THE SINKING OF THE KOWSING. PARTICULARS OF THE ENGAGEMENT.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8081, 20 September 1894, Page 4

THE SINKING OF THE KOWSING. PARTICULARS OF THE ENGAGEMENT.

THE JAPANESE VERSION. Tho following aro tho main facta repotted officially by the Imperial iaptiiiOBB naval authorities respecting tho tngagemonb with tho Ohinoae squadron on the morning of July 25 : " Two Chinese cruisore, tho Tehl-Yaen «nd Kuwan-flhi, wero obsorvod Btoam|»g from AB9n, and a transport carrying Ohinof'o Boldiora, convoyed by tho by tho watahip Tsao-Kiang, trae Been coming from Taku towards Aaan, Tho Japanese oruisera Akitsuon, Mosbino and Naniwa mot tbo two Ohinoae men-of-war noar tho loland of Fontaa. Tho labbor did not ealubo bhe com-roander-in'Ohiof, bat raado belligoront preparationo and manifested a hoetilo attitude. In order bo gob oat of bho mrruw place the Japanone cruieora put tu sea, whereupon bho Tehl-Yuen followed up tho Maniwo, Upon this Iho latter made for bhe Tehi-Yuen, whiob, howover, retreabed, and hoisted the while fl g abave tho Ohineae naval oneign. Tho Naniwa conoequonbly delayed firing. At bhia momenb the tran8poib crofised bho bow of tho Nuniwa, whoroapon the labber tired a blaok ehob to call attonblon, and rigu&lled to her to atop. In bhe moant mo the Tahi-Ynen had approached ihe Naniwft'a atero, and wheo within 300 mobreB of the Japanese ohip diaobatged a torpedo, whioh raiesed tho Naniwa. The Noniwa now opened fire on thoTdbi-Yuon, and tho Japanea^ cruioor Yoehina also joined in bho RCtioo. In bhe ood bhe T«hi-Yuen took to flight towarda Wei-halwel Bbo wan ohaeod, bub not overtaken. The Kuwim-Bhi had in the meantime been fighting with the Akibsuou, bob finally flod and book refuge bebween the »ho:o and tbo ehoal, Tho bran0j)ort carried olx field guns and 1100 aoldiere. The captain of the transport Burr6ndored but iho sold era on board refused to do a*, and ree o'.ed capture. '1'be ISfanlwa was finally oblged to open fire upon hor, and the transport was aunk. The oapb*in and others were reaooed by bhe Wauiwa's bofttP. It WftB eubeequonbly ■ BBcertained, that the traheporb was a Brltlah steamer bolonglng to bho IndoChina S'oam Navigation Company, ©nd oharborod by tho Chinese Qovernraonb to carry eoldiera and munltiona of war. Bho' had' on board four battiallion commaocJera and fifteen company commandote, Tbo Japaueee Goveintnont, on learning thab tho transport which had been sunk waa a . 13ritiah vohboI, aO once spontaneously expressed tholr rogtoba to the British Charge d' Affaireo, and declared, through the Miniabor forj Foreigu Aff *irr, that if, aftor thorough inveatigaUon, the Japunoao wero found bo be in the wrong the Japaneeo Oavernment were prepared to make full repara* tlon."

AN INDEPENDENT ACCOUNT. A Times' correspondent, telegraphing from Obeofoo, on Wednesday, givoa Iho following nocouot of tho naval eugagoraont: "On Joly 25th tho Japanese Admiral on tha, Mateueima, «hioh wan aooompauied by two obher men-of-war, uightod bhoBnb'ub steamer Kowebicg, carrying 1600 Chinoao traopa ibr Ooroa, in Corean waters, forty talloo off Chemulpo, und signalled to hor ' etop where you are or take the ooosequencop.' Tho Kowehing, which was flying the I^ritioli ensign, promptly anchored, and tho men-of-^ar steamed away, The captain of tho Kowahing, trusting to tho Bribioh flag, refuBod bo ulip bis anohor and ruo, Then tho Japanoao cruiser Naniv/a "steamed up and soot a boarding pirty to tho Kowshlog* Tho oflioor in command tnado ft strict Bcratiny of bho ship's papers, and after somo hesitation qb t hia course of notion in tho dreampbanceo^ peremptorily ordered the Kov? ehins? to follow, This caueed great OKclternonb amoDgsb the broope, who »i»id to tho English oflicera of tho ship, » Wo rofuao bo become prisoners^ and eoonor die here, If you move the ship exoept to return to China, we •will kill you.' They pub a guard over tho ftochir. Tho Kdwehlng then fiignaUd to tho Nauiwa to send another boab, and Captain von Ilannokon explained tbo situabion bo the Jftpaooao bo«d ng officer, pointing out that they had left China in time of jpDtce, that th re had been no docbratioa of war, bhub the Kowsbing waa a Bntiiob ship under bho British flag, and fct&t ib wt»B lanpqsslblo to execube the iNaniwtk's order, Ho claimed that the fUg shou'd bo respected, and that fclo uhip uhould bo escorted back to the (Mnm ooaet, '

XJOII'Klt BU118T BY A TOUPEDO. ' **Tho boarding p^rty returned to (bo Naniwn, whlob tbereuppn signalled, ♦Qulb ti o ship aa fcna an possible.' Th« KowBbiog ropliod that wao impossible to q vt the chip. The Nanlv/a lloW »m answering pouunt and Htoaoaod qu okly 'oto position, broadeide od, at adlutnncoof aboit 200 inotreu. Bbo tbea iroraodiatoly d«fcch*rged a b rpedo at the Ko^Bb'ns; aad fired two broadjjldeo with all her gang—two 25-toa and four i 10-b b . weapone. The torpedo Btrqok a ooil tonkor, and tho boiler of ibo Kownbiog bttratwlth a torrlfio exploaloo. Tho troops, who were wildly oxcitod, fired theii? rifles ktnd BOta'o Bthall mountain guno."

U'HE JAPANKSK FIRM) ON DttOWNIlia '• ' MEN, "The Naolwa continued to fire ber 10-ton guuH, discharging altogether fifteen ehob , and poured a deadly ijajn from ber machine, guoa on ,bhe Ohjneae troopp, ovea after some of thorn were In the wato*. Tho Kowobiog gradually j aund in eight) fabhomo, tho troppo Qring J • to tho' latit, Sho' wonb etorn JicBfc, flyio? tho red eoeigD. The Ohinofio fired on some of their own people, aaylng bhat »ll ohoald dlo together. The J'apaneae lowered one heavily arna'od boat, which fired on bhe troopo straggling ia fehe water, There vw no attempt to save life.' It wag evideob thab no quarter wad to be given ; all were to be maeeaored. The Hanltrn etoauied sway to report; to a jBritish CoDimlato or to a naval oftioer, (hat seven KngliBbtnen bad boon killed, pee bBttfwj &$ fi^y BoWleta

reached a rock. Captain von Hanneken miraculously osoaped, and arrived in a Coroaa fishing boat at Chemulpo on July 28 Ho Iuib sworn an affidavit before the Bnbish Conaol in regard to i ho events abovo narrated, and bears testimony to the splendid couduct of ho Chinese troops, who died gloriously, lighting to bho laHb." i