The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-09-21
!! Was tho Most Terrific Naval En-
gagemont OF The Present
Century
Japanese Seek to Force tho
Chinese Limo and Sink
Many Ships.
Their BATTERED Navy 1s Finally Forced 20
Retro but Does So Ia Splendid
Double Order.


Tsin aays; From Chinese officers with dis-
patches who arrived here and later mos
snges from Port Arthur full narrative OF
the naval battle on Yalu Is obtainable.
Admiral Ting, commanding the Chinese
northern squadron. was inItrne,sd by the
council OF war hsfe 10 convey six trans
ports and TO land troops. guns and
stores at Yo Chow. from which base
China intended 10 renew operations In
CoFeh. The battloships Ting Yuen, Chen
Yuen. King Yuen. Ping Yusn, III Yuen and
Tai Yuen, and this cruisers Chi Yuen. Ching
Yuen, ChAo YueD. Yang We. KwanQ Kai
and Wang Tin. together with four torpedo
boats, escorted tho transports. They AZ
rived at the entrances OF ths Yalu
river carly Monday morning and dis.
embarkstion proceeded rapidly, the
transports steaming into the river while
the warships anchored outside. Az III
o'clock smoke on tho horizon indicated the
approach OF a large fotilla, The situation
was Rraspsd Immediately. mud Admiral
Ting gave orders for the weighing OF an
chors and placing OF the shipa 10 battle
array. His position was o difficult one.
| II be remained near shors his movements
would be crampsd, and II he steamed out
for sea room he ran the risk Of q japanese
cruiser or 4 torpedo Loat running In among
his transpo u. He chose the lesser
of the two evils and formed q fighting line
10 qua q the estuary In single column In the
following order from port TO stnrbosrd:
Yang We. Chi Yusn. Tai Yuen. King Yuen.
Ting Yusn. Ii iuen. Chen Yusn, Ping
Yuen, Ching Yusn and Chao Yuen. As the
second fighting line. and 10 meet anv jap
nese ship which might suecsed In forcing
the fighting line, the KvAng Kai and Wang
| Tin. with four torpeo boats. were stationed
al the mouth Of the river.
The Japanese fleet approached nt full
speed. until within iauge. Then they ad-
vanosd In columns forming into two lines.
Nine ironolad cruisers 70 med the fighting
line. while three gun boats and hve to pedo
boats formed n second line. The fling
commenced forthwith. The guns Of both
sides were worked Increasingly at long
ranae and hits we're infroquent. The Japan
ese crept close aud the Runners made better
progress. The Ting Yuen was the ntst 10
suffer. she'll bursting In her battery.
From the outset the japanese directed Q
powerful FIRE upon the Chinese battle
ships Chen Yusn and Ting Yusn.
For ninety minutes the terrific commons
Ends continued. The result was that
one OF the japanese cruisers. reported TO
have been the eaiko. was placed out OF &C.
| tiop. One Chinese officer de clated he saw
her sink. In tue meantime the two big
puns on the Chen Yusu were disabled aud
The other ships showed sigma OF damage.
Both hsets wero under ensy steam. the
japanese maneuvering while tho Chinese
held their original positions.
suddenly two OF the Japanese cruisers
sought 10 break through the Chinese line
1 - IL a.
boats swiftly pursued them. The Chin
Yuen and Chang Yuen went al full speed
astern TO avoid catastrophe. The boats
q cd their torpedoes, but the nets about the
japanese cruisers stopped them. In the
meantime other guns we're brought 10 hear
upon the ofdise's. which are believed IA
have sen the Akitsushima and tho Yoihi-
mo. They were behten back BY weight OF
metal In m slmost helpless state. The
Chinese officers declare that both ssnk.
The Chinese had Jared little better, for
the Ching Yuen had been several times
| hulled and pierced upon the water line,
while tho Chen Yuon had stranded while
NVina 10 svade tho Japanese torpedo bosts.
All attempts TO foat her had been frus-
tratad By the FIRE directed upon her.
| Finally nhe burst Into flames from tha
shells. Thc big guns of tho Chen Yuen
were disabled but she iemained In nghting
line working her smAller and machine
guns. The 81 Yuen retired to beyond the
lines and the King Yuen was In a terrible
plight. A shell burst through her decks
aud act hre 10 her. and with flames burst
Ing from her, she slowly settled.
A sooro OF times the japanese sought Ia
break through the Chinese line, but until
tho last tho Chinese guus were nble to stop
them and the JRpanefe never rehchsd the
transports. Tho Chinese vessels gave way
before the attacks and while doing so the
Yang We stranded stern first. Her fate
war similar 10 that Of the Chan Yuon. Tho
Chi Yuon was nothing more than wall OF
wreck when shs was struck by a torpedo
and che sank with all on board.
The seena wa now appalling. The guns
Of several OF the ships on both sides We q
disabled and the great ahips rolled heavily.
A atream OF green water pouring from
we're working inosasAntly and teatl-
fed to tho extent of the damage
inflicted. Soma OF tho Chinese
ahips had exhausted their ammunition
daring tho last hours 6ghtine. More than
ono OF tho japanese yos'els esOmol 10 be
on the point OF fonudefine. 10 was not
until dark, however, that the firing ceased
and the battered japanese fleet slowly dos
parted In double line formation.
Toward morning the remnants Of the Chi
nese 1est with tho elk transports statt,d
for Port Arthur. which was safely reached.
The damage TO tho best Chinese shirs IL su
extensive that IL osn scarcely be repaired
before WHAT'S. The Office say both sides
showed most furious courage.