3-082-482 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The War in Eastern Asia: the last of the Chinese cruiser "Yangwai", 1895. 'The Japanese naval squadron made an attack on the small islets of Pescadores, off the northern extremity of the large island of Formosa, and effected a landing there. The northern ports of Formosa are blockaded by Japanese ships. Li-Hung-Chang, the Chinese Plenipotentiary Ambassador for terms of peace with Japan, while daily attending the conferences with Count Ito and Viscount Mutsu, at Simonoseki, was on Saturday, March 23, assaulted by a lunatic assassin. Going through the street to his residence, he was shot at with a pistol by a Japanese youth named Koyama, twenty-one years of age, who is said to be insane. The bullet inflicted a slight wound in the face, but Li-Hung-Chang's life, which has been illustrious and serviceable to China, is not in danger. The Mikado or Emperor of Japan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and all the high officials of the Court, have earnestly condoled with him, and apologised for this outrage...The view we give of the Chinese cruiser Yangwai in its wrecked condition has a pathos of its own'. From "Illustrated London News", 1895.