February 20, 1805.].
THE CHEFOO. FORTS. The East forts are thirty li distant from the port of Chefoo and some of the Japanese ships when passing the place fired at the forts, the fire being returned. Two shots struck an enemy's ship and then the rest made off. The forts are too far from the foreign settlement for the can- nonading to have done any harm to the latter.
Lungmen, fifty li from Chefoo, has been at tacked by a Japanese squadron convoying a number of transports. The enemy apparently intend to make a landing here in order to take Chefoo in the rear. The roads between Wei- haiwei, Ninghai, and Chefoo are still held by a large force of Chinese, who are trying to block the enemy's advance northwards.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT,
133
staff
beached and a number of her guns are still service- telegraphed to Shanghai that the men wanted | bard the islands of Liukungtao and Jih, con. able and have been used since the disaster. The were on board the Liyu, and that they were to jointly with the land forts. The forts at the Chenyuen is now the flagship, with Admiral be arrested. In consequence of this the native western entrance to the harbour are not service. McClare chief in command on shore and afloat.authorities called in the aid of the French police able and a Japanese naval force which was landed The sortie made the other right was by a number and the German Consulate, the vessel being under and sent in that direction has returned to the of our torpedo boats which went out to try to the German flag and berthed on the French Con- | ships. The forts at the eastern entrance, besides torpedo some of the enemy's large bruisers cession. As a matter of fact, however, the vessel the guns enumerated by chief of the lying quite near the western entrance, but un-did not go alongside the wharf but made fast to Dewa, in his despatch dated the 4th instant, fortunately, the attempt proved futile, and the a buoy in the stream. The men were named contain two 24 o.-m., retreat to Liukung tao was blocked by superior in the warrant Wang Teng-jün and Mu Chin- 12 c.-m., guns, which will be of use to the Jap
one 15 cm., and two numbers. There was nothing left but fight, shu, lieutenants in the Peiyang squadron, and anese marines. although two of the enemy's torpedo boats were they are accused of running away and spread-
Weihaiwei, via Japan, 9th February. destroyed at the beginning of the fight. Thiring false reports. A search for these men com- General Dewa, chief on the Japanese staff, in teen torpedo boats made the sortie, only two menced on Monday night, but up till 2 a.m. his despatch sent from Weihaiwei on the 4th returning in safety.
yesterday they had not been found. The instant, says that on January 30th, as the third search recommenced at 7 a.m. with a similar Japanese torpedo flotilla was attempting to en result. One of the men was undoubtedly on ter the harbour, the land forts which had been board after the Liyu left Chefoo, and it is sup: taken by the Japanese troops opened fire on her posed that he jumped overboard in the river and in mistake for a Chinese boat. so escaped. Up till late yesterday afternoon On January 31st the Japanese had decided Chinese soldiers were still on board the steamer. and made every arrangement to enter the port, The Liyu brought down eleven foreign and over but strong winds and rain prevented the opera- three hundred Chinese passengers from Chefoo, tion from being carried out, and the Japanese including some of the foreigners who had been fleet retired to Yungching Gulf. On February employed at Weihaiwer before the Japanese at- 1st the wind decreased slightly and on the tack. A large number of Japanese men-of-war following day the Japanese ships left the Gulf. were snoff the Promontory and torpedo boats They sustained no damage through the weather, were cruising about. One of the latter over- but, as a matter of course, the hulls of the hauled and signalled the Liyu, asking where she vessels, chiefly of the gunboats and torpedo boats, was from and who her passengers were. The aud even the guns themselves, wore covered with Tingyuen has settled on the ground and when ice from three to five inches thick. On the 3rd last seen all her guns were above water and she instant the second, third, and fourth Japanese was a veritable stationary battery. All the foreig-flying squadrons attacked the forts on Liukung- safe when the Inyu left Chefoo; none had been by one shot which killed two of her people and ners at Liukungtao, some nine in number, were tao and Jih islands. The Tsukushi-kan was struck killed, the reports that had been circulated of wounded some others. Several of the Chinese having emanated from the men who ran away to ern shore which were in the possession of the their deaths, including Admiral Ting's death, ships in the port attacked the forts on the east- Chefoo. According to people who profess to Japanese and on the same night the Japanese know, Admiral Ting fought like a hero, and al- torpedo boats attempted to rush through the has only some four large ships left, he seems the strict guard kept by the Chinese pre- though he has lost most of his torpedo boats and entrance, but the floating obstructions and determined to fight to the bitter end.
