In the Yellow Sea

OF "FêN

ff the Chinese and Corean coasts after the declaration of war till the middle o

ia, North China. The admiral did not communicate his ideas to many people, but it leaked out in the fleet that he was keeping the Chinese in check while his transports were carrying the Japanese troops to Corea. Meantime th

s" Ito, Prime M

Gensan, and Fusan, the fleet having left the Taidong River, which is across the peninsula, opposite to Gensan, cruised along the Corean shore searching

commanded by Rear-Admiral Kozo in the Yoshino. The main squadron, commanded by Vice-Admiral Ito Sukahiro, was

Englishman. Many of my messmates in the fleet had been to England, and some had studied there, so they knew that a naval cadet was not an upstart, and if h

smile; no one knew when, but everybody was evidently impatient. All were prepared for action,-well disciplined and trained. The admiral had confidence in officers

e Chinese. But we ascertained that the astute John had landed his soldiers in transports, under the protection of his warships, while the Japanese fleet had been temporarily refreshing

tion was displayed when the lookouts declared that no Chinese ships were in sight. The chief officers were o

ed some of us, and the

ews?" I asked

We were proceeding under easy steam, the day was fine and pleasant, and I m

d aloud. "The Chine

me up to announce to me the great ne

of the wounded and supplying ammunition. In fact, so far as I could ascertain at the time, and subsequently by inquiry and reading, the condition of the Japanese navy is equal to that of any

oaching each other. In the arrangements I was in a measure overlooked, and kept out of sight of the officers as

, was commanded to proceed to attack the Chinese. These "flyers" steamed ahead, the Yoshino in advance, against the great Chinese ironclads, ten or twelve immense vessel

. Then a most fearful roar arose in front, a mile off,

d of shell-firing, but never had expected to see it. The sea was torn up all around the Japanese a

f the big guns deafened me, the spitting of the smaller ones irritated me; and yet we passed the enemy with little damage to the Naniwa, and

nd cries of victory and the shrieks of the dying, or the more ghastly wounded? I could see the other ships coming up behind us in our wake, the Naniwa was the last ship of the leading squadron, and the Chinese phalanx

peed carried us on beyond the Chinese vessels, though the din and the smoke became more fearful each moment. I had no real idea, or rather had no idea of the reality, of war. I had

ft the enemy on the starboard quarter, and turned to port. We had passed thus along in front of, and to the starboard side of, the Chinese, and now,

getting badly hurt. One of the Japanese vessels came through the Chinese line most bravely, but came out shattered and in flames. He

main line of our ships came on on their quarters and gave them none. The "Rising Suns," their rayed naval ensigns, blowing o

bullets whizzed and sang in all directions, and over all the flame-streaked smoke of guns and furnaces poured out and hung upon the scene, as if to conceal man's awful pass

ertainly, her decks battered and bathed in blood, her dead and wounded left, and her living crew shouting for the aid which never could come

SEL WAS MOST FE

ignal of recall. As he had both eyes-and not one blind side-he was compelled by discipline to return to the main squadron. It was then about half-p

ar the flagship I l

he unaided eye, and the shells were still causing flames to break out in the opposing ships. One of the big Chinese ships tried to ram us, and we had a na

mmed us?" I said ne

of mention. It was worthy of a young Nelson, who in such surroundings could quietly contemplate the sinking

her, battered her, splintered and dinted her. Her inner fittings must have been shattered, and her guns dismounted. Still she persevered.

ed cowardly. She was burning fiercely; great masses of smoke rose up and drifted over the ships, and yet she did not strike, but fought it out, until at length, blazing, she plunge

was debating with myself, when a great shell, and then another, from the big guns of the Chinese flagship came plump upon the Japanese flagship. No one, I think, who h

ed for a long time. The other shell apparently had made a big hole in the port-side, by the lower deck, struck upwards to the opposite side, and sent a gun overboard, or tumbled it below. The loss of life was tremendous; about eighty killed and wounded by these two discharges alone, besides the other damage don

ot other ships come to her assistance, I think she must have been destroyed. Thus the battle

ed by the German officer-the same, I was given to understand, who had been released with the passengers in the Kowshing. Why this German soldier was intrusted with th

"Rising Suns" threw a lurid light. The circling vessels moving to the attack in opposite directions gave the Chinese no quarter; the latter became

nd they, at dusk, retreated, followed by the Japanese at a respectful distance, fearing

nted. To my unbounded astonishment the Naniwa had absolutely not one man reported dead or even wounded. N

my young Japanese friend an

, after some few remarks and congratula

llowing them in a parallel course. T

lace in the ships. I see the fla

ansferred the flag to the Hashidate. The Matsushima requires

From ship to ship the cheering spread, and speeded many brave souls to heaven in the excitement attendant upon the martial strains of the solemn "Kimi-ga-yo," the National Anthem. Far over the now quiet sea, and amid

lights. He rests upon the main topsail-yard

e it will quickly escape. We shall not be able to ascert

osophers have agreed that the falcon brings good fortune to the Japan

I replied, laughing. "The bird, I hope, h

mour. "But here's something to interest us both,"

hanged, and my young fri

a volunteer. Do you under

tood in it, a little," I

at once, and explain matters to him. One of the officers has sent me the message; I must s

ink of this new misfortune. The tr