The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-06-09
ADMlRAlITO AT The YALU.
low the Famous Japanese Sailor OutgcD-
eraled All of His Opponents,


will fight better against the Japs. their
lifelong enemies, than anyone. All
our swords and cutlasses are ground to
a razor-edge. The Japs Cutnumber
us In ships, and have better ships, save
one or two, and great many more,
but We don't growl at that. Well
make up for it by firing faster and
better"
On the afternoon or September 16,
1894, the fleet of Chinese war-ships
sent to protect the transports loaded
with troops for Corea, arrived at the
mouth of the Yalu river. The trans
ports were at once ordered inside and
the disembarking of the troops began.
About 10 o'clock the next morning,
September IT, the lookouts on board
the Chinese men-of-war sighted fleet
to the seaward. Was 1t the enemy?
The fleet approached rapidly; and soon
the cry, The Japanese are coming!"
was heard. Then all was excitement.
The Chinese fee. consisted of five
armored vessels. seven unarmore6
twenty-eight 6-inch and sixty 4.7-inch
quick fire guns. while the Chinese
ships, two gun boats and two torpedo
boats. In the rapidly approaching
Japanese squadron were twelve ships.
two armored and ten unarmored, with
Admiral Ito In command. The heav-
lest ordance carried was of 12-inch
caliber; and of these the Chinese had
eight guns and the Japanese four. But
China's superiority in heavy guns was
more than made up by the greater
number OF rapid-fire guns possess ed by
the Japanese. The JAPANESE had
ships were armed with only fourteen
6-inch and fifteen 4.7-inch guns. 1t
VIII be seen that the two fleets, were
suff1ciently evenly matched for q fair
nght, with the chances rather in favor
OF the Chinese, providing each fleet ex-
hlblted equal skill and bravery.
on came the Japanese In two d.
Visions, forming into line ahead as
they drew near the enemy. The Chin
ese met them with their ships arranged
IN the form of rather blunt wedge,
the iron clads being at and near the
apex. Soon the vessels were within
range and the great guns hurled tor
nado OF shot and shell through the
air. The japanese passed rapidly
across the Chinese's front, then turn
ing sharply to the right, brought a
heavy fire to bear on the wing ships on
that side OF the line Both we're dis
abled and one was set on fire Again
the Japanese turned and, steaming
across the stern Of their opponents,
cut off the two war-ships at the end of
the opposite wing. This skiilful ma
neuver reduced the Chinese feet by
four vessels.
Admiral Ting now endeavored
to come to closer quarters; but
the enemy's ships were superior
In speed, and Admiral Ito too
wary to suffer this. He kept
the Chinese at a distance, and piled
them with his rapid-fire guns with
great effect. BY this time the two
fleets had formed into two circles, with
the Japanese holding the outer ring.
This formation was not sufficiently ef-
fective; and Admiral Ito hauled OF,
reorganized his squadron and again
advanced in two divisions, his most
powerful and swiftest ships holding
the first line. A Chinese boat left the
line and attempted to ram one of the
advancing cruisers; but was sunk by
heavy fire. Two other heroic ships
made the same attempt; one was sunk
and the other set on fire and forced
to go out of action.
The japanese had not lost snip.
One had been disabled by she'll and
another had been set on fire; but not
one had been destroyed or sunk. EVl-
IDENTIFY Japan was getting the better OF
China. The Sleeping Giant" was
getting a good drubbing.
The remainder of the fight was Vir-
tually between the two Chinese battle
ships, Ting Yuen and Chen Yuen, ana
the first line Of the Japanese divisions.
Staff Commander McGiffen, quoted at
the head of this article, served on
board the Chen Yuen. An extract
from one of his letters gives viva
picture Of the battle which now foi-
lowed. He writes: 1--WE were bat
tered with a tornado of projectiles OF
all sorts. Our superstructure was rid
died, but the sand bags which had been
piled inside proved of great service
and stopped any amount of splinters
and fragments. Fire was constantly
breaking out-eight times during the
day. Even through
the ward-room a Hotchkiss shell or
other projectile occasionally tore its
way, smashing the furniture and filling
the room with acrid fumes" For more
than two hours did these two battle
ships heroically sustain the brunt of
the conflict. The bravery and en-
durance Of their officers and men was
the one redeeming feature of the Chin
ese in the battle and this was owing
largely to the presence and the disci-
Dline of the foreign officers.
For some time the two fests had
been gradually getting further and
further apart; and, at about o'clock,
both ceased firing. Then darkness