The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-21

Japanese HeeIWaSnOW on ltS way 10 tile
rendezvous at Hawaii. The effort was
manifest in the added determination
of the crews among the American ves-
sells. Notwithstanding the fortifica-
tions that had been hastily erected at
Sitka, the American territory was now
under control of japanese troops; and
in the event of japanese success off the
Hawaiian Islands transports would
bear troops from Alaska to Oregon,
whence a military invasion of the
United States would be attempted.
This news stirred the Americans to the
utmost, and all were anxious to meet
the foe.
Obeying the orders issued to him,
Rear Admiral Sicard touched at Acap-
ulco on his way north, and then pro-
ceeded to San Francisco, where juno
tion with Rear Admiral Miller was ef-
fected.
THE FLEETS MET.
1t is well known in naval circles
| that it requires ten times the force
to take a place that it does to defend
| 1t. This had been the experience of
| the Japanese in Hawaii. Their ad-
| vance squadron had been driven out
of the harbor of Honolulu by the guns
| mounted on shore. Later they had
| been Joined by the rest of their navy,
and the combined force at last succeed
| ed In investing the town. The Ameri-
| can flag had been hauled down amid
the cheers of $4,000 Japanese resident
on the island and the Red Sun of ia
pan had been run up over all the gov
| ernment buildings These Japanese
| laborers, who by some means had Sc
cured arms, had been held in check,
only with great difficulty by the Ameri-
can defenders; but their activity at
last, seconded by the offensive war
ships, effected the surrender Of the
city. This accomplished, the japanese
| turned their attention to the Pacific
coast of the United States. From the
supply ships that had accompanied
them they replenished their stores and
We're well fitted for the battle on leav-
| ing Hawaii.
TIL American fleet had started from
San Francisco two days before the
Japanese left the harbor of Honolulu.
and one fair morning the opposing
fleet sighted each other but a compar-
atively short distance from the Pearl
| of the Pacific. The commander-in-
chief of the japanese squadron at once
|
the center was the new battleship, Fuji,
which had but just left the ship yard
in England. To her right was the bat
tle-ship Chin -Yuen-Go, formerly Chen
Yuen, which had been captured in the
battle Of Wei-Hai-Wei from the Chin
ese. One the left of the central ship
was the armored cruiser Fusoo and on
each side were the armored cruisers
tat Il do al a n
| A second line was composed of the
protected cruisers Matsushima, Itsu-
kushima, Hashidate, Yoshino, Naniwa,
| Takachiho, Akitsusu, Suma, Akashi.
Idzumi and Tai Yen. Nine unprotected
cruisers We're held in reserve. Near
the first line, so as to be useful If the
opportunity came, steamed the torpedo
gun vessel Tatsuta and about fifty tor
pedo boats. 1t will be seen that the
Japanese navy was out in force, and
that the coming battle was to be the
decisive struggle of the war.
Opposed to the. japanese squadron.
Rear Admiral Miller had under his
command the battle-ships Iowa, Ore
gon, Indiana and Massachusetts, the
second-class battle-ships Maine and
Texas, and the armored cruisers Brook
|
first line. This line was supported by
the cruisers Olympia, Philadelphia.
Baltimore, Newark, Charleston, Bos-
ton, Cincinnati, Raleigh, Marblehead.
Detroit and Montgomery. In another
line were the Alert, Bennington, Con-
cord, Yorktown, Nashville, Wilmington.
Machias and Castine-all gunboats with
the exception of the Alert. Torpedo
boats hovered near the first line, but
behind their cover.
BATTLE BEGINS.
When Admiral Miller sighted the
Japanese squadron and saw their for
nation, he signaled his ships to make
a right oblique turn-hs idea being to
get the angle of gun fire on the enemy
which would enable him to bring to
bear upon the japanese his most effec-
tive and largest number of available
guns, while least exposing his own
ships. A signal was made by the COM
mander-in chief of the japanese direct
ing his ships to take an oblique direc-
tion toward the left. Firing here be-
gan.
That the Japanese were splendid
gunners was shown by the manner in
which their projectiles were striking
dangerously close to the American
ships. 1t was evidently the purpose OF
Admiral Miller to disable first the Full
and the armored cruisers of the Japan
ese. Upon these the six battleships
and the armored cruisers New York
and Brooklyn opened their fire, while
the cruisers and gunboats in the rear of
his line, together with the torpedo
boats, were to obstruct the junction OF
the Japanese reserves with the Japan
ese line of offense
, The manoeuvers appeared to be sue
cessful The great superiority Of the
! United States men-of-war in guns and
amount of metal thrown in a minutes
discharge soon began to tell most fear
! fully upon the Japanese. A l3-inch
shell from the Indiana's main battery
passed through the 14-inch belt pro-
tecting the vitals of the Full, and
; pierced one of her boilers and scalding
} every one within reach of the burning
steam. But despite this shock the Jap,
anese stool pluckily by their guns. BY
this time the Fuji had become separat,
ed from her consorts. Seeing her alone
the commanding officer Of the Iowa re.
3 aeWed the attack. The two ships were
about evenly matched extensively, not
} withstanding the explosion which haG
occurred. The displacement of the Flij
, was 1850 tons, while that of the Iowa
| was 1880. The Full had four 12-incf
r breech- loading rifles mounted in two
, barhettes; ten 6-inch quick firing rifles
| two on each side in casemated sponsor,
5 on the main deck and three on each side
within shields on the upper deck. II
r addition she carried twenty-four 8