vented the movement being carried out. The flotilla, however, succeeded in destroying most of the obstructions and to-night they will attempt the destruction of the remainder. To- day a number of Japanese marines were sent to the forts off the western entrance, and com- menced bombarding the Chinese ships. The serviceable guns in the forts commanding the eastern entrance are three 24 c.-m., two 21 c.-m.. and one 15 c.m. On the 30th ultimo one of the troyed by a shell from a Chinese ship, which also 24 cm. guns in the captured forts was des- killed two Japanese and wounded two others, one of the latter being mortally hurt.
JAPANES INTENTIONS. The high dignitaries of the North havb ra- ceived reliable information to the effect that the Japanese finding themselves unequal to the task of fighting their way to Pekine by way of Shanhaikuan, or the eastern route, owing to the vast superiority in numbers of the Chinese army between Shanhaikuan and their objective, have decided to take the western, or Shantung routs, to get to Peking. Large numbers of the enemy's troops are therefore now being withdrawn from Manchuria for Shantung to reinforce those at present in that province.
An official telegram from Tientsin states that the retreat of Governor Li and his army to Lai- ohow was in obedience to an Imperial decree of the 6th instant, ordering him to mass the Shan. tung troops in the vicinity of that city, which is on the high-road to Peking.
ADMIRAL TING'S CONDITION,
THE ASSAULT ON WEIHAIWEI. Wo take the following telegram from the China Gazette :-
Weihaiwei vid Japan, 9th February. At. 4 p.m. on the 6th instant Admiral Ito, commanding the Japanese fleet off Weihaiwei, despatched the following intelligence, which was sent to Port Arthur in the Edo-maru. On the night of the 4th instant the first Japanese torpedo Chefoo, 11th February, 5 p.m. Several scouts arriving from Weihaiwei de- Weihaiwei, and after the moon set the second flotilla was sent to guard the western entrance to olare that Admiral Ting, though very seriously and third torpedo divisions entered the harbour by wounded, is still alive and in spite of medical ad- the eastern entrance, carefully picking their way vice to keep quiet for a few days persists in going through the space between the floating obstruc about supported by a couple of servants, attend-tions. The little vessels immediately attacked ing to the defence of the port. Weihaiwei is mak ing a very good defence yet and besides the re- maining vessels of the Peiyang fleet there are still eight torpedo boats of the A class in the harbour to assist the fleet.
LIUKUNGTAO HOLDING OUT.
12th February, 8am. Scouts returning from Weihaiwei report that on the 11th all was safe at Weihaiwe. The remainder of the Peiyang fleet, eight in number, and six torpedo boats were still defending Lin kungtao Island. There are yet two forts close to the western entrance, armed with our best guns, still in our hands, although two more at a distance south-westwards, near Weihaiwei town, have been taken by the enemy; those forts are, however, destroyod."
