The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-20
Two Big Chinese Vessels and Their
Crews Sunk and Two More Dis
abled, Stranded and Burned.
JAPANESE ALSO SUFFERED
One Report Saying That Four of
Their Ships Were Destroyed.
Thirty-Five War Vessels, Big and Lit
tie, Engaged i'm the Fight-Total
Killed and Wounded About $500.

LONDON, Sept. 19-Though advices from
the seat of the Chino-Japanese war are
not full, ii is now certain that a great
naval battle has been fought at the mouth
Of the Yalu-Kiang in the bay of Corea, and
that the Chinese were defeated. Dispatch
es received from the representatives of
Great Britain, Germany and other nations
confirm the report of a naval engagement.
This evening a dispatch was received
from Shanghai which says that on Monday
last the Chinese fleet, consisting of sixteen
war ships, arrived off the mouth Of Yalu
river conveying transports having on board
5000 troops. 1t was the intention of Ad-
miral Ting to disembark these troops in
side the mouth of the Yalu river In order
to form a force with which to intercept the
Japanese advance upon Moukden. Manchu-
ria, from which there is railroad run
ming to Tien-Tsin. While engaged in land
ing these troops. according to this dis
patch, a feet OF nineteen japanese war
ships, accompanied by a fotilla of torpedo
boats, was sighted approaching the Yalu
river. AS soon as they were within range
the Japanese attacked the Chinese. Then
followed a terrible contest lasting six
hours, during which the great guns, rapid
fire guns and machine guns Of all sorts
were used with fearful effect on both sides.
Both fleets also used torpedoes repeatedly
and fired at each other continuously from
the rapid-fire guns mounted in the tops
Of the different warships. The dispatch
adds that only twelve of the Chinese ships
returned to Port Arthur yesterday Tor re-
pair. This would bear out the claim that
four of the Chinese ships were sunk or
disabled by the enemy.
A dispatch to the Times from Tien-Tsin
says that the Japanese fleet commenced
the attack at noon and the battle lasted
until 5 D. m. The Chinese lost four ships.
The Chen-Yuen, Admiral Ting's flagship,
was sunk; the King-Yuen was burned and
the Chao- Yung and the YangWei we're
stranded and partly burned. The Chin
Yuen, the Chinese vessel which was en-
gagged in the fight of July 27, escaped and
1t is presumed that she is safe. The Japan
ese are supposed to have lost three ships.
Many Chinese were killed and. wounded,
among the latter being Admiral Ting, Col
Won Hannekin and Captain Tyler, the two
latter being volunteers. The Times corre-
spondent says the Chinese were successful
In landing the troops which was the OBJ
Ject or the naval fleets presence at the
Other dispatches say the battle was
fought on the bay at the mouth of the Yalu
river. The Chinese troops on the trans
ports We're the Second Army Corps Ac-
cording 10 the Chinese version there was
no thought of surrender on either SIDE
were terribly damaged The Japanese had
the advantage of the weather and so ma
neuvered that both the Chinese war ships
and transports had to fight it OUT The
Chen-Yuen. these dispatches say, after
fighting her guns to the last, was sunk by
torpedoes, and smaller Chinese vessel
steel cruiser Chao-Y Yung, ii is added was
so damaged that she had TO be beached to
escape capture. The cruiser Yang-Wai was
also driven ashore and has become a hope
less wreck. The Chinese claim that three
Japanese war ships were sunk, but their
names are not given in these dispatches.
intense excitement and ii is believed that
II the Chinese admit this much the actual
facts must be very serious The entire
northern fleet of China was engaged in the
battle. reinforced by some ships from the
Foo Chow squadron, The Chinese are said
to have been hampered by want of room to
maneuver.
The Shanghai advices say that it is sig
nif1cant that the two or three Chinese
transports ports which high were conveyed by the
1t Is rumored that they were all blown
up. with loss of all hands on board.
From Chinese admissions ii Is gathered
that the losses on both sides in the naval
engagement will reach several thousands
Another report says the Japanese did not
prevent the ldLuinS Oh the Cnnese troops
Colonel Won Hannekin. who is reported
killed. will be remembered as the German
officer who board the transport
Kok Shing when she was sunk by a Jap
anese cruiser. with the loss of about one
thousand men. The Chinese feet has re-
turned to Wei-Hai-Wei Still another re-
port says that Admiral Ting and Colonel
Won Hannekin were not killed, but it is
said that they were severely wounded.
The latest adviceS from Shanghai seem
to establish the fact that Ii was the Chin
Yuen that was sunk by the japanese and
not the Chen Yuen, as some OF the earlier
reports had it.