Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-10-04
SINCE NELSON'S TIME

| SiNSE NEISOTt lime
The Most Notable Naval Engagement
| Fought Won by the Japanese at Yalu
| River-FuIl Description of the Battle
| as Reported to the Emperor by an Oni-
Dispatched to Hiroshima for that
| Purpose.
| LONDON, Sept. 2a.-The Toxic CORE
spondent of the Central News tele-
graphs that Admiral Ito, who was in
command of the japanese fleet during
| the battle off the mouth of the
Yalu river. has sent an officer to
make a verbal report of the engage
ment to the emperor, who is now at
| Hiroshima. According to this officers
report after acting in concert with the
| army at the Tai-Tong river, the princi-
pal Japanese squadron, comprising
even war ships and the packet Saikio-
N.aru, left that point on September Ii.
| - dawn on the 18th they passed Hal
"an-Tan and sighted Takushad bay in
/ "nchuria in the forenoon. They
! and four Chinese war ships and six
| torpedo boats The Chinese fleet
! aeamed out of the mouth of the
| river in battle formation, and when
| distant 1000 metres opened fire. The
do little execution at such a distance,
! waited until within 5000 meters Of the
| Chinese ships and then brought their
guns into play. The Japanese main
| tanned their line of battle but the Chi
| nese after a short time broke their
! formation.
The action was extremely hot at
times. The La Yuen. of the Chinese
fleet, sank first, stern foremost, and,
her bows rising, stood for a minute
and half out of water. The Chin
Yuen was the next vessel to go down,
and she was followed in short time
by the Chao-Yuen. Many members of
the crews of the sinking vessels chung
to the rigging as their ships settled
and cried for help. 1t was a pitiful
sight.
The Yang-Wei was next disabled,
and then the Japanese packet Saikio-
Maru. The steering gear of the Saikio-
Maru was disabled by the explosion of
one of the enemy's shells, and that yes
sci was obliged to drop out of line.
She was pursued by the Chinese, and
was forced to pass between the power
full Ting Yuen and Chen Yuen within
a distance of eighty metres. The com
manders of these vessels, thinking it
was her intention to ram them. steered
off, leaving the packet room to escape.
The Chinese discharged two Fish tor
pedoes at her, hlt they We're aimed too
low and passed beneath her, doing no
damage.
Shortly after the mishap to the Sal
kio-Maru the flagship Matsushima's
forward quick-fring gun was struck
by a she'll, and many casualties re-
suited. The ship also was SO severely
injured as to necessitate her with
drawing from the lire of battle, and
Admiral Ito shifted his flag to the
Hashidate.
Another of the Chinese shells ex-
ploded in the sick bay of the Hiyei,
killing and wounding many persons,
including the surgeons, and setting
the ship on fire. She, too, left the
line of battle to extinguish the flames
and transfer the wounded, which be-
ing done she returned and again took
part in the fight.
Capt. Sakamato, of the Akago, was
aloft, watching the torpedoes and sig
mailing to the other vessels of the fleet
their location, when the mast was cut
away by shot from the enemy and he
was killed.
The Yoshimo's forward battery was
slightly damaged. All the ships of
the japanese squadron carried new
guns, and they did excellent service.
They used no torpedoes, all the dam
age sustained by the Chinese vessels
being inflicted by shot. In view of
6; Of -hof
toned vessels like the Kai-Yuen is re-
markable, and it is the generallyex-
pressed opinion among nautical au-
thorities that the work of the Japan
csc was the most successful thing since
the time of Nelson.
Toward the close of the fight great
confusion was observed on board the
Ting Yuen, King Yuen and Ping Yuen.
These ships appeared to be on fire. At
shutdown the Chinese feet were in full
retreat. They were pursued by the
japanese ships, which laid their course
parallel to that taken by the enemy.
The night being very dark the pursu-
ers kept at some distance from the
Chinese, fearing that, should they fol-
low the enemy too closely. they might
be damaged by the latter's torpedo
boats. Owing to this fact and the ex-
IRENE darkness, the Chinese succeeded
in getting away and reaching a safe
shelter.
At daylight the japanese vessels en-.
deavored to find the enemy, but were
unable to do so. They then returned
to the scene of the previous days &C.
ton, where they found the Yang-Wei
ashore and deserted and destroyed her
with a fish torpedo.
None of the japanese vessels were
lost in the engagement, and only three
of them were seriously injured. All
the official reports of the battle are
very laconic. and greatly wanting in
scientific and useful details.
Attacked by the TOng-Haks.
LONDON, Sept. ga dispatch to the
Globe from Yokohama says that the
TongHaks, powerful religious sect,
which caused the first outbreak in
Corea, have attacked the japanese at
Tailxu ReinfOrcemantS hate been