The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-22
COMBAT OF The CRUISERS.
Conflicting Statements as 10 the
Losses in the Naval Fight.

patches of the Encounter are PAL
pably Inoomplete"-Th Three Japanese
Cruisers are Admittedly in a Bad
PHght-The Flagship Changed.
London, Sept. 21.-The Times Shang-
hal correspondent telegraphs that q
special cable dispatch from Japan states
that three japanese warships, the names
of which are not given, were destroyed
and the Hi Yei Kan was seriously dam
aged by fire during the recent naval bat
tie with the Chinese. The Matsusbima
and Setikio were also seriously injured.
The dispatch further says the Japanese
official adyices are palpably incomplete.
The Times will publish tomorrow
morning the following dispatch from
Tien Isin, dated Sept. 81: Wounded
officers of the Chinese feet confirm the
original report of the engagement on the
nth inst. They say that the Chinese
feet arrived at Yalu river on the after
noon of the 18th, and remained ten miles
outside of the mouth of the river while
the transports were unloading.
THE FIGHT IN DETAIL.
At II o'clock on the morning Of the 18th
they sighted the smoke of the japanese
feet, which were approaching in TWO col
umns, converging on the flagship. The
Japanese feet consisted of twelve ships,
while the Chinese had ten ships. The
Chinese admiral opened fire at a distance
of 5000 meters, but the firing on
both sides fell short until the
opposing lines came within 5000 meters.
The Chinese endeavOred to come to close
quarters, but were revented from ac-
cOmplishing their purpose by the superior
speed of the Japanese ships, which, keep
ing for the most part two miles off, ma
neuvered admirably and made splendid
practice with the long range quick k-fring
guns.
CHINESE MAKE A GALLANT FIGHT.
The Chinese cruiser Chih Yuen, Capt.
| Tang Shi Chang early in the day closed
with one of the enemy's ships at full
| speed, intending to ram her. Whether
rammed or torpedoed the Japeuese ship
| turned over and sank. Four Japanese
vessels then closed round the Chlh Yuen
and she was ripped up by shots under
the water line. and went down
| with all hands, including Purvis, the
engineer. Meanwhile the battle ragged
! furiously round the flagship Ting Yuen,
| and her consort, the Chen Yuen. Mich
oils, gunnery officer on the Ting Yuen,
was killed The Japanese ships We're
difficult to identify, but it is known that
the cruiser Yoshino received some dam
aging shots at close quarters, which en-
| veloped her in smoke and made
| her invisi BILE. Some of the Chi
nese gunners devoted theirattention espe-
cially to the Japanese cruiser Naniwa
! and succeeded in setting her on fire, but
none of the Chinese officers saw her sink.
| At o'clock the five Japanese vessels still
| engaged in the fight turned and fed. The
| Chinese vessels pursued, but failed TO
overtake them. Next morning the Jap
| auese fiotilla returned and torpedoed the
| stranded ships. The casualties on the
! Chinese fleet We're exactly as previously
| stated.
The Japanese losses are uncertain, as
all the vessels were busy and no one could
| see the whole field of action. On compar-
| ing testimony from various sources it
| seems certain that four Japanese ships
were destroyed and the remainder were
| badly damaged"
CASUALTIES TO THE CRUISERS.
The Central News has received the fol
! lowing dispatch from Toxic regarding
| the recent naval battle. The dispatch is
| dated Sept. p, SAB a. m: The japanese
| flagship Matususima with the First squad
ron, mad a rendezvous at Haiyanthaus.
! The lighting lasted five hours. The
and Ching Yuen, and the bar
| bette ship L.ai Yuen were de-
| stroyed, and the barbette ships
! Ting Yuen, King Yuen and Ping Yuen
were set on fire. When darkness fell the
| Chinese vessels fed. The Japanese pur-
sued them, reaching Hope Sound at day
| light The enemy, however, escaped,
and the Japanese returned TO Hal
Yantau. OF the japanese vessels the
most damaged were the cruiser
Matsusima, Hiyei and Akagi, which
were in the thiCkest of the
! fight. One of the Matsusima' S
guns was dismOunted, damaging the ship
and she returned TO Saebo for repairs
The other Japanese vessels remain on the
station. The total number of Japanese
killed and wounded is $50. On the flag
thirtyfour Of the crew were killed and
four officers and sixty-nine of the crew
were wounded. Seventeen men have
since died. The cruiser Yayeyama re-
places the Matsusima The admirars s
flag has been hoisted aboard the cruiser
Hasidate.
CHINESE SHIPS ALL DAMAGED.
London. Sept 21.-A dispatch to the
Central News from Shanghai, dated 6
O'Clock p. m, Sept q, says: THE com
manding officers Of four Of the Chinese
warships were killed in the engagement
Of the mouth of the Yalu river. Admiral
Ting was wounded in the cheek and leg
but in neither case seriously. Five Of the
transport ships are still missing. Three
Chinese transports are reported to have
been captured All Of the Chinese war
ships that were not sank are badly dam
aged. The Japanese ships are preparing
for another attack"
WANT TO EXTEND OPERATIONS.
The Times correspondent in Shanghai
telegraphs: THE Chinese authorities
have strictly confined the Chinese fleet TO
tue defence of the approaches 10 Pekin,
specifying the limits within which the
vessels are to cruise. Officers and men
have been inpatient TO carry operations
to the Korean coast and are embittered
by what they consider the fatuous policy
Of the government"
THE CHINESE LOSS.
Washington, D. c., Sept 21.-A dis
patch received at the japanese legation
saws the Chinese loss In the great naval
engagement is definitely placed at four
vessels sunk and one burned. The Jap
anese feet, it is officially stated was
compai atively Jniniured. u is reported
! further in dispatches received by Minis
ter Kurino that the enthusiasm among all