ALLEGED RUNAWAYS.
the Chinese ships at anchor inside. The Ting and the bottom of the Chingyuen (P) appeared yuen was certainly torpedoed in the first attack to be badly damaged by the same cause, Of the Japanese torpedo squadron boat No 8 received several shots in her engine-room, killing all that were there at the time, and some of the other boats, on their return to the Japanese fleet, got aground in the spaces between the floating ob- structions and were partially sunk under the Chinese fire. Lieutenant Sazaki and two Ja. panese sailors were subsequently frozen to death in their exposed position, and one sailor of the same party was wounded. Torpedo boats Nos. 8 and 14 were considerably damaged, having broken either their rudders or propellers by striking against rocks or floating obstructions in the harbour. Torpedo-boat No. 6 was struck by 46 projectiles, all either from rifles or small machine-guns, and in addition received one Hotchkiss shell. Torpedo boat No. 1 was struck by ten bullets, and other boats sustained more or less damage from shots. although there was no further loss of life from direct fire,
12th February, 9a.m. Wong Ting- yun, lieutenant in command of a Chinese torpedo boat, and Ma Chin-shu, first lieutenant on board of Tingyuen, flagship, both natives of Tientsin, left by one of the merchant ateamers for Shanghai, They are now wanted for having made false reports to the Chefoo Taotai On the night of the 5th instant the second Concerning the loss of Liukangtao Island, the death and third Japanese torpedo flotillas were sent to of Admiral Ting, and that the Japanese were in guard the western entrance to the harbour, full advance for Chefoo. Owing to their false whilst the first flotilla as soon as the moon set reports the Governor, Li Ping-heug, was per-entered through the spaces between floating suaded by the local mandarins at Chefoo to with- obstruction. Torpedo-boats No. 23 (Lieutenant draw all his troops from the vicinity of that Kotaka commanding) and No. 11 discharged port, in order to avoid giving the enemy the ex-seven torpedoes which sank the Chiyuen (or onse to attack Cheloo. The Chefoo Taotai Liu Chenyuen), the Weiyuen, and one gun boat, and General Sun, however, declared their inten- There was no loss to the Japanese either in boats tion to remain at their posts till the last.
Shanghai, 13th February.
or men.
Torpedo-boats Nos. 8 and 14 have been towed by the Yayeyama-kan to Port Arthur for
Weihaiwei, via Japan, 11th February. before the 5th instant are the Tingyuen, Laiyuen, The Chinese ships sunk or torpedoed on or
then run aground. The ships which contrived and Weiyuen. The Tingyuen was torpedoed and
to get out of the harbour, but were afterwards sunk by the Japanese quick firing guns, were ten torpedo-boats and one steam launch. Admiral Ting is very probably in the Chenyuen, which has again been very heavily damaged. She is slowly steaming about in the inside of the har bour, firing only her smaller guns. When the Japanese were bombarding Liukung tao and Jih island from the forts which they had cap- tured, the Chinese ships after an obstinate re- sistance took shelter in the harbour of Liu- kangtao.
port are four cruisers and six small gunboats. The Chinese ships remaining in the
Liukungtao is very probably taken by this time. The Chinese prisoners say all the ships are badly damaged.
Tai Taotai has committed suicide.
When the booms are removed and the Japa- nese ships are enabled to enter the harbour the remaining Chinese vessels will be at their mercy, On the 7th instant the magazine at Jih island was exploded by Japanese shells.
Weihaiwei, via Japan, 12th February. The Chief of the Naval Staff telegraphed as follows at 3 p.m. on the 9th instant:-
At 8 a.m. to-day the forts bombarded the Chinese ships in Weihaiwei harbour. The third Japanese flying squadron fired at the east- ern fort of Liukungtao island for the purpose of checking its fire. The second flying squadron assisted. The Chinese ships retired towards Weihaiwei, but reappearing shortly after opened are again.
Two shells from the Luchiatsoi fort, which is under the command of Lieutenant Narita, sank the cruiser Chingyuen, which went down head first, her screws showing as she plunged
The Liyu arrived at Shanghai on Monday night and was immediately boarded by officials repairs. from the city for the purpose of arresting two All day on the 5th instant the Japanese fleet Chinese who were said to have run away from guarded the outside of Weihaiwei carefully, Weihaiwei. It appears that the Chefoo Taotai and it is expected that to-morrow they will bom-down! The mortars in the forts at the western