The sun., 1895-05-05
THE BATTLE OF THE YALU.
CAPT M,GIEFIN OF THE CHEN
rUEN TELLS THE STORY.

Japanese ships Outnumbcred the Chinese,
he saws. aud Had Better Guns and
Proiectiies-Cnpt McGiGn Cnmo Near
Being Killed by Ouc OF His Own Guns.
Capt. Philo NJ. McGlflln Of tine Chinese navy.
who saw bloody service in the great battle Of
tho Yau. arrived in New York last Tuesday
from Wci-Ha-Wci on his way to Washington.
Pa, where he was born.
Capt McGiflln was in actual command Of the
ship Chen Sucn during the i've hours contest
OF the Yalu. while the nominal commander.
Admiral Lin, was below praying to his gods.
lic left China five weeks ago on n ak months
sick leave and he will stay in this country in
definitely In the hope Of recovering his shat
tered health. unless he is recalled by the
Chinese Government. lie came through Singa-
pore and Marseillcs instead OF by tho Pncifo,
because II reward of $4,000 had been offered by
the japanese for his CAPTURE, alive dead. He is
II soldierly man OF about thirty-nvo years. with
blue cyes,a blond inoustachc, AMI n face dnstlv
reddcned by his service In the Orient. His
hearing and cycsight are somewhat impaired
and IN other ways he is sufferer from wounds
received Mt the Yalu
He graduated from Annapolis In 1882 and
after serving two years us an ensign in the
American navy ho settled In China. He soon
entered the service Of the Government, and for
some time was engaged in making survey OF
tho Corean coast. About four years ago ho
founded the Chinese naval college at Wel-hai-
wei. 1e acted as superintendent of the insu-
tuition until tho outbreak OF the war.
lie bud obtained leave of absence. to begin
Aug. on account OF poor health and intended
to leave at that time for America. About July
J. however, he saw how things were going. and
believing that war was inevitable, he gave up
his leave and took service on the Chen Yuen. A
number Of the men under him had been trained
at the naval school.
The war began Aug. 90 and on Sept. II came
the battle of the Ialu.
"One thing about that battle" said Comman-
der McGiffn t. reporter. that has not been
understood on this side of the water is the fact
that were outnumbcrcd by the Japanese.
although the Japan,s, havs represented
differently. We were ten ships to tho Japs'
twelve ut the beginning of the battle, but
two Of our ships Immediately put about and ran
away. Two others wero set fire. and
the crews were kept busy fighting the fire. so
that they were of no use to us. At that point in
the battle three Of the Japanese ships had been
put out Of action.
ASIDE from the preponderance Of numbers,
the Japanese had a great advantage over us In
other respects. Our guns were furnished with
solid shot only, which passed through the Japs'
hulls without doing any great damage. while
they rained shell on us from guns of the most
modern construction. Some OF their ships were
furnished with melinitc exploding shells.
In reports cinanating from the japanese 1t
has been said that we ran away from them,
which is absurd. in view of tho fact that the
Whole wsS eG. i lnots Wits ~ GU" the Japapess So
squadron could reach l1th knots.
1t is an actunl fact that at the end we drove
the Japanese back. and remained in possession.
Admiral Ito. commander of thei forces. said ut
the time TINT when peace had been declared he
would tell why they retired. but l don't believe
lie Will"
AT the surrender of wei-hai-wei the Chen
Yuen. Capt MEG INNS ship, passed into thehands
OF the japanese but ho had left her after The
battle Of the Inlu, in which lie was completely
disabled, chiefly by one OF his own guns. Dur
ing the battle lie was hit several times.
First q fragment OF shell struck him in the
LEFT thieh and penetrated about two inches. He
served il as a souvenir. Shortly afterward his
abdomen was cut by another fragment,
A shell exploded under n hardwood ladder,
and a piece OF the wood striking MIN in the left
flank, Rtiicted wound from which S, he stu suf.
wounded by one Of his own guns was described
by him last night.
and went forward with several volunteers to
put 1t cut. Tho fire OF the enemy was directed
pTeYs", .1a' "s fron p @ p it. IN
The men would not go forward without an
officer and as none Of the Chinese officers would
hands. shell passed between my hands and
then between my legs. just grazing both wrists
and carrying away the tails of my coat;
The bow guns, were 50 arranged that they
OF which there were two working together about
six feet apart, had been firing across the
on the ire i directed the Lieutenant in
charge Of ihe guns TO tirelo ,s, the star, star;
the captain of turrct, who took lns place,
did not know that we were there. We
cOal rot be seen from the turrct. / le swung
the guns around to return the encinys fire on
the port side. | was directly in front of one
OF the guns, nnd not oyer ten feet away:
first. They were fortyton guns, each loaded
with :24 pounds of powder and projectile-
The projeclilc passed DIX feet to one SIDE of us,
but the concusslon and flame were sufficient to
kill or wound every one Of US.
was killed. was blown Ave feet into the air.
my clothes were set on fire, all my hair and % eye;
brows were burnt away y,Iy my eyes were ert, fiied
stroyed. l fcll back ON my chest and my lungs
were set to bleeding BY the concnssion;"
Commander Mcciiiin was asked whether he
had anticipated the easy victory of the Japanese.
NO." he replied. u did no, expect the jap
success was possible. but hardly probable. and
in case they won Thought nvSy !, wo1a be 59nly
no one in China did.
Il believed that an american or European
army corps of 10000 men could walk right
through China, but did not believe the Japan
csc would hr able to DO whnt they have done.
really did not give them credit for the advance
they have madc.
-, At the beginning of the war the Japanese
played al the last. They were atraid Of us.
They constantly avoided coming INTO contnct
with our fleet. We were held within certain
bounds by our orders. bu, the Japanese fleet MAS
not, aud they could have forced nu engagement
at any time but they held 0tT.
''rhc first fight or two made great difference.
II the Chinese had won the first battle believe
It would have discouraged tine Japanese greatly.
and IL might have Affected tEe termination OK
the war. However. IT is too late for IFS now"
why is 1t that I he Japanese showed so much
greater courage than tie Chinese
" Ihni is II mistaken notion Our men showed
great courage wherever II WAS possible 10 do so.
The japanese never had so severe test as that
to which the gnnncrs OF the Chen iuen were
subjected at the Yulu. We had only six guns,
while some OF the Japanese vcssris carried
twenty-five quicA-tring pieces. one Of their
ships could fire seventy or eighty shots our six.
"During the buttle the Chen incn was struck
over 400 times but our men stood to their guns.
There was no cowardice displayed by the men.
Some OF the Chinese officers were brave men.
or many others. ..perhaps the least said the
better. Admiral Ting, who commanded the
squadron. WAS gallant, piucky old fellow,
One reason the Japanese were better able 10
exploit their bravery was bcCauS. most OF the
war correspondents were within their lines and
their dispatches had to pass through the hands
pf rrn or course they found IL advisable to