THE _FENG SHUI_ CHANGES HER NAME FOR LUCK--THE TRANSPORT--THE JAPANESE
MAN-OF-WAR--SURRENDER OF THE _KOWSHING_
We were compelled by circumstances to remain a few days at Shanghai,
and almost every hour begat new rumours. Sunday itself was no day of
rest for the Spirit of Conjecture; she was busier than ever, and
whether on the Bund or on the concession road, where everybody met all
the world and his wife and family, the speculations were numerous and
important. Only the ugly Amas (Chinese "ayahs"), and their usually
pale European charges, were exempted from the general discussions. The
Chinese, too, were quite quiet, but also perfectly alive to the
situation. Those of the settlers who played lawn tennis or other
games, or cycled,--as most of the "foreign" men did,--paused to discuss
late events on the grounds, or on the Marine Parade. The Chinese
drove, or perhaps walked, but did not "go in for games" as the "foreign
devils" do; it is better, they think, to pay people to do all this to
amuse them.
The steamer quitted Shanghai, and made her way into the Yellow Sea,
which is beautifully blue, and derives its name from the Ho, or Yellow
River. Near the land it is more muddy, but steaming at sea through the
ocean depths the water is blue as an Italian sky. We made our way up
to Taku, or Tien Tsin, the well-known port of Northern China. We
passed close by Yung Cheng, and rounded Wei-hai-Wei, passed the
islands, and steamed through the Gulf of Pechili to Taku at the mouth
of the Pei-Ho.
I was very much interested in this place because a cousin of mine had
been engaged in the expedition against the Taku forts in 1859, and I
recollect my admiration when my cousin returned with some beautiful
Chinese robes, and other articles, which he had purchased, or found, in
Pekin after the capture of the capital. These spoils still exist in
the possession of my cousin's family.
While embarking Chinese soldiers for Corea, we heard many reports of
the Chinese fleet, the attack of Japanese in Seul, and such
intelligence, which confirmed my captain in his impression that war had
already virtually been declared, and that the struggle would be fought
out by sea and land, between China and Japan, in the Yellow Sea and in
Corea. So he made haste to embark the soldiers,--some twelve hundred
men with twelve guns,--and, when they were settled on board, the
steamer followed the other transports, of which nine had already
sailed. There were two other English steamers employed in the service,
but we didn't think that any fuss would ensue, because we trusted to
the "red ensign."
"Well, Julius," said the mate to me, when we had crossed the bar at
Taku, "here we are on service."
"Yes," I replied; "but it is only transport service. There will be no
fighting. We can't fight, and no one will harm a British ship."
"Let us wait till we reach Corea. When we reach Asan, and land the
troops, we shall be able to sing 'Rule Britannia.'"
"What do you mean?" I asked, looking at the mate intently in the dim
light. "There is no danger, is there?"
"I suppose you know that the Japanese warships are out in this sea, and
they expect to meet some Chinese vessels?"
"But we're not Chinese; we're English."
"Just so," said the mate. "Hadn't you better look after the troops,
and get them settled. If any storm gets up, or anything happens, they
will be like children, and _we_ can't hold them."
"Who's the major? He's not a Chinese, anyway!"
"No, he's a German, I believe--a Von something--a good fellow, I think.
You see the Herrs are getting the thin wedge in in China, quietly.
Look at their travellers already--commercial, I mean--they are turning
_us_ out! This major is teaching the army to shoot. They are very
young in the modern sense. Just see that the Johnnies are quiet."
They were peaceful and resigned. So far as I could ascertain, none of
them, except the generals, had any notion of what they were sent to
do--except to fight _somebody_; but they were apparently quite passive
in the matter, and gave themselves no concern either way. They were
machines then; but later they roused themselves unpleasantly.
It was early in the morning of the 25th July 1894; I had been on deck,
but came up again about eight a.m. because I was informed that the
islands were in sight off Corea. I knew the mate was on watch, and he
might want me. So I came up to him.
"I say, Julius," he said, "just call the captain! There's an ironclad
ahead, and I can't quite make her out. She carries the Rising Sun, but
there is a white flag over the Japs' colours. Look alive!"
Just glancing ahead I thought I could see the vessel referred to, but
of course I called the captain at once.
"Where are we?" he asked, rising quickly.
"Oft Shopieul Island, I heard, sir; in the Corean Archipelago," I added.
"Thanks," he replied; but whether he was sarcastic I could not divine.
I at once hurried on deck again, and searched the sea.
The captain then came upon the bridge, and I heard him chatting with
the mate.
"I suppose she's a Jap," said the latter; "but I can't grasp the white
flag."
"Dip the ensign, anyway; it's the proper thing. Hoist the red rag," he
said.
The signal-hand quickly bent the ensign of the merchant navy; it rose,
fluttered out, dipped, and rose again to the peak, blowing out plainly.
"I say, he takes no notice," cried the captain. "She keeps her course
to the north-east. Now what in thunder does _that_ mean? It's an
insult, bedad!"
"She's steaming at a fine rate, sir. Looks as if she was in a hurry."
"Running away, bedad!" laughed the skipper, turning his glass upon the
large ship. "Ah! a man-of-war and a Chinaman,--a trick, I believe."
"Really so?" exclaimed the mate. "If so, there's been a 'tit up'
yonder, and Jap has licked Johnny, but I heard no guns. Excuse me,
sir, what's that yonder?--a schooner, I say."
I heard him, and got a glass from the signalman near whom I was
standing. But the schooner was not the _Harada_, so far as I could
see. She had no foretop-sail-yard. She was steering south-east, a
long distance away, and looked an old style of vessel getting away.
By this time the news had spread through the steamer, and penetrated to
the Chinese intelligence forward. The soldiers came up in numbers, and
the officers, accompanied by the European passenger, began to chatter
and make all kinds of inquiries and observations. The Japanese flag
had evidently raised the "dander" of the Chinese. They understood that
the man-of-war was a Chinaman, but could not understand the white
feather of retreat or escape.
By degrees the excitement increased, and the crew of the steamer became
very much interested. The native fireman even came up to look around,
and though unable to see anything, descended again, much impressed with
the result.
Notwithstanding our native English assurance, one or two of us--I need
not make invidious comparisons--began to suspect danger. The captain,
mate, and the German military passenger were perfectly calm and
unembarrassed, and the _Kowshing_ proceeded at a good pace to her
destination. The chief men were on the bridge. I was within hail, and
at times stood upon the ladder to see better, and to hear better, what
the prospects might be of seeing war.
We still kept our course, and had approached within a mile or so of the
island from the north-west, when three men-of-war came out from the
land in our direction.
"What do you make them?" asked the captain.
"Japs," was the reply. "We are getting into a hornet's nest, I think."
"The British ensign will surely protect the steamer?" asked the foreign
passenger. "There is no necessity to alter the course."
"Precious little use, anyhow," remarked the mate. "We must keep going,
though I fancy the ships will not appreciate the Chinese troops on
board. We may be compelled to return."
When the Chinese commanders perceived the Japanese vessels approaching
they became rather excited--the soldiers also crowded forward, and
there was no appearance of fear amongst them. There was some anxiety,
certainly, on board, and when the leading ship passed on and fired two
blank cartridges, there was a feeling of uneasiness evident.
"Stop her," came the order when the two guns and the signal had been
interpreted. My heart beat loudly at the sound of the unshotted guns.
They meant heave to--anchor.
The steamer hove to and waited, tossing gently upon the sea.
"What are they up to?" was the question expressed or implied. "Tell
them we understand, Julius." "Ting, ting" went the telegraph to the
engine.
The man at the signal halyards and myself sent the bunting aloft. The
flags said, "We have stopped"; and again we waited, lopping and
rolling, as the anchor plashed away into the blue sea at eleven fathoms.
"I say, are we prisoners?" I asked the mate when he came back
amidships, having seen the anchor let go.
"Looks like it," he replied crossly. "Must wait the Japs' convenience,
I see."
The Chinese generals then began to plague the captain with demands
which the German officer translated and repeated. There was great
confusion.
"That ship's the _Naniwa_," I heard someone say.
"She's returning. All right, we may proceed, I presume."
"She is only going to confer with her mates," said the engineer, who
had come up. "But the captain is asking something."
I made out the signal as directed, and it spelt "May we proceed?" The
engineers anxiously awaited the reply, and the crew expected the order
to weigh.
But to my dismay, and certainly to the disappointment of all on board
our steamer, the reply came from the Japanese, sharply--
"Heave to, or take the consequences."
We looked at each other, the Chinese commanders were furious. The men
made ready their rifles, and got up ammunition. Things began to look
black all round.
The Chinese commanders demanded to know what had been said, and when
they had been informed a discussion arose. So greatly were they
exercised that the foreign officer suggested that the soldiers might be
sent below, because he feared a disturbance if any Japanese came on
board; and also, I think, he fancied we all were in danger if the
troops became mutinous.
This advice, backed up by the officers of the steamer, was acted upon,
and when I had assisted in carrying out the order with the
quarter-master, Louis, we came on deck again, and we saw the same ship
again approaching us on the port side--on the beam; she took up a
position so that she could enfilade us with her starboard battery, and
we could see that she had prepared to fire her broadside.
I really could not believe we were in danger. It seemed so absurd to
think that our Japanese friends could threaten a British ship sailing
under the ensign, and employed in transport duties. I said as much to
the mate. He shook his head.
"You see, we are in the enemy's pay, and the Japs must have the first
blow if they mean war. Still, I suppose they will take us off the
steamer, and make the Johnnies prisoners. Here comes a boat. We shall
soon find out all about this business."
