Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-14

sisnt number Of cruisers they could have
ter were hampered by the transports their
feet was conveying. Similarly. the Chi
reese with q sufficient number Of cruisers
could have fought the japanese at sea in
stead Of inshore. where their maneuverfng
was impeded- The cruisers also could have
warned Admiral Ting Of the approach of
the japanese feet early enough for him to
prevent the latter from reaching his trans
ports
Contir uing. Lord Beresford said that the
accounts of the battle so far received bear
out the opinion Of the naval experts who held
that the power of cffeEse of modern fleets
Is Infinitely superior to their defensive
powers, and that many ships must, almost
certainly, be lost or crippled when fleets
are equally matched. Thus" he said, in
cor cit sion. 'in future naval wars the issue
must depend largely upon the class and
strength Of the reverse vessels of either
side"
EVIL of Hugging the Shore.
NEW YORK. September 22.-An Asso-
ciated Press reporter handed to Rear Ad-
miral Gherardi a dispatch from London
last night relative TO the recent decisive
naval engagement between China and
Japan. The rear admiral said that he had
watched events In China and Japan very
closely. He did not care which whipped"
TT was" he added, "a case of the Kill
kenny cats"
Hugging the shore he pointed out as be-
ing directly opposed to Capt. Mahan's
fundamental principle. and In this connec-
ton the rear admiral remarked: II sub
scribe to that. but of course. in this par
tfcular case, and speaking at such a dis
lance, II would not be prudent for me TO
offer an opinion. 1 do not know the coast Z"
From all he had read of the facts. however
and being a thorough believer in Capt. Ma
hans sound judgment and great naval skill.
he was with the captain of the opinion that
the evil of land hugging had caused the in
evitable results, which in this case had
proved most disastrous. A great mistake.
he thought, had been made in having in
Chen Yuen the barbette instead Of the guns
in echelon. which would have saved a gun
ship from being reduced to the level of a
small cruiser. Admiral Gherardi agrees
with others that small cruisers are more
effectual than big battle ships, and as il
Illustrating this had noted how much better
the smaller ships had Jared than their
larger colleagues.
In conclusion, the rear admiral again re-
marked:
Yes; 1t Is quite true the praises OF one of
cur navy commanders have been again loud
ly sung in London. but not for the first time
CT undeservedly, either"
Concise md Comprehensive.
The New York Herald's European edi-
ton publishes the following from its cor
respondent:
SHANGHAI. September 81. 1s94.-The
true report of the naval battle of the
mouth Of the Yalu river is as follows:
There were eleven Japanese and fourteen
Chinese ships with six torpedo boats
engaged.
The Chinese losses in ships were the
Yang-wei. 1850 tons; the Chao-Yung, 1850
tons. and the Lai-Yuen, $500 tons.
These were sunk by the Japanese.
The flagship Ting-Yuen. 1870 tons. sis
ter ship to the Chen-Yuen. and king-Yuen.
300 tons, and the Ping-Yuen caught fire.
Five Of the rest were damaged
OF the japanese fleet the Akagi, an unar-
mored vessel of CD tons; the Matsusima, a
deck protected cruiser of 4.27S tons. and the
Hijei. an armor-clad of 2,2sl tons, were
damaged.
Nine Japanese officers and thirty men
were killed and 16O were wounded.
Japanese achievements In COrea.
Corea, dated September 16. says that thirty
two Japanese transports, conveyed by a
fleet of the waiships of Japan, have ar
rived at that port bringing achievements.
The latter, the dispatch adds, consists of
1000 soldiers and 5000 coolies, with 1000
pack horses, several pontoon bridges and
batteries of mountain guns. The reinforce
ments were hurried forward to Seoul the
capital of Ccrea, where. 1t is said. an at
tack upon the part of the Chinese is ex-
pected.
Chinese May Attack.
A special dispatch received here from
Shanghai today says that it is rumored
there that the Chinese southern fleet is on
its way north, and that it will take ad-
vantage of the alleged helpless condition
of the Japanese fleet and make an attack
upon some prominent japanese port.
A mercantile firm of this city has re-
ceived a dispatch from Yokohama asking
that representations be made to the British
government which will result in sending
gunboat to protect the British residents,
whose lives are reported to be in danger.
1t Ia announced that the government has
decided to increase the number of British
vessels on the China station, and with this
object In view the first-class twin-screw
cruiser Gibraltar. 100 tons, 10000 horse
power. and carrying twelve guns, will be
Immediately commissioned.