The herald., 1894-08-13
Poor Workmanship by the
Gunners.
Shots at Japanese Ships Ill
Directed.
The Battle at Wei-hai-Wei Only a
Skirmish.
Twenty-six vesseia in tho Attacking
Fiset-The Japs Were Merely
Experimenting With
tho EN- smy.
BY the Associated PreSl

SHANGHAI, Aug. 12.-The Japanese
squadron that attacked Wei-hsi-Wei on
Friday, reports of which engagement
were cabled to the Associated Press yes
terday, consisted OF 26 vessels. 1t is
not definitely known how many OF the
feet were men-of-war. The warships
drew up in line of battle off the port and
opened FIRE early Friday morning. There
were no Chinese warships in the vicin.
ity, and the engagement was entirely
between the Japanese men.of-war and
the forts. The whereabouts OF the Chi
nese feet was unknown. The forts were
able, without much difficulty. to repulse
the attack. About 50 shots were ex-
changed, but no material damage was
done on either side. The soldiers man.
ming the guns OF the Notifications showed
themselves to be lsmentably deficient in
markmsnship. Nest of their shots were
ill-directed. the shells either falling
short OF the vessels aimed at or going
wide Of the mark.
When the feet withdrew to Fort Ar.
thur. which place it attacked, Friday
evening, little damage, if any, was done.
been no attempt to conquer Wei-hi.We
or Fort Arthur, but simply ruses on
the part of the Japanese commander to
ascertain the exact position and strength
OF the Chinese guns at the two places.
On Tuesday last two small gunboats
were sighted going at full speed in the
dir rection of Tisn-Tsin.
AWAITING REPORTS.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12.-The officials
of the Japanese legation are without
any information respecting the reported
fighting at Wei-hai. Wei and Fort Ar
thur on the Chinese coast. They are
inclined to believe that tho home gov
ernment is awaiting full and complete
reports OF the battles, as it had been re.
garding the fight at Gesan, Corea.
Much interest in the movements
against the above mentioned places is
felt by the officials of the government
here. At or near Fort Arthur, Ii Hung
Chang has bis great military stores,
arsenal and other resources for a con.
tinuation of wsrike operations. Both
Fort Arthur and Wei hai- Wei are in the
line of direct route by water to the
mouth of the Pei-ho river. by which
Peking can be reached, and any move
ment against the former places is likely
to bs a factor in the attempt which
many persons here believe the Japanese
will make to overthrow the dynasty at
Peking.
ONLY TWENTY-FIVE sHoTs EXCHANGED.
LONDON, Aug. 12.-Ths Times tomor-
row will publish a dispatch from Tien-
Tsin confirming the Associated Press
! l. 49,
fleet upon the Chinese fort at We'll Hal
Wei and its repulse.
A dispatch to the Times from Shsng-
hal says that the Chinese official report
OF the engagement states that only 25
anese warehips and the forts.
The report adds that one of the Jap
anese ships was hit three times and
another one once. The FIRE of the war
ships did no damage to the forts.
A dispatch from Berlin says that IL ie
reported that the cruiser Irene, formerly
commanded by Prince Henry of Prussia,
brother OF Emperor William, will be
sent to reinforce the German Asiatic
station.
TIE PLAGUE AT HoNG-KoNa.
VICTORIA, B. c., Aug. 12.-From Aus.
tralia and the east, by the steamer
Arawa, which left Sydney, July Goth,
and arrived in Victoria Aug 18th, comes
the following news:
AT Hopg-kong it is generally believed
that the plague will ruin Hong-kong as
port.
A large number OF ships have bee n
transferred to Macao. Ships are in
great demand, bringing enormous prices
if they are available for carrying troops.
TELEGRAPHIo CoMMUNIcATloN RESTORED.
NEW YORK, Aug. 12.-The Western
Union Telegraph company issued a
notice today that the Chinese telegraph
line running north from Tien.Tsin,
through Manchura to Helempo, is now
open for messages written in plain lam
gusge. This restores to the public the
route to Russia via Tien-Tsin.