plates and manglsd human
bodies were piled up on all sides. II
was sight to remember for lifetime" +"
A HAND TO HAND STRUGGLE.
From that on it was a grim hand to
hand struggle. The effect of shot de-
pended good deal upon guess work.
Both vessels were snveloped in smoke,
and maneuvering was almost out of the
question.
Said the engineer: ''The two vessels
followed each other around in q circle
like two pagilists in q ring. each en-
desvoring to keep her bow facing the
other so as to offer the smallest target.
1t was difficult to keep track of things
from that time. Nothing in particular
happened and everything was happen
ing. The smoke WAS SO dense that the
only mark for the gunners was the fash
of the enemy's guns.
I'm two hours time from the begin
ming of the action all our guns were dis.
abled except our big guns fore and aft.
Two OF our 6-inch guns were knocked
overheard. and the rest were thrown
inboard and disabled. The upper deck
was q mass of ruins. The Japanese
were only replying to us with three
S-inch guns. though her after gun was
still in working order. The troRbls was
that she could not bring it to bear. We
kept continually crossing her bows, and
the gun was as good "a helpless unless
she could swing her stern around
70 face US. Thus things went
on for some little time. We were con-
sinually sndeavoring to keep without
the range OF her big gun aft. aud at the
Eame time bring our forward gun to bear
on her coming tower She finally,
however. succeeded in slipping around a
bit and landed one of her big shells. 1t
struck it's mark. The shell burst right
under our 25-ton gun aft. The big gun
was completely uprooted and its screen
was thrown back into the general wreck
OF the after part OF the secondary bat
terry. The steering gear was completely
disabled and wrecked, and the after part
of the main and lower decks were ripped
AOWh w tAO ntCCl BtOtCtloQ QcCAs
That was not all the damage done by
this one shell. The guns crew of IA
men and the servers below were killed,
besides no one knows how many more.
TRAGIC INCIDENT.
"Ihe next instant one OF the most
tragic incidents OF the fight occurred.
Throughout the whole engagement the
Chinese gunners had not displayed the
slightest bit of fear. The mangled bod
les of their comrades were strewn about
the decks and were piled about the
wreckage. Shells were exploding all
around them, but still they fought like
Intelligent machines. When the after
gun was blown up, however, the man at
she forwsrd gun, which Lieutenant Liv-
ingston himself was endeavoring to
train on the Japenese coming tower,
became scared and ran below. Ii Yang
realized the necessity of the situation.
One well directed shot from the forward
gun would end the struggle. If he could
land shell against the coming tower
OF the Matsushima the fight would be
won. He e-ealled to his men to return to
their poss. They would not obey his
orders."
Then, sAid the engineer. eli Yang
drew his revolver and fred six shots.
Six OF the gunners dropped dead. The
other II returned to the gun.
within Jew seconds Ii Yang had
the gun trained on the coming tower.
The shell struck it below the armor and
exploded. The whole thing went into
the air, and there was big splash.
What was left of the mainmast was also
carried overheard, and the remains of
the shattered bridge were blown into the
air and thrown into the water. The
funnel was also wrecked by the explo.
sion. 1t had previously been riddled
with small shot. The sheIl knocked It
over and it fell back, leaning aft. The
Japanese admiral was in the coming
tower directing the movements of the
vessel. When it was struck by the
shell the admiral and several of his
officers were killed.
THAT was the last shot OF the en-
pagement. When the smoke cleared
away the Chinese flag was floating over
she Matsushima. She had surrendered"
AWFUL SCENES OF CARNAGE.
His description of the vessel after the
engagement and the awful scenes of
carnage her decks presented 90 q long
way to substantiate the assertion that
civilized countries will never engage in
combat with their modern engines of
destruction. No country can afford the
loss of life entsiled.
In bis narrative of the battle be ex-
planned how the Yang Wei moved down
on the Mateuehima when the latter
struck. All firing had ceased on both
vessels, and it WAS the intention of the
Chinese to sink the Japanese flagship.
just how this was to be done the en-
gineer did not know. The Yang Wei
was not fitted with torpedo tn bes, nor
was she built for rgmming. but the Eng
lishmsn thinks the Mongoian con-
mander intended TO board his helpless
adversary and blow her up. Her sides
and decks were open in dozen places.
A TIMELY RESCUE.
Slowly the Yang Wei dropped down
upon her victim. The Japanese had
three guns left intact, bat were not
using them. No noise or confusion OF
Rny kind could be heard in the ship.
The Japanese evidently realized that
they were done for and we're awaiting
the pleasure of the enemy. Before
action could be taken, the Japanese
tieet could be seen approaching through
the smoke which hung low upon the
water. The ak ships came tearing along
under full steam and were all within
range before the Chinese knew Of the
reinforcements.
The moment the Japanese sighted
their game they opened q hot FIRE.
which the Chinese vessel did not take