The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-08-02
THE CHEN YUEN SUNK.
AND TWO LARGE CHINESE
CRUISERS SUNK OR CAPTURED.
The Battle Was Holly Contested, the Japs
Seeming to Handle Their Guns
and Ships in Superior Man
ner to the Chinese,

TEN TsIEN, July 31.-A naval bat
tie was fought yesterday between the
Japanese and Chinese fleets. The
japanese sank the Chinese battle ship
Chen Yuen. Two large cruisers sup
posed to be the vessels built for China
by the Armstrong;, were captured or
destroyed by the Japanese. The Chen
Yuen was battleship of 7400 tons
displacement, carrying IA 1.2 inch
compound armor at the water line.
Hel battery included four 12-inch
guns, protected by an armored breast
work and two smaller Krupps. She
was also furnished with II Hotchkiss
cannons and tubes for Whitehead tor
dedoes. In addition the Chen luen
had two IA inch and 6inch Krupps
in her main battery and second army
of Hotchkiss revolving cannon.
The Chen Yuen was built for China
at the Stettin works. She was sis
ship of the Ting Yuen, and was
the most powerful warship in the
Chinese navy with the exception of
the Ting Yuen.
| ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
SHANGHAI, July 81, 10 p. m.-News
has just been received here of des-
perate battle between the fleets of
China and Japan in which the Chinese
were defeated and the Chen Yuen, the
largest battleship but one in the Chi
nese service, was sunk and two other
large Chinese vessels, said to be first
clase cruisers, we're captured or de-
stroyed. The battle was hotly con.
tested, but the Japanese appeared to
have handled their guns, ships and
torpedoes with more skill than the
Chinese. The Chinese fleet engaged
carried nearly 1000 men and large
number of them are reported to have
been killed or drowned.
Later dispatches say that few If any
of the Chinese engaged in the battle
escaped. Two German officers in
command of the Chen Yuen are re-
ported to have met death with the
crew of that vessel.
TERRUPTED.
NEW YORK, July 31.-The Central
Cable Office of the Western Union
Telegraph company has received ad-
vices from Hong Kong and Shanghai
to the effect that the Chinese tele-
graph companies will not accept any
telegrAph.c messages respecting the
war between China and Japan. The
Chinese land lines north of Shanhai
are interrupted, cutting off Tien
Tsien and Pekin.
HISTORY OF THE TROUBLE.
YOKOHAMA, July 3l.-The follow
ing official statement of the difficulty
between China and Japan which led
to the outbreak of hostilities between
those two countries has been issued by
the Japanese government. Japan and
China were approaching settlement
of their difficulties when China sud-
denly requested Japan to withdraw
her fleet from Corea and to give for
: NAL compliance with the Chinese de-
mand by the Goth, otherwise the whole
Chinese forces were to land and sea
advance on the part of China was to
be made. The Japanese regarded this
as an ultimatum, but acting
under the advice of the friendly pow
ers they agreed to the proposals In
, principle, in amended form, at the
J same time declaring that II the threat
; ened Chinese advance was made on
the goth it would be regarded as an
; over act 1t is conjectured that the
Japanese naval commanders were in
| structed to be on the watch for the
Chinese war ships and seeing the lat.
4 Il nj, It1lV
! ed fire The Japanese do not believe
that the Kow Shug, the Chinese trans
port sunk by Japanese cruiser was
flying the British flag, but were that
the case they regarded 1t as being 9
ruse. The Japanese Indignantly de-
ny the charges of brutality brought
agains the officers and the crew which
sunk the Chinese transport KOw
Shung. No official report has been
received at Yokohh hmo of this engage
ment
PROBABLE EFFECT OF THE BATTLE.
SHANGHAI, July 31.-The news oi
Yesterdays naval battle was received
here by private telegram from Tier
Tsien If the report is true, of which
} there is little doubt. it means that an
end has been put to China fighting
upon the seas. The Chen Yuen must
have started out from Taku after
leaving the Chinese transports
s there. Two Chinese cruisers sup
= posed to have been captured
S or destroyed during tue engagement
s which ended 30 fatally to the Cher
Yueu are Q in Yuan and Foo Ching
rhn Chin Yuan was a protected
. cruiser built at Elswick, Eng. Sh'
had displ cement of 2300 tons and {
q. main attained in speed in her tria
trim. with batteries and crew aboard o
Is l-2 knots. Her armament consisted
Of three S.quarter inch Krupps ant
: two Ginch Armstrong; protected b.
= splinter proof shields She also car
. ried eight S-pound rapid fire Hotchkis
4 auns. Tx RAPID and tour torped
- ! "a hag