The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-12-05
THE JAP TRAFALGAR
THE GREATEST SEA FIGHT OF
MODERN TIMES.
A Description Of the Great Victory Of
the Japanese Over the Chinese
Fleet-China Lost Five Of
Her Men-of-War.

( York World, who is now with
the belligerents in the East,
must now be ranked with the war COR.
respondents of the day. Mr.. Creel-
mans latest letter is devoted to de.
scription of the great victory of the
Japanese over the Chinese fleet off the
mouth of the Yalu River, on Septem-
ber II.
MI. Creelmsn was the first newspa-
per man to interview Admiral Ito,
who commanded the Japanese feet IN
what must be considered as the great
est sea fight of modern days, and &c.
cured his account of the fight from
the Admiral's own lips. Mr.. Creelman
says that the battle, in demonstrating
that swiftness is the most essential
quality in a modern war ship, vindi-
Gates the plan upon which the new
American navy is being built, and
then going on he gives short de-
scription of Admiral Ito, after which
he follows with his description of the
''Ttafalgar of the East"
Gas the fleets drew closer together
their guns roared from one end OF the
great battlefield to the other. The
ocean shook with the tremendous
shock, as the iron storm swept
through the whirling smoke and flame.
No men could be seen on the upper
decks of the Chinese line. The crews
were crowded below in true Mongol
style. Nor was there any trace OF
boats in the davits of the Chinese
ships. I have heard since that the
fleet left all its small boats behind to
prevent the men from deserting in the
face of the enemy.
"At first the Chinese gunnery was
fairly accurate, but the wheeling
movement of the Japanese on the
right end left fsnks, combined with
the terrific effect of the rapid-6re
guns, seemed to throw the line into
disorder and demoralize the gunners.
When the rear of the Japanese squad
ron was turning the left of the Chinese
the Hiyei was 80 close to the enemy
that to avoid receiving their fire
broadside she left the main squadron
and steamed straight at the Chinese
line, passing between two large iron
clads, the Tingyuen and Laiyuen, or
the Kingyuen and Chingyuen. Right
through the fiery gap she went, with
Commander Sakurai on the bridge
and all her guhs at work, while her
heroic crew cheered as two torpedoes,
launched hundred yards away, Kissed
through the waves and missed her.
The enormous batteries of the two
ironclads thundered away, and the
Hiyei's decks were strewn with dead
and dying men as che fed through the
dense smoke between the floating iron
forts.
''She had passed half way through
when q shell from one of the battle
ships penetrated her side three feet
above the water line, shattered the
mizzenmsst, killed the paymaster,
two surgeons, all the medical attend
ants, spare helmsmen and machine
gun ammunition carriers and de-
stroyed the ward room. Ina moment
the Hiyei was on fire, and as the ship
broke through the line and passed to
the safety side of the Japanese main
squadron her daring captain signaled
that the flames would compel him to
leave the regular formation. Admiral
Ito did not see the signal through the
pillows of cannon smoke rolling over
the water, and made no reply, so when
the Hiyei had transferred her wounded
to the transport ship she extinguished
the fire and returned to her place in
the squadron. She was almost
wreck, but managed to keep her guns
going till the end of the battle.
"The van squadron of the Japanese
feet, after attacking the right of the
Chinese line, turned about and fought
its way back toward the northwest,
while the main squadron continued on
in a circle, the Chinese formation be-
ing destroyed and the ships punched
together in confusion. The two iron
clads stuck close together, fighting
with great spirit. Just as the flagship
Matsushima, at the head OF the main
squadron, was abreast of the Chinese
ironclads q shell from one of the big
guns struck her main deck, dismount-
ing her heaviest gun and damaging the
whole port battery. The shell struck
the ammunition massed on the deck
and exploded it. A sheet of fire
seemed to sweep up to the sky and the
flagship rolled heavily as her riven
sides yielded to the terrific shock and
her plates were bent outward.
"Dead men were blown into the sea,
a part Of the upper deck was blasted
and the officers quarters were de-
stroyed. A lieutensnt,i Ia sub.lieuten
ant, midshipman and twelve of the
crew were instantly killed. Wounded
men were scattered about in the
bloody wreckage. The ship was or
fire. Admiral Ito kept his course un'
til he found that the stiff wind on the
port bow was spreading the flames,
and to save the ship he turned about,
followed by the rest of the squadron.
From his place on the bridge the Ad-
miral could see that one of the Chin
ese ironclads was also on fire, and he
decided to return to the attack, using
his star board battery while the fire
on the port side was being extin'
guished.
meanwhile the little Akagi and the
transport Saikio Maru were separated
from the main squadron, being unr
able to keep up with its swift move,
ments. The Akagi was attacked on al
sides by the enemy, but fought
hror,1n Har rnoipmast WAS shot