Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-06
Reported Sinking Of a japanese
Warship by Chinese.
NAVAL LOSSES SUSTAINED BY CHINA
Three Men-of-War Said to Have
Been Captured.
THE NEWS NOT CONFIRMED

red and sank a Japanese war ship off Je
rome Gulf on July -.
The rumor current TO the effect that the
Japanese fleet lad .aptured three men-of-
war has not been confirmed, says a Shang-
hal dispatch of yesterdays date.
japanese in China.
Asyet there has be en- no disorder inShanG-
hal growing out of the war beyond a few
tr!fiing encounters between japanese and
Chinese rowdies.
The municipal council has appointed 4
rendezvous for the volunteers in the event
of an emergency arising that will require
their services, but no anxiety is felt as to
the safety of Europeans.
he Japanese Association, which includes
among its members ii.e leading japanese of
Shanghai and vicinity, has issued a warn
ing to the Japanese residents that they
must behave themselves and avoid any act
that would tend TO precipitate a conflict
With the Chinese. They are particularly
warned to keep away from the Chinese
quarter of the city after dusk, and to re-
main as far as possible within the confines
Of their own settlement.
The Chinese feet of thirteen vessels which
left Cheefoo for Corea three days ago with
the intention of engaging the japanese fleet
has returned to Chez foo without meeting
the warships of the enemy.
Capt Galsworthy. Chief Officer Tamplin
and Quartermaster Evangelist of the sunk
en- transport kow Shing who Were rescued
by the boats of the japanese cruiser. have
been taken to Sasebo, where they are held
3s prisoners. Admiral Frenantle has or
dered the Aiacrity from Sushma to Sasebo,
With instructions TO demand the release Of
the British sailors. Upon the arrival of the
Alacrity at Nagash the commander of the
British warship was informed that the pris-
oners would be delivered up To him at once
at Nagasaki.
Sinking of The kow Shfng.
The London Times today publishes a dis
Patch from Shanghai stating that Col Won
Hannekin, formerly aide-de-camp to the
viceroy. who among those rescued
from the British steamer Kow Shing
which. while being used as a transport for
Chinese troops. was sunk by a torpedo from
the Japanese warship Naniwa. has given
his testimony before the commission APP
pointed TO inquire into the facts relative to
the sinking of the vessel. Col. Won Hanne-
Kin said that the Naniwa ordered the Kow
ShinS TO come to anchor, which order was
obeyed. Then the japanese commander
ordered the transport 10 hoist Ter anchor
get under way and follow the Naniwa TO
Japan.
AS soon as the substance of this order
became known to the Chinese troops on the
kow Shing they insisted that the order be
not obeyed informing the officers that they
preferred death to being cast in Japan
csc prison. Capt. Galsworthy the master
csc commander that the Kow Shing was a
British vessel. and stated she left port be-
fore hostilities between Japen and China
Lad been commenced. He offered TO aban-
aon the voyage and return 10 China. After
little time the Naniwa displayed signals
reading: Abandon the SHIP"
To this Capt Galsv orthy signaled in re-
ply: impossible, the troops will not permit
me to leave"
When this signal was read the Naniwa
withdrew for little further distance from
the kow Shng and discharged a torpedo at
the transport. The torpedo struck the hull
of tie Kow Shing and exploded. tearing a
great rent in her bottom. As the transport
was sinking the Nan.wa fired broadside
into her. A half hour afterward the Mani
wa lowered an armed boat. which cruised
ebout the place where the transport had
gene down, firing upon the men who were
struggling in the water.
Dispatches received at the London foreign
office from Shanghai confirm the Times
dispatch as to the testimony given by Col
Won HanneSin. The official advices show
that some Of the British officers of the Kow
Shing jumped overheard from the vessel
and were rescued by boats from the japan
csc warship.
Conflicting Reports of Battles.
The New York Herald, in review of the
conflicting reports OF recent fighting in
Corea, said yesterday:
one thing about the present war is quite
clear. The dispatches announcing victories
defeats on either side must he received
with a good deal of caution. The conflict
ing nature of the accounts given Of Japan's
naval success on July 30 or ~ has already
been pointed out. Now, to increase the con-
fusion of the tangled skein have come the
absolutely contradicting reports Of the
fighting at Nashan.
Precisely where Yashan Is no one seems
to know. At the japanese legation in this
city the other day the officials declared that
they were aware of no such place in Corea
However, a dispatch from Picking giving
one of those perpieXing Official versions
of what took place on the occasion Y hen the
how Shung was sent TO the bottom an
nounced that conflict had taken place in
the Prince jerome Gulf, in the inlet on
which Asian is situated - The dispatch
further announced that the Chinese tloops
on bCard the transport were on their way
to reinforce the Chinese army at Asian"
1t may, therefore, he presumed that there
really is place called Asian or Nashan To
the south of ChemulpO. on the west coast
of Corea. and that the Chinese were posted
there in force.
One Rattle or Two.
1t is also clear that the place has been
the scene of some hard fighting. -Four days
ago it was announced that the Japanese
hal made desperate attempts 10 carry the
position, but that a splendid defense was
made by the Chinese, under European Of
ficers. with the result that the japanese
were beaten OFF and lost 2,o0u men. This
story, a day later, was Officially
confirmed from Shanghai. There did rot
appear to be anything improbable in the
account, for the troops I'm western Corea
belong 10 Ii Hung Changes famous black
flag army. and whatever deficiencies may
exist in their equipment, the viceroy's sol
dies are known to be the fine flower OF
China's land forces. No surprise. there
fore, was excited when the report came
that they had inflicted a serious reverse
upon the japanese.
But did they really 90 500 According TO
dispatches received at the Japanese lega-
lions in Washington. London and parlsand
published il appears that there was indeed
hard tussle a. Gashan-oS kashln. as the
name now appears-but that the Victors
were not the Chinese, but the Japs All the
entertainments We're taken. the GefenI ers
We're completely routed, and 900 of their
humber were killed or wounded. Flags and
ammunition were captured, and tha yictori-
Gus japanese general campeI triu,uphantIy
within The lines that had been evacuated nv
the flying enemy. The Jap3lesc casualty
list shows only five officers and seventy
men killed o.. wounded. Such is the Jan
anese story, ana it win be seen that il ex-
actly contradicts the tale from China
1t is, Of course, possible that the two ac-
counts may refer To two distinct euCage-
ments-that the Japanese, after being de-
faa ted uf irGf do 49, 1 ~.