Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-10-21
THE YALU RIVER BATTLE.
DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE JAPA-
MISE NAVAL VICTORY.


cial TO the Associated Press from Yo-
kohama gives further details OF the
battle Of Yalu river.
1t says Japanese Admiral Ito while
at the mouth of the Daido river. was
advised OF the approach OF the Chinese
fleet and transports. He set sail with
all the men Of war that could be Inn
meditely summoned. the Natsuhima.
the flagship, Hashldate Itsukohima,
Toshino. Tackachiho, Akitsuhima,
Naniwa, Chyoda, Fuse Akag. and
Hiyei. Accompanying these was the
Saik0. a merchant steamer, which
would not have Joined the expedition
but for the desire OF Admiral Niscount
Kabayama. naval chief OF stan. who
could not resist he temptation to wit
ness the engagement.
Between II and / o'clock fourteen
Chinese ships and six torpedo boats,
were discovered, the Ting Yuen. the
flagship Chen Xuen, Ching Yuen, Chih
Yuen. High Yuen, Chao Yuen. Yang
Wei Yuen, Kidnapping and two 9th
ers name still unknown. OF these, the
iirst six carried lSrupp guns OF thirty,
| fifteen and twenty-one centlmeters
and the next two 25-tOn Armstrong;.
They commenced firing at 1000 me-
| tres distance The japanese reserved
( their first discharge until another
| thousand metres had been covered
| Then came serious lighting between
| the Chinese right and Japanese left
/ the flagship leading the onslaught. BY
o'clock the contest became general.
Both lines maintained their post
tions an hour. when the Chinese
| showed signs Of wagering. Three
ships were sunk, one after another, the
crews climbing into the rigging and
/ signalling wildly for help. These
We're the Lai Yuen, Chi Yuen and Chao
I Yuen.
As soon as they were disposed of, the
| Japanese ships directed their assault
| against the immense German built
| vessels at the head of the Chinese col
| unn. for a long time without effect OH
| the heavy steel plates which protected
4 them. AT last a lucky shell struck the
/ Ting Yuen little above the water
| line and seemed TO pierce her armor
| through and through, a thick body OF
! smoke rising from the flagship. She
was set ON fire and remained burning
/ up to the hour Of her hasty departure.
| Whatever her condition was, she sue
1 ceeded In innlctlng heavy punishment
upon her chief adversary. The Mat
sushima was struck by two 12-inch
| shells, which upset one gun and eN-
| ploded the ammunition among the
crew and setting the ship on fire, which
was subdued only with great din
Guilty.
The Matshushlma withdrew, Admiral
Ito transferring his flag - the Hash
idnte.
Meanwhile three other japanese ves-
sells underwent extremely rough treat
ment. The Sail,lo lost control Of her
rudder In much closer proximity than
was desirable to the Ting Yuon and
Chen Yuen. As she could not avoid
them she made directly for them. In
the belief that she was ABOUT to ram
them. the two huge ships departed
allowing the Salio a passage through
which to escape. Torpedoes were dis
charged Mt her without avail,
The Hiyle was deluged with mis-
siles. and she was set on FIRE. when
she had lost twenty killed and three
wounded she fell out of line, but. meet
ing a transport she obtained assis-
lance quenching the flames, handed
over the wounded and returned with
all speed TO take up the work where
she left OF In this she was disap-
pointed FOR the enemy had flown.
The ASugi small gunbont, was
badly ovcrmHtchcd; her commander
was killed, and she lost mast which
rendered her uumauageable. and she
found It necessary TO withdraw About
the time Admiral Ito left the Matsu-
ahlma. the disorder in the Chinese fleet
indicated that the contest would not
be prolonged. Three ships had been
sunk, and the fourth, the Yang Wei,
was half destroyed and abandoned; the
Ting Yucn was on Ere and the entire
force was thoroughly demornlized
A little later, after ! o'clock the flag
ship took the lead in a retreat towards
some stations. -Four fast stoaming
Japanese cruisers were detailed, fol-
lowed and cut or escape but torpedoes
made # imperative for the japanese 10
exercise caution, and, therefore, no
further contest resulted.
Examinations show that none OF the
japanese vessels received damages that
cannot be repaired with slight cost or
labor. All but the four referred to so
far were free from Injury, and could
have gone into action the following day.
The loss OF life was the largest on the
MntsuohimA -Four officers ana thirty
nine men were killed and seventy OH
GERS and men wounded The total loss
was ten officers ana siNty-nne men
hllCd, 100 officers and men wounded.