“At 9.15 a.m., coming close to the Kow-shing, I signalled J. W. (to
stop immediately) and twice fired blank shot. The next signal was L.
P. (to anchor), which she obeyed. I was at that time very anxious to
catch the flying Chinese warship, and I turned a little while in that
direction. At that time the Kow-shing signalled D. N. W. R. (may I
proceed), which I answered by the signal J. W.
“At 10.40, I sent Lieutenant Hitomi and others as prize officers to
her. On seeing all the papers and other things, they found that she
was carrying contraband persons. So I ordered her to follow me, which
her captain consented to do. When I hoisted the signal L. R. (slip
or weigh anchor immediately), she asked me by signal to send a boat
for communication. I thought that the captain wished to tell me that
he was prevented by the Chinese soldiers from obeying my order. So I
ordered Lieutenant Hitomi to go again to her, giving him instructions
to bring the Europeans on board the Naniwa, if the Chinese generals
were resisting the carrying out of my order. When the lieutenant came
alongside, the captain came to the gangway and said that the Chinese
generals asked to be allowed to return to Taku, as they did not know
that war had broken out. The lieutenant informed me that, when he
went there, the Chinese soldiers were in a condition of the greatest
confusion and excitement, so that the captain intentionally came down
to the gangway and would not let him go on deck. Four hours had been
consumed in these fruitless negotiations, and there was no longer room
for hesitation, so I signalled M. L. (quit the ship immediately). To
this the captain again answered by the signal demanding a boat. At that
time I thought it would be rather foolish to send our officers, as the
Chinese were in such an excited state. Accordingly I signalled H. J.
(boat cannot come). It seemed to me that she was awaiting the arrival
of the Chinese fleet; moreover, it was very dangerous to hesitate any
longer, so I again hoisted the signal M. L., and at the same time a red
flag on the foremast. At 1.10 p.m. I ordered one torpedo and shells to
be discharged. The latter hit the engine-room.
“At 1.15 the Kow-shing began to sink from her stern.
“At 1.37 I sent two cutters to rescue the captain, the officers and the
rest.
“At 1.46 she sank.
“The spot where she sank is two miles south of the island of
Sho-pai-oul.”