The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-09-03
BATTLE OF THE YALU,
THE CHEN yUEN'S COMM lander
DESCRIBES TIE FIGHT.
Two Chinese Ships Ran Away, But
the Others Fought With Great
Rravary n;, of StriISino Shells.

8 graphic account OF line Dallle oi
the Ialu," fer the Century. As Com
mander Glthn was the first naval ottl'
Ger belonging to the Nations of Euro
pcau civilization to witness an engage
ment with modern vessels and guns,
his account has value entirely apart
from its interest. The following IS
an extract from his article:
The fleets closed on each other rap
IDLY. My crew was silent. The sub
lieutenant in the military foretop was
taking sextant angles and announcing
the range, and exhibiting an appro-
pirate small s1gnal-dag. As each
RANGE was called the men at the guns
would lower the sight-bars, each gun
captain, lanyard in hand. keeping his
gun trained on the enemy. Through
the ventilators could be heard the
beats OF the steam-pumps; for all the
lines of hose were Joined up and spout
ing water, so that in case of ire no
time need be lost. The range was about
four miles, and decreasing fast. "Slz
thousand meters!" Give thousand
eight hundred "si1 hundred'-tive
huu dred''-" "ive hundred y give
thousand four hundred! -
The crisis was rapidly approaching.
Every mans nerves were in state OF
tension, which was greatly relieved as
q huge cloud Of white smoke, belch.
ing from the Ting Yuen's starboard
barbette, "opened the ball. y just az
the proiectile threw up a column OF
white water little short of the Yosh-
ino, roar from the Chen Yuen's bat
terry seconded the fas'shlps' motion.
1t was exactly 1920 p. m. The range,
as found on the Chen Yuen, was 520O
metres; on the Ting Yuen it was as
sumcd to be $500. On our side the
firing now became general from the
main batteries, but it was about five
minutes before the japanese replied.
As they opened fire, the Chinese quick
firing Hotchkiss and Maxim N Norden-
felt, three and six Founders, joined
in, and thence forward the conflict
was almost incessant. Like ours, the
enemy's first shots fell short; but With
an eyultant chuckle we noted that 8
shot from one of our 12-inch guns had
struck one of the japanese leading
ships.
The bridge of the Chen Yuen, al'
though some thirty feet above the
water, was very soon soaked, as was,
indeed, the entire exposed surface or
the engaged side, by spray thrown up
bv line shots that struck the water q
little short. Many OF the men at the
guns on deck were wet through, and
indeed the water was thrown on board
with such violence rs to sting the face
md hands like hail. Every one IN the
coming tower had his ears stopped
with cotton, yet the din made by pro-
jectiles rattling up against the outside
of its 10-inch armor was a serious an
noyance.
During this early part cf the en-
gagement the Chinese fleet as whole
kept their indented line, and preserved
intervals fairly well, steaming at about
six knots-thc Chao Yung and Yang
Wei being still out of station on the
extreme right. The Tsi Yuen, with
her faint-hearted commander, FonS,
had bolted very soon after the enemy
had opcued fire. At y. Is we saw this
vessel about three mics astern on our
starboart quarter, heading southwest
toward Port Arthur. She was followed
bva string OF Chinese annthemas from
our men at the guns. She reached
Port Arthur ut 2 a. IN. next day (seven
hours in advance Of the Aeet), spread
ing there q wild tale that we had been
overwhelmed by vast Japanese ar
mada, etc.
Upon onr arrival, Captain Fong
claimed that his entire battery had
early been disabled, and that he had
been obliged to run to save his de-
fenseless ship. But upon an examln-
alton Of his battery By detail of line
and engineer officers, it was found ID
perfect working order, excepting the
s:x.inch sternchaser-the one project.
i!c which struck his ship having
rassel beneath the trunn!ons, lifting
the gun from its seat. But this shot
lad entered from the stern, having
evidently been received after the re-
treat had begun-admlnlstered, 1t
Sould seem, as contemptuous part
ing kick from the enemy.
Captain Fon3's outrageous example
was at once followed by the comman'
der of the Kwan CHA, whose courage
vas scarcely cxcaeael by his knowl-
edge cf navigation; for, about mid.
night, he ran upon reef outside OF
Ta.Lien- Wan, which he said was a
most unaccountable mishap, as he had
laid his course lin 100 mile run) "to
clear it by one and a half miles !!
This vessel had not been struck at all,
but some days later was blown up by
her crew upon the approach uf some
japanese vessels. Our force had thus
early been reduced to eight vessels.
AS the japanese feet approached, it
steamed along our front from left to
right, at perhaps double our speed, and
each vessel could thus exchange shots
with each of ours in turn. The Japanese
Principal Squadron kept at closer
range, upon the whole. than did the
Flying Squadron. The latter, upor
reaching our right flank, turned II
aud poured in heavy cress-tlre on
the extreme wing, the Chao Iung ano
Yang Wei receiving the most of it.
From the first these two old-fashionet
cruisers were doomed. Two passage
ways IN each superstructure connected
the bow and stern ten-inch guns, or
the outboara side Of each being Off.
GERS quarters, ETC., the partitions and
bulkheads being of wood highly var