The record-union., 1898-04-25

of the Blanco and Cochrane. The ships
log and steam log had disappeared. 1t
is claimed that they were burned in
the furnaces with many other docu-
ments The total duration of the ac-
tion was ninety minutes. During this
time the Huascar lost or had disabled
her Commander and three next senior
officers. besides twenty-eight officers
and men killed and forty-eight wound
ed out of crew of about 2G0. She
had her steering gear disabled three
distinct times by the enemy's fire, was
set on fire in eight different places, had
her turret jammed, her right turret
gun disabled and her light guns and
gatling unnamed"
The remains Of Admiral Grau were
inferred by the Chileansat Santiago with
full military hCnOrs, and throughout
South America solemn masses We're eel
ebrated for the repOse of his soul. His
record was an extraordinary one, for
he was one Of the most skilled sailors
and sea fighters Of his day. He had
been often in action, and his conduct
endeared him alike to friend and fee.
AS an example Of his disinterested pat
riOtism, it may be set down that he do
mated all his prize money due him from
his several captures to the fund for car
rying Oh the war. IN that War two
sailors names stand out-Admiral Mi
gUel Grau, the Peruvian, and Com
mander Arturo Prat, of the Chilean Es-
meralda, who sword in hand and almost
alone jumped to the deck of the Huas
car in a vain attempt to board. He fell
at the foot of the turret, and his unsur-
rendered sword vas turned over to
Grau. who, like him, was soon to find
that the path of glory leads to the grave.
THE FIGHT IN THE YELLOW SEA.
Although the battle Of the Yalu fought
on September II, 1894 is the only mod
ern sea fight wherein the new weapons
were employed. the conclusions drawn
from it are Singularly unsatisfactory.
Owing TO the character of the contest
naval officers the lessons in the
reassertion of the unuuenchable vitality
of the great underlying principle the
supreme Importance of battle ships
were not such as would have been taught
by a conflict between any two great
Western Powers.
Give the same fleets with different civ
ilizations controlling, many vexed
might have been solved however, no
Western Powers could more have en-
phasized the value of sea bower ana
the necessity of preparing in peace for
the demands made by the SUDDEN, sharp
and short warfare of modern times.
Two fleets were engaged, the japanese
consisting Of twelve ships, the Chinese Of
ten, and these included coast defence
vessels. armored cruisers, protected
cruisers, cruisers, gunboats and a very
few torpedo boats Admiral Ito. the
Japanese cOmmarder-in-ch chief, flew his
flag on the Matsushima, and Admiral
Ting Ju Chang, a gallant and spirited
officer, carried his on the Tin= Yuen.
The day was beautiful a light haze
resting on the smooth water and floclls
OF clouds drifting high against the blue
of the upper skies. The official account
OF the battle shows that smoke was
discovered by the anchored Chinese
fleet to the southwark about 10 a. m,
and that Admiral Ting got his squadron
under way in line of battle.
The two battleships were in the CEN
ter, the smaller ships on the flanks while
the two torpedo boats and their consorts
lay at a considerable distance under
cover of the fleet. At slow speed the
Chinese vessels steamed to meet the ap-
preaching ships of the japanese NOV
ing forward in column of ships, the first
squadron, consisting of the YoshinO,
Takachino, Akitsuchima and Naniwa. in
the lead
AT first these vessels headed for the
center of the Chinese line, but on APP
prOach they gradually altered their
course so as to cross it's front and pass
beyond and around the right wing. A
similar evolution was performed by the
main squadron, which consisted of the
Matsushima, Chiyoda. Itsukusshima,
Hiyel. Fuso and Akaji.
THE ENGAGEMENT
From the Japanese fleet the Chinese
vessels appeared to be formed either in
an irregular line or enchelon. and it was
recognized that the Ting Yuen and the
Chen Yuen were in the center, with the
sister shifts Ching Yuen and Chi Yuen,
Lai Yuen and King Yuen on either side
and the other inferior ships on the flanks.
During the approach two Chinese ships
We're seen on the port bow, we'll off the
right flank.
When the leading vessels were still
separated Dy SIX thousand meters the
Chinese opened fire, but their adver-
saries kept on silently until they were
distant three thousand meters, when
simultaneously they opened and sus-
tained a most vigorous fire. 1t is un-
necessary to go into the details of the
engagement, though it may suffice to
say that the battle was fought in gen
eral at range from two thousand to
three thousand meters; that the Jap
anese doubled the Chinese line and got
their fleet between a cross fire: that the
Chinese fleet was scattered, some of the
ships boiling in a furry of fear, and
that a murderous, most devastating as
sault was made upon the Chen Yuen
and the Ting Yuen by five of the heav-
lest Ja3ane5e vessels.
M'GIFFIN'S STORY.
The story of this fight has been told
by the late Philo McGiffin, an officer
formerly of the United States navy,
who had taken service with the Chi
nese. His graphic story, as told at
the War College, is, without exception,