The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-08-02
A JAPANESE APOLOGY
For Sinking the Kow Shing While
Under the British Flag.
Detailed Story of h Affair-Enorts
wcrc Made to Destroy Surviving
witnesses.

-
ocv TO Great britain for firing upon ana
the Kow Shing while she wa n.y.
inr the British nag.
IN. minister ia also instructed to In
form the government of Great Britain
thar the commander Of the Japanese
cruissr was unaware until after the ngn'
that the Kow Shing was a British vessel
Captain Galsworthy, the commander OF
the Kow Shing, together with many
others ON board the Kow Shing' were
saved by the boats Of the Japanese war
ship Nianawa. ..,
The admiralty has instructed Admiral
Er..uautle In command Of the china
station, TO prevent troops, arms y mu
nitious of war being conveyed under tne
British Gag TO either China or japan.
The admiral is also instructed TO susru
British lives and interests.
The Japanese government sent q note 10
the foreign representatives ~ hours %.
fore war was declared, to the enec. .na'
ft was still disposed to consider any peace
proposals which might be made tna' "ere
compatible with the actual situation ana
with Japan's dignity.
An Awful Massacre.
The Times has received the following
account Of the sinking OF the Chinese
transport Kow sAing' from ohsS00'
China;
Do July Is the Japanese admiral on
the cruiser Matsushima KAN Win wv
ofher men-of-war In his command,
sighted the Kow Shing. which was carry
sng 1000 Chinese troops for Corea, In
Corean waters. 40 miles of Chemulpo.
He siqnalled the Kow Shing to stop
where YOU are or take the consequences.
THE transport, which was lying the
Rritish ensign, promptly came TO anchor'
THE Chinese man-of-war which was con-
sortiu1 her steamed away. The NOW
Saino,s captain, trusting TO the pro1ec-
tom az the British flag. refused the ad-
v;ca of tho commander OF the chinese
cruiser TO slip her anchor run Inc
Tsransse cruiser Naniwa Kan steamed
mn near the Kow Shing and sent "A board
sno Marty 10 her. with instructions 10
make a strict scrutiny of the snips
rapars After uhis had been done, there
wss .ome hesitation ON the part OF the
Japanese commander as to the action 10
he taken under the circumstances
Finally he pcremptoriiy ORDERED .ne
Row Shing's commander TO follow Win
his vessel. Great excitement AT once
arose among the
the transport, and they tod the hngisn
nHlGATN nI tie Slid tnab WHY
~nrrsnaer They said: W. refuse to be-
.om. nrisouers; we would sooner die here.
II Won move the ship, except to return TO
China. we will kill you" They then
nosted n guard at the anchor chains ana
Allowed no one else to 70 near them.
Won Hanuekin's Able Argument
The officers of the Kow Shing signalled
20 the Nsuiwa. requesting that another
-, apnt with an officer. When the boat
.rr;ved Colonel Won Haunekin explained
49,. situation to the Japanese boarding
oric~r. He told him that the Kow Shing
Md left China in time of peace; that
thare had been no declaration OF war; that
a.. vsssel was n British snip and sailed
under "a British flag.
He then urged the imposs'biiity OF ex-
ecutiug the order of the Naniwa's com
mi,tee- and explained that the flag should
he respected aud the ship escorted back to
<b. Chinese coast. The boarding party
returned 70 the Naniwa and a little later
Nae Kow Shing was signalled by the
cruiser. "Quit ship as soon as possible. y
The Kow Shing replied that 1t was i'm
possible to quit ship.
THE Naniwa thereupon few an answer
ing p~ennant, steamed quickly and Nned
mn. broadside on, at a distance OF about
200 metres from the Kow Shing. and inn
mediately discharged all her guns, COM
prislng two oil rs tons and four of 10 ton.
The excitement aboard the kow Shing
vas awful. The troops had begun fitting
MP q number of small mountain guns,
when the Naniwa threw the torpedo. The
missile struck a coal bunker aud burst
one of the boilers. the explosion being
terrific. but not sufficient to sink the YES
|N - ~ .%lt.o.. traoDa trad nm the MAJ
iva with rifles aud small guns, and ex
hibited the greatest bravery.
sunk by Fifteen Discharges.
The Nan!wa continued to lire her 10
tonners, and soon had the kow Shing II
: badly d. abled condition. Many OF tn
Chinese soldiers jumped overheard, an
on these the Nauiwa rained bullets from
her deadly machine guns. The koy
ehing gradually began to sink, and afte
1b discharges from the cruisers Big gun
she went down in eight fathoms OF wateI
The troops who remained aboard KEEP
up their lire TO the very last. some of thei
shots being aimed at their own peopl
whe were swimming away. they bein
Hetermined that ali should die together
The vessel then sank stern first, flying tn
red ensign OF the Chinese. One heavil
armed boat was lowered from the Mar
iva. and from this a fire was directe
upon the troops struggling la the waite
There was no attempt 10 save life.
was evident that no quarter was TO I
given. All were to he massacred. tt
Naniwa steamed away to report TO tt
British consulate or naval officer thi
seven Englishmen had been killed.
number OF soldiers reached a rock, al
were saved.
Colonel Won Hannekin had a mirac
lous escape. aud arrived at Chemulpo Ia
Corean fishing boat on july - lie IA
sworn to an affidavit before the Britt
consul In regard To the events abo
narrated. He bears testimony TO G
splendid conduct OF the Chinese trocT
who, he says, died gloriously, fighting
the last
The Times, In an editorial, says IA
n the CheFoo account Of the sinking
che Kow Shing is correct. Japan's repal
tier must be ample indeed.
The Standards correspondent at O.
----I af0.f1ar aacaunf IN that