CHINESE FLEET._The Imperial Japanese Navy

(From starboard to port.)—

+-----------------+----+------------+--------------------------------+------+

| | | | | in |

| | | | | 1894.|

+-----------------+----+------------+--------------------------------+------+

| Yang Wei |1350| — |Two 10.2-in., four 4.7-in. Krupp| 6 |

| Tchao Yung |1350| — | Ditto | 6 |

| Ching Yuen |2300| — |Three 8.2-in., two 6-in. Elswick|14 |

| Lai Yuen |2850| — | Two 8.2-in., two 6-in. Krupp |10 |

| Chen Yuen |7430| Lin | Four 12-in., two 6-in. Krupp |12 |

| King Yuen |2850| — | Two 8.2-in., two 6-in. Krupp |10 |

| Kuang Chi |1290| — | Three 4.7-in. Krupp |10½ |

| | | | | |

|Inshore. | | — | | |

| Ping Yuen |2100| — | One 10.2-in., two 6-in. Krupp |6 or 7|

| Kwang Ping |1000| — | Three 4.7-in. Krupp |10 |

| One torpedo boat| 128| — | Three tubes |15 |

| ” ” ” | 69| — | Ditto |16 |

+-----------------+----+------------+--------------------------------+------+

[24] Admiral Ting.

[Illustration: YALU: THE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE.]

The first shot, which fell short, was fired by the Ting Yuen at 12.30.

A moment later the battle was general.

The sea was smooth—almost glassy—the sky dull. There was, however, a

growing breeze, and this blew towards the Chinamen, so that the black

smoke from the Japanese cruisers acted as a helpful screen.

The Japanese came on, and passed right across the Chinese front,

turning in succession eight points to port, when they opened on the

Chinese at 3000 yards. This passing across the front was dangerous, and

the Chinese nearly succeeded in cutting the Japanese line. They lost

station in doing so, masking each other; and to this the Japanese fleet

owed much, and only their tail was endangered. The Fuso was badly hit.

The Hi Yei, in danger of being rammed, had to alter her course. She

passed between the Chinese battleships at short range, getting badly

hit as she cleared them. The Akagi was badly knocked about; the Saikio

alone passed on unhurt.

The Chinese had by now half won the battle, but they were in such a

muddle with their ships that the advantage was never followed up. At

this time the flying squadron, which had cut off the two old gunboats

to starboard of the Chinese line, was masked by the remaining four

vessels of the main fleet; and an inspection of the plan of the second

stage will show how near victory was for the Chinamen had their fleet

only been in hand. Overwhelming heavy gunfire was theirs.

They lost the opportunity, however, and the flying squadron, after a

short engagement with the Ping Yuen division, circled and came round on

the Chinese front, while the main squadron, also turning, assailed its

rear. The Ping Yuen devoted herself to a fruitless attempt at chasing

the main Japanese fleet, while the bulk of the Chinese wasted effort in

an attempt to complete the destruction of the little Akagi. In doing

this they came under fire of the flying squadron, which sank both the

King Yuen and Chih Yuen with its 10.2-in. guns.

Attempts by one of the torpedo boats to sink the Saikio-maru failed;

she also survived a fire from the Chinese battleships. The Lai Yuen was

by now ablaze; the Ching Yuen was no better off. Both battleships were

also on fire. The pendulum had swung round, and everything pointed to a

complete victory for Japan.

Matters were thus when, at 3.30, the Matsushima was put out of action.

The incidents enabled the battleships to recover, and they took,

without much serious harm, a hammering from the entire Japanese fleet

that remained.

[Illustration: BATTLE OF YALU: SECOND STAGE.]

This stage continued till nightfall, when the Chinese got into line and

steamed away, followed for a short distance only by the Japanese.

Both sides claimed the victory; as a matter of fact, it was a drawn

battle. When the length of time the battle took is considered, the

damages were relatively small. In detail, they were as follows:—