The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-23
FIERCE NAVAL FIGHT
THE wvoMlNG's HEROIC BATTLE
WITH THE JAPANESE.
Against Overwhelming Odds the American
Commander McDugalI Fought One Of the
Most Daring and Successful Engage
ments In the History OF Marine Warfare.

Strange as 1t may seem, the Wyo
ming's oriental battle is an almost un
accorded chapter of our naval annals,
though it ranks even higher in point OF
daring and success against overwhelm-
ing odds than the defeat of the Ala
bama by the Wyoming's sister ship, the
Kearsarge But the Wyoming never
was in very great luck as naval star
She had her part throughout the civil
war in all the hardest of blockading and
cruising service, and fought well when
ever she had the chance, but she did
not have the luck of getting into the
papers. She was sent off at the same
time as the Kearsarge 10 cruise for that
scourge Of the seas, the Alabama, and
just missed her by the merest chance
on two occasions in the China seas.
II was in 1868, toward the end of the
dual reign of the tycoon and the mika-
do. when japan was in the throes of
civil war, and the forces of the rebel
princes were resisting TO the last the
passing Of the old feudal system. The
Prince Of Nagato was one of these, and
from his tiny kingdom that fronted ON
the straits of Simonoseki he declared
himself lord paramount of everything in
sight, including the neighboring seas,
from which he took generous toll as did
ever the pirate chiefs Of Tarifa. He
had laid violent hands and hot shot
upon the vessels of various powers, in.
Guiding Great Britain, France, the
Netherlands and the United States.
Meantime Prince Nagato throve and
fourished by the strait Of Simonoseki,
and failing one day to wiring tribute or
blackmail by any other means he fired
on the American merchantmen Penn
broke and killed a couple of her crew.
There was another diplomatic protest of
the combined foreign representatives TO
the japanese government, and Com
mander McDugall, who happened to be
IN port with the Wyoming, suggested
that If the mikado could not take fall
out of his rebellious subject the Wvo.
ming could and would without much
urging. This struck the government as
a good thing and en- easy way out of the |
difficulty, SO McDugall |
was given carte blanche to settle ac- |
counts with the Prince of Nagato in be-
half OF all the powers concerned, and |
he forthwith sailed away.
1t was the middle of July when the |
found herself in the strait
Of Simonoseki and in sight of the shore
batteries which were part Of the
princes defenses TO seaward. Before
she had time TO open on the batteries
two japanese gunboats doomed up, one
ahead and one astern, in the narrow
strait, and presently third came cruis- :.
ing out from among the neighboring is
lands. 1t was nasty place for fight,
McDugall being without charts or pi-
ots, and the odds were more than
enough for Nelson himself, being 4S
guns OF the three japanese vessels to the
IS OF the old Wyoming, to say nothing
Il the batteries on shore There was
TILL chance to run, barring some dam
yer Of grounding in the narrow channels
lmong the islands, but the idea does not
eem to have occurred to any one aboard
he frigate.
Working to windward of the nearest
japanese, the Wyoming opened at long
ange and worked down on her till.
Vhen close aboard, there was nothing of
he enemy left standing above decks.
The other two vessels had come up in |
he meantime and engaged the Ameri-
an ON either side, but she lay to and |
ave them shot for shot, port and star
Gard, till her gunners were smoke
lind and the fame of the guns no lon
er served to light the battlecloud that |
oiled in white pillows over the smooth
'aters of the strait. 1t was desperate
'ork III the shallow water, but the
wyoming was the best vessel, and She ,
her two opponents from
art to finish, though twice aground
nd once afire, with as many men knock.
l out from splinters and heat as from |
10 enemy's shot
Fighting themselves out Of one | ,
noke patch into another the three COM
atants circled around like two crows :
nd kingbird till they had drifted | ;
OWN in range Of the shore batteries,
hlch gayly took a hand in the game.
ut McDugall ran across the bows of
ie OF his enemies, raked her as he |
ent and left her floating wreck, and
len turned his attention to the bat
ries. The Wyoming's men rugged the :
nith's forge on deck and tossed hot |;
lot into the works ashore till they set
em afire and the soldiers fed and the .
her Japs ON the remaining cruiser, de- :
ding enough was as good as feast,
lowed their example.
So McDugall mended his rigging and | !;
Itched his bulwarks, and meanwhile
Mt word to the recalcitrant prince to y
me down and settle or he would sail q
land and shell the royal palace about \
J royal owners ears
The prince, who was no less discreet
an Colonel Crockett's coon, came
'wn promptly, and of the resulting in v
mnity $500, 900 fell to the lot of the | a
nited States. 1t was many years be. a
re this money got into the treasury of | {,
o United States, but meantime the
ate department had charge of it and | v
ID invested it so we'll that there was a | v
Il II