CHINA'S OLD NAVY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 183, 4 August 1932, Page 10

CHINA'S OLD NAVY.

A "FOREIGN DEVIL'S" ROLE. COMMANDS -WARSHIP AT YALU WOUNDS WRECKED HIS LIFE. (By a Special Correspondent.) MINNEAPOLIS, June 25. Some of the recent events in China in her conflict with Japan recall that the once despised "foreign devils" have played important roles iu China's wars.

Two Americana organised China's Foreign Legion, the "Ever Victorious Army,"*' which later was reorganised and commanded by tho Englishman, "Chinese" Gordon.

Five years before the American fleet sailed to victory in Manila Bay, a graduate of Annapolis had commanded in action a Chinese battleship which, in tonnage, armament and tho number of tho ship's company, far outclassed Dewey's Olympia.

This American commander, 33 at tile time, was Captain Philo Norton MeGiffin. His great-grandfather was it soldier in tho Revolution; an uncle was a major in the war of 1812, and his father, Norton MeGiffin, was lieutenantcolonel of the Eighty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers in the Civil War.

Philo MeGiffin received his commission in 1884. An Act of Congress sent him to China. An Act was passed which provided that only as many places for academy graduates would be available as there were actual vacancies. The navy was small and vacancies few. Of a class of 90, only 12 found places. MeGiffin was not among the 12.

Looking for an opportunity to use his naval education, ho discovered that the Tong King War between France and China Was on, and he offered his services to China. In April, 1885, MeGiffin reached Tientsin.

Li Hung Chang placed MeGiffin on a flagship at 100 dollars a month. Later he was made an instructor at the naval college, and finally was placed in command of an ironclad training ship. For nearly 10 years he served as naval instructor, constructor and professor of gunnery and seamanship.

In 1894 war with Japan was declared and he was placed second in command of tho Chen Yuen, a 3000-ton warship.

The Battle of Yalu was fought September 17, 1894, and the Chinese vessels wero so badly hammered that the Chinese Navy, for the time being, was wiped out of 'existence.

Tho flasship and Mr. McGiffin's ves«ol bore the brunt. Early in the fight MeGiffin had to take command, his suporior being wounded. The battle lasted five hours. MeGiffin was badly wounded. His health and eyesight wero permanently impaired.

11l health made it necessary for him to resign and he returned to the United States. 'Threatened with insanity and blindness, this American hero of tho Battle of Yalu killed himself in a New York Hospital on February 11, 1897.— (N.A.N.A.)