Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-09-21
Some Chinese Reverses.


Further intelligence Is published regar1-
Ing the Chinese war vessel Kwang-Yi. which
made good her escape after the engagement
On July 25. According to the report Ola
Japanese search party, the Kwang-Yt was
found lying in shallow water in small bay
lust west of Caroline Bay. She was a per-
sect wreck. 1t is thought that the vessel was
struck in several places In the hull, and that
In running away she took the ground, and
when the officers realized that they could
not get her off they fired the magazine and
ran. Near the quick-tiring guns on the
starboard side a number of bodies were
found II the commanders cabin near the
mast were compasses, signal flags, etc., and
three corpSes standing erect. One was sup
posed to be the commander. Several shot
holes were noticed just above the water
line showing that the Japanese gunners did
their work we'll. The wreck bore testimony
of the terrible power of quick-hring and
other modern guns.
A detailed account Is now available of the
Chinese defeat at Seikwan. The Chinese
camp was situated on hill ut Seikwan, an
important position on the Gazan-Or 1ashan
road, about seventeen miles from Gazan.
In front of the hill are rice paddles and
marshes. crossed in the middle by little
stream which runs into GaZan Bay, AMI
narrow path leads up to the hill. 1t was
position easy to defend and hard to attack.
At midnight the Japanese army began to
move. the two wings forming two separate
companies. AS has already been said, tn re
was only one path to the hill, and there was
a bridge over the stream which had to be
crossed. The main body crossed the bridge
at o'clock, but when tho last detachment
was on the point of crossing, about three,
over five hundred Chinese troops in ambush
near the bank cut off the bridge and opened
fire on the detachment at about thirty or
forty metres distance. The Japanese troops
were at first confused, but finally rallied,
rushed upon the Chinese with shout and
bore them down. In this skirmish, on tho
Japanese side six men were killed by tho
enemy, seventeen or eighteen We're drowned,
and fifteen or sixteen were wounded, though
the fight had only lasted fifteen minutes.
The Chinese fed, leaving behind eighteen or
nineteen killed, among whom was an Off-
cer and two prisoners. All was then quiet
for two hours. At o'clock the japanese
opened fire, and the two wings attacked the
Chinese at the Same time. The Chinese be-
gan to retreat toward Gazan, and at half
past seven-that is. after an hour and hall
the battle was over.
The Japanese officers praise highly tho
skill of the Chinese artillery at this fight
The Chinese loss may be computed at over
100 killed and 400 wounded, making total
of over 500. The japanese loss in the sec
ond fight was a little over twenty wounde1.
The behavior of the Chinese General Che
utterly belied his reputation, and shovel
him to be man of no great military attain
ments, for when the japanese troops attacked
his camp he deserted it, threw away his uni
form as an encumbrance to flight, AMI left
behind papers which, as General. he should
never have allowed to leave his side. 1t is
not known where he fled.
The Japanese army pursued the Chinese
for twelve miles to Yoran, little village
about five miles from Gazan. AS Chinese
attack was expected that night, a strict out
look was Kept, but the night passed quietly.
At four o'clock the next morning (30th) the
army marched upon Gazan. 1t was expected
that the Chinese would make desperate
stand at Gazan, and there was general
boding that the storlning of Gazan would be
attended with heavy losses, but on arrival
here the army found, to its astonishment,
that the trenches were deserte /, with many
hundreds of thousands Of rounds Of powder
and six or seven hundred bags Containing
to to each) of rice. They had all fei to
Koshu, only fifty remaining behind at Gazan.
These had attempted a night attack on tho
outpost, but had been repulsed.