3-082-537 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The War in Eastern Asia: H.M.S. "Edgar" watching operations on Wei-Hai-Wei, 1895. 'Japanese Fort. Lighthouse. Dismantled Island Fort. "Ching-Yuen," sunk. War-ship torpedoed. "Ting-Yuen," nearly submerged. "Wei-Yuen," masts only showing. Dockyard, Wei-hai-Wei. Chinese Fort. H.M.S. "Edgar."..."The obsolete ships and gun-vessels steamed across the eastern entrance, firing on island forts and on the Chinese fleet, which, in replying, seemed to fire on fixed points and distances. These tactics continued for several days. On the nights of Feb. 5 and 6 the torpedo-boats were successful in sinking three large ships - Lai-Yuen, Wei-Yuen, Ting-Yuen; also a small dispatch-boat...On the morning of Feb. 7 the whole fleet bombarded both entrances, and for two hours there was some warm work done. The whole of the eastern entrance and the ships opposing it were soon enveloped in a monster bank of cloud like smoke, and but for the thunder of the guns and the flash and jetting of white smoke beneath, and here and there the hazy outline of some ship for a moment, one would have thought that a heavy fog had settled over that busy region in front of us as we steamed out to watch the conflict".' Sketch by Mr. J. E. Edwards, H.M.S. "Edgar." From "Illustrated London News", 1895.