The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-02
HEARTLESS MASSACRE.
Detailed Report Of the Sinking si
the Kow Shing.
JAPANESE SHOWED NO QUARTER.

Chinese eoIdisrs Died Fighting Brnvely.
Japan Apologies to Great Britain-Ja-
pans Formal Declaration of war-De.
NAL That the Chen Yusn Was Lost.
LONDON, Aug 2-The Times has re.
oeived the following account of the de.
struction of the Chinese transport Kow
Shing from Che Foo, China. On July 81
the Japanese admiral, on the cruiser Mat.
sushima Kan, with two other men-of, war
in his command, sighted the Kow Shing,
which was carrying l GOO troops for Corea,
In Corean waters, forty miles off Che
mulpo. He signaled the Kow Shing to
stop where you arc, or take the conse-
quences. The transport, which was fy-
ing the British flag, promptly came to
anchor. The Chinese man. of-war which
was consorting her steamed away. The
kow Shing's captain, trusting to the pro-
lection of the British flag, refused the ad-
vice of the commander of the Chinese
cruiser to slip anchor and run away.
The Japanese cruiser Naniwa Kan
steamed up near the Kow Sizing and sent
a boarding party to her with instruc.
tions to make strict scrutiny of the
ships papers. After this had been done
there was some hesitation on the part OF
the Japanese commander as to the action
to be taken under the circumstances.
Finally he peremptorily ordered the Kow
6hing's captain to follow with his vessel
Great excitement at once arose amongst
the Chinese troops on board the transport.
They told the English officers of the ship
that they would not surrender. They said:
I'VE refuse to become prisoners. We
would sooner die here. II you move the
ship except to return to China we will
kill you" Then they posted guard at
the anchor chains, and allowed no one
else to go near them.
The officers of the Kow Shing signaled
to the Naniwa requesting that another
boat be sent with an officer. When the
boat arrived Colonel Van Hanneken ex-
planned the situation to the Japanese
boarding officer. He told him that the
kow Shing had left China in time OF
pace, that there was no declaration OF
war, that the vessel was British ship
aud sailed undor a British flag. He then
urged the tmpossibility of executing the
oder of the Naniwa's commander, and
claimed that the flag should be respected
and the ship escorted back to the Chinese
c ast.
The boarding party returned to the
Naniwn. and little later the Kow Shing
was signaled by the cruiser "Quit ship as
soon as possible" The Kow Shing re.
piled that 1t was impossible to quit ship
The Nsniwa thereupon few an answer.
ing pennant, steamed quickly and lined
up broatlside on, at a distance of about
200 ters from the kow Shing, and i'm
mediately discharged torpedo at her
following this with two broadsides with
all her guns.
The excitement aboard the Kow Shina
was awful. The troops had begun fitting
up number of small mountain guns
when the Naniwa threw the torpedo. The
missile struck coal bunker and burst
one of the boilers, the explosion being
terrific, but not sufficient to sink the YES
sell
The Chinese troops fired on the Naniwa
with rifles and small guns and exhibite ed
the greatest bravery The Naniwa con
unued to fire her ten tonners and sour
had the Kow Shing in badly disabled
condition. Many of the Chinese soldier,
jumped overheard and on these the Nan
iva rained bullets from her deadly ma
chine guns The Kow Shing gradually
began to sink, and after fifteen discharges
from the cruisers big guns she went
down in eight fathoms Of water. The
troops who remained aboard kept up theil
fire to the Very last, some of their shots
being fred at their own people who wer,
swimming away, they being determined
that all should die together. The vesse
sank stern first. flying the red ensign ol
the Chinese.
One heavily armed boat was lowered
from the Naniwa, and from this fire wa.
directed upon the troops struggling in tbs
water. There was no attempt to save lie
1t was evident that no quarter was to b,
given. All were to be massacred.
The Naniwa steamed away to report to
the British consulate or naval officer that
seven Englishmen had been killed. A
number of soldiers reached rock ant
were saved. Colonel Won Hapnekin hae
miraculous escape, and arrived at Che
mulpo in Corean fishing b-at on Jul,
2S. He was sworn to an affidavit befort
the British consul in regard to events
above narrated. He bears testimony t,
the splendid conduct of the Chinese troops
who, he said. died gloriously, lighting ii
the last.
The Standards correspondent at Ch,
Foo sends a similar account, and says.
The facts may be implicitly accepted a,
the truth. The Japanese made the mos
strenuous attempt to destroy all the sur
vvors who were witnesses to their action