"The Japanese are armed," I said.
"Certainly they are. They are on the warpath. I hope we shan't lose
our scalps!"
I laughed at the idea, and the mate walked forward to keep watch and
order ahead, without echoing my misplaced merriment. He seemed to take
things seriously. How absurd!
"Gangway!" came the order, and the captain went down to receive the two
Japanese officers who intended to come on board. They were received
with politeness, the lieutenant and his sub demanded to see the
steamer's papers. For this purpose they went into the chart-room.
Meantime I was staring at the boat and the Japanese sailors, neat and
tidy fellows, and at the youthful officer keeping guard. My heart
leaped. I recognised him as the youth whom I had assisted that evening
in Shanghai when the feeling against the Japanese ran high. He
recognised me at the same moment, and smiled. I advanced and saluted
him; he replied in kind, and we exchanged greetings. It was Tomi!
"May I inquire what your captain intends to do with us?" I asked after
a while.
"I cannot say," he replied. "My officer and your captain will
doubtless arrange matters."
"We are not at war," I persisted; "we cannot be harmed." I glanced at
the English ensign as I was speaking.
His eyes followed mine, and he touched his cap politely, then looked at
me. "Will you come on board?" he asked. "I will assist you now, if
you like."
"Why? What for?" After a pause, I replied, "No, thank you. I am on
duty, of course." But I thought it kind of the middy. He knew the
danger.
"Stand back, please; here is my officer," he said quickly. "Be silent."
He at once became distant as the land, and shut up like an oyster. He
perhaps was afraid to be seen speaking to me.
The captain and the Japanese lieutenant then appeared. The latter
said--
"I will convey your message, sir, I understand that this vessel is
under the charter of the Chinese Government to convey troops from Taku
to Asan. Is that correct?"
"Perfectly," replied the captain.
The lieutenant continued, "There are eleven hundred soldiers on board,
with arms and ammunition and supplies. Are you prepared to follow the
_Naniwa_, sir?"
"I am willing to do so," replied the captain. "Will you favour me with
your esteemed name?"
"Lieutenant Hitomi," was the reply. "Yours, sir, is Goldheugh?"
The captain bowed; the lieutenant bowed in response, and was then most
politely escorted to the gangway, whence he was rowed to the _Naniwa_,
as he had named her. She was painted white, and had one funnel.
She was, and is, a fine ship, and I scrutinised her size and guns and
equipage of modern appearance. She was armed with two 26 c.m.
twenty-eight-ton Armstrong guns; six 15 c.m. five-ton Krupps; besides
machine guns--a heavy armament for a ship of something under four
thousand tons, I estimated. She carried three hundred and fifty-seven
men, and could steam eighteen knots. These details I learned later; at
the moment of the lieutenant's departure I was fascinated by her guns.
It seemed so unreal to me. War was so unexpected by us, though I
gathered that it had been brewing for months. Still it is always
disturbing and alarming, even if one is _not_ face to face with it, as
I was.
When the Japanese officer had returned to the ship, the Chinese
generals came up with the German officer to make inquiries. The major
was not present when the explanation had been made, but he understood
that our captain had mentioned him as a "passenger."
"I did so, sir; I told the lieutenant. Did you not hear what I said?"
"No," replied the passenger. "If you had called me, as we agreed "--
"Bless my soul, what time had I to call anyone?" exclaimed the captain.
"The man didn't wait for any explanations. He asked me questions, and
when I had replied he was off like a shot; and maybe he'll treat us to
one presently, though I suppose it isn't his fault. What are the
generals going to do?"
"They declare they will resist. You should have stipulated to return
to Taku, they say; and they will rather die than be taken prisoners."
"Bedad, they may have to do it!" muttered the captain. "Julius, hoist
the signal for a boat. The Chinese fellows are breaking loose, and
we'll be murdered in a minute. We're between the devils and the deep
sea now, and may go anywhere. Call assistance!"
The German gentleman in vain attempted to influence the Chinese. He
could speak their language, but they did not listen. The officers
declared they would fight. They had eleven hundred against the three
hundred and fifty Japanese, and they could prevail! In vain the major
declared that the ship's guns must destroy the steamer if she fired at
us. The generals were obdurate. They directed their men to guard the
bridge and gangway, to kill any European who resisted, and to load all
rifles.
"We have your protection," they said to the captain. "If you withdraw
it on the part of England, we shall shoot you. You have made a
contract with us, you must complete it. Take us to Asan, or back to
Taku, and forfeit the charter."
This was translated to the captain, and he swore. He signalled for the
Japanese to send a boat, and the reply came--"Send at once." We then
waited in the greatest excitement, fearing for all on board who were
not Chinese, because the soldiers threatened, and made the most
horrible signs to us all the while suggesting death and torture.
It is almost incredible, but it is true--no romance is here.