The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-10-03
HOW THEY FIGHT IN THE EAST.
The Chinese and Japane1e Vessels Circle d
Around l. .ch D fe.'.


morrow morning Will publish dts
patch from its poDde1t at Che
Foo, who sends an account Cf the naval
battle at ! Ialu furnished by g naval Of
| iicer who was present. The account s
mainly repetition Of previous reports,
but adds that conclusion of the first
discharge OF the guns of the Ting Iuen
threw everybody off the bridge OF the
ship. The Japenese ships appeared in
column of divisions, the lines ahead Of
the divisions icing disposed aSeam.
| Coming closer they tried to form q line
| abreast.
The Chinese ships started in sections
| line abreast at rate Of seven knots an
hour. AS they came nearer the Jap
anese appeared to form in quarter liue
to which the Chinese replied by turning
two points to the starboard, thus keep.
pToacning within 4, 400 yards the whole
Japanese fleet seemed to turn eight
points to port, thereby forming single
line ahead and, steaming across the
Chinese line, turned It's StarbOrd wing.
The Chinese were unable to keep
pace with the enemy and endeaVored
to follow their movements by keeping
bow on them 2s the japanese ships,
ciIcled around, maintaining the while
a heavy bombardment. The Japanese
fleet that kept in the thick Of the fight
consisted of six ships of the Iuen
class
The Japanese Ship5, having omplet-
ed one circle hauled off to distance
oe ic,hf h,n
through an evolution with the object
of separating into two divisions, the
first consisting Of seven OF their best
known and sWifest cruisers aud the
second of five inferior ships, which
stood off soma distance. The battle
thus arranged itself into two groups,
four Chinese cruisers beco ming en-
gagged with the second division, while
two iroaclads, the Chen Yuen anu Ting
Yuen, attacked the first division.
The lighting in the second division
was irregular and diff cult to follow. 1t
ended in the Japanese disappearing il
the direction Of Hal Young Tar. The
first japanese divIson carried on the
fight with the ironclad5 bv circling
round at distance of 4,500 yards.
The Chen Yuen and Ting Yuen kept
together, folio owing the enemys move.
ments ina SIN aller circle, the whole
evolution taking spiral form. O;ca-
siooally the distance between the op.
posing slips was reduced to 1000 yards,
and once to 1900 yards.
The japanese aimed at keeping a long
distance away so as to avail themselves
of their superior speed and make the
most Of their quick lcing guns, which
vastly excelled the Chinese guns.
The object of the Chinese was to come
to close quarters so as to use their slow
firing guns Of large calibre with full ef-
feet.
The firing continued between the
Chinese iron clads and the Japanese 1st
division until nearly o'clock in the af-
ternoon. The quick firing guns gave
the latter an immense advantage scat
tering showers of splinters, occasional
ly setting the Chinese ships on fire and
riddling everything that was not pro-
tected by armor.
During the action one Of the smaller
Jananese ships was seen with her pro-
peller out Of water and her bow nearly
under. Another was seen to be on fire
enVeloped In flames and apparently
sinking.
The Yeshino and Matsushima were
burning ierceIy, the former, after re-
ceiying two shots each from the Ting
Yuen and Chen Yuea, was eaveloped
In cloud of white smoke. which lay
heavily on the water and completely
covered the ships,
The Chinese vessels waited for the
clouds TO clear and got their port guns
ready, but before the Yosnino got visi-
ble their fire was diverted by a Japa.
nese vessel of the Matsushima type,
which came on at distance of 2,2OO
yards on the port quarter. The guns
that were laid for the Yo5nino were
fired at the neW conner, with the result
that she began to return. Whether
these three Japanese ships received
mortal injury is uncertain.
In the latter part of the battle the
Chinese ironclads ran short of comm on
shell and continued the action with
steel shot. This was effective as the
Japanese vessels had no armor. The
two ironclads fired one hundred and
ninety-seVen rounds with tWelYe-inch
guns, and two hundred and slXty-three
rounds with six-inch guns.
About o'clock the Ting Yuen was
badly on fire forward, the smoke imped-
ing the working of the fore turret. Be-
fore 5 o'clock the japanese had ceased
firing and the distance between the
fleets was rapidly increasing.
In regard to the conclusions to be
drawn from the battle 1t may be said
the Chinese battle ships proved formi-
dabie. The Chinese ironclads stood
the battering of the heavy, quick. fl ing
guns admirably. Their upper struc5-
ure were severely damaged but not
shot penetrated vital part.
a bullet protection OF the twelve inch |
guns was most effective, very few men
being wounded within the barbettes. |
The barbette turrets were as intact at. |
ter the action as before. Tnis fact, |
however, coupled with the fact that !
the six inch guns at both ends Of the |
ships which we've only slightly protect
ed were also undamaged, seems to in |
djcate that the destructive effect was |
due to the enormous number of project |
lies from the quick firing guns rather |
than to the Skilled direction of the |
shots.
The mar co AYERS of the japanese first |
divisions excited great admiration. |
Taking advantage OF their speed AID
the long range of their guns, they al
ways kept at the distance that suited |
them, maintaining perfect order |
throughout the fight, attempting moth |
Aft rr1 fT,rp
within destructive range of the heayl-
est guns.