The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-21
THAT RECENT BATTLE.
Both Chinese and Japanese Showed
Ferocious Courage.

London. Sept. 20 "A dispatch from
Iien Tsin says:
From Chinese Offices, with dis
patches, who arrived here, ard later
messages from Port Arthur, 4 full nar-
rative of the naval battle CT Nalu is
obtainable.
Admiral Ting, commanding the
Chinese northern squadron, vas in
structed by the council of war here to
convey six transports and to land
troops, guns and stores at 4o Chow,
from which base China intended to re-
new operations in Corea. The battle
ehirs Ting Yuen. Chen Yuen, Ping
Yuen. Lii Yuen and Isl Vuen and the
cruisers Chi Yuen, Ching Yuen, Chao
Yuen, Wang We, Kwang kai and
Wang Tin, together with four torpedo
boats, escorted the transports. They
arrived at the entrance % the Vain
river, early Monday morning, and the
Decentralization proceeded rapidly, the
transports steaming into the river while
the warships anchored outside.
At IL O'clock, smoke on the horizon
indicated the approach of a large flo
tilla. The situation was grasped i'm
snediately. and Admiral Ting gave or
ders for the weighing of anchors and
the placing of the ships in battle array.
His position was difficult one. II he
1nents would be cramped, and if he
steamed out for sea-room he ran the
risk of a Japanese cruiser or torpedo
boat running in among his transports.
He chose the lesser of two evils. and
formed a fighting line to guard the es-
tuary in a single column in the follow
ing order from port to starboar3: Yang
We, Chi Yuen, Isl Yuen, King Yuen,
Ting Yuen. Ii Yuen, Chin Yuen. Ping
Yuen, Ching Yuen, and ChaQ Yuen. AS
a second fighting line and to meet any
Japanese ship which might succeed in
forcing the fighting 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
advanced in columns, forming into two
lines. Nine ironclad cruisers formed
the fighting line, while three gunboats
and five torpedo boats formed the sec
ono line Firing commenced forthwith
The guns on both sides were worked
increasingly at long range. and the hits
were infrequeDt. The japanese crept
close and the gunners made better pro-
gress. 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
tinUed. The result was that enc jap
anese 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 Luen were disabled and
the other ships showed signs of damage.
Both fleets were under easy steam.
the Japanese manoeuvering. while the
Chinese held their original positions.
Suddenly two of the Japanese cruisers
sought 10 break through the Chinese
line on the starboard side. Three tor
pedo boats swiftly pursued them
The Chin Yuen and Chang Yuen went
at full speed astern to avoid a catas-
trophe. The boats fired their tropedoes,
but the nets about the Japanese cruis-
ers stopped them. In the meantime,
other guns were brought to bear upon
the cruisers, which are believed to have
been the Alxitsushina and the Yoshi-
RIO. They were beaten back by the
weight of metal in an almost helpless
state. chinese officers declare both
sank. The Chinese had Jared little
better, for the Chin Yuen had been