The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-07
Axn STORY OF A SRA r,onr.
An Kngiishman's Account OF a Rattle
That Dfdn't Happen.

That Dfdn't Happen.
Ban Francisco, Oct. GA young Eng
iishman who claims TO have been an engi.
neer on the Chinese cruiser Yang Wei
tells story Of n battle fought by the
Yang Wei and the Japanese fiagship
Matsushima on July l2. some eighty miles
southwest of Chemulpo. Korea, which
lasted three hours. resulting in the almost
complete destruction of both vessels and
in terrible loss of life TO both
sides. The engineer tells, as preliminary
to his story, how the Yang Wa was or
dered TO Chemnlpo and thore met tho
japanese fleet of seven vessels. The COM
mander of the Yang Wei was ordered 60
watch the japanese feet, and when tho
latter put out to sea ths Yang Wei fos.
lowed. This is what caused the light.
He tells how the japanese ship Saaiwa
signaled to the Yang Wei that If she per-
sisted in following she would be fired on.
The Yang Wei paid no attention to this
warning and kept right on. The Nsniwa
did not fire, and the Chinese ship passed
the Naniwa and steamed ahead OF the
Matsushima. The japanese admiral evil
IDENTIFY thought that the Matsushima was
more than match for the Yang Wei, Tor
he ordered the other ships to fall back,
which they did.
The Yang Wei cleared for action and
took position about 900 yards off tho
Ma,sushima's port bow and kept IT, Tho
Yang Wei Is an unarmored steel cruiser OF
1850 tons displacement. and was built In
1851 in England. at a cost OF 81 ,0oo, 600.
Her length Is 2i0 feet. and her speed six
teen knots. Her armament consisted of
one i051.inch 3ston Armstrong gun, one
e-inch 2s-ton, six 5-snch. ten Hotchkiss
and six machine guns. The Maisushima
10 an unarmorcd steel cruiser OF 1, ,277 tons,
built in France in 1890. and has q speed of
seventeen and q half knots. Her arma-
rnent consisted Of one iLinch 45-ton Canst
rifle. eleven 4A4inch 55-pound quick-hring
gnns, eleven Hoicbklss and six Nordsn-
field, machine guns. The l2-inch rifle was
carried in q i2inch armored barbetto.
The Yang Wei was commanded by Capt.
Kxong Chow. but Lieut.. Ii Yang. who
had spent eight years at the Annapolis
naval academy. fought the ship. says ths
engineer, continuing bis story:
I'VE continued our speed and drew the
Japanese admiral on until we had the
Matsushima out Of sight of the rest Of tbs
fleet. We had run about forty miles In
chase with the admiral's flagship when, At
SIX bells ia the morning watch word was
passed again 20 stand by for action. Sud.
denly our siarboard engine was reversed
foil speed the helm was put hard apors
and the Yang Wei spun around on her
heel. and. facing the Matsushima. gave
her t018-inch shell out OF the 3s-tofs
gun, which struck her in The port bow and
exploded IN her secondary battery. That
shot tore an enormous hole ia her upper
deck and disabled three OF her guns Is
was the first gun Of the war. Then fol-
lowed some Of the finest mancuyering on
record Orders poured into the engine
room thick aud fast We rushed past tho
Matsushima on the return tack. and
brought our three e-inch guns 70 play On
her neconary battery, At ths same time
covering her after guns With o.
perfect stream Of Hotchkiss 3-poaBd sheiis
and Sordenfeldt and Maxim baiiets. The
japanese could not work one Of their guns.
The shower Of buiIsts that the Yang Wei
poured INTO the porshosss of shs vessel
rendered IL impossibls for her gun crews
TO stay a. their posts. We bad the Mat.
sushirna badly crippled before we received
q return shot We passed asteFn. and 40
our 25-ton gun came 20 bear on her aitsr
barbette. where she bad s9-son gun, 10
gave her a einch shell. II struck the bar.
bette and exploded. We Immediately re-
vsrsed our port nglne and then went fall
su~ed asteFf on both. The elect of this
movement sas 10 bring pEr stnrboari bat.
terry 70 bear oB her stsrboaFd battery. and
the Massnshlms received another telling
blow i'm vital past. We gave her
our three g-ineh sfaTboard guns The
shells bsat in the altar end Of her
starboard battery. Almost at tise same
Instant ss received . shell from her - toa
after gun. IL was the EFst saot she had
been able to ire The shell struck the
after gHn Of Our secondary battery on the
ssarboara side aBd exploded, fortunately
not anidshIps. cut Just AS il g@s going Qua
On Tie poxt sias. xnsa thsxs uxs 49,