When the Japanese arrangements had been carried out, and the army landed, the navy being concentrated in the Bay of Pechili, I was enabled to convey my missive to the admiral, and by him sent, per the Severn, to the Chinese admiral at Wei-hai-Wei. The letter itself was afterwards printed in the Japan Mail. It urged the Chinese to surrender. Admiral Ito stated that his "friend" Ting would be well treated if he would yield, and save much bloodshed. "I entreat you to credit my sincerity," he concluded. "I address this letter to you in pure friendship, and if happily you accept my counsel, I will, with your permission, address some further remarks to you on the subject, giving practical effect to the idea."
Admiral Ting did not reply, and when the 29th of January came, the fleet, which had meantime been making preparations to attack, began the bombardment. The army had already been feeling its way on land, and on the 30th it advanced and encountered the Chinese troops on the headlands, and drove them down to the seaside by Wei-hai-Wei. But then the Chinese fleet in the harbour came into action, and we heard the guns at ten o'clock a.m., and it was supposed that the Japs had retired, as indeed was the case.
But the eastern forts were taken later by the Japanese, who manned the captured guns. We subsequently heard many interesting and even romantic accounts of this attack, which succeeded so well that when the boats from the fleet made an attempt to break the east boom in the harbour they were fired at by the Japanese, thinking the Chinese were attacking from the sea side. This was on the night of the 30th January.
These incidents were related to me later, but I can tell something of the attack by sea, and I never wish to join in such another under such circumstances. It was not because I had any fear, that was not in my mind; but I did not at first take any real interest in the business. I wanted to be landed at Chefoo, and sent home, or, at anyrate, back to Shanghai. Instead, I was in the midst of storm and stress—winter of the most terrible, fire and cold, both almost equally deadly. As luck had it, the First Flying Squadron, in which the Naniwa was included, was "left out in the cold"; but I warmed up later to war-pitch.
Before I proceed with my narrative I must give you an idea of the surroundings. Wei-hai-Wei embraces a wide bay, perhaps twenty miles in extent, with hills crowned by forts and batteries on land. On the sea front it is protected by two islands, one (Lui-kung) of fair size, and inhabited; the other, Sih-tao, is merely the foundation of a fort. The former island separates the harbour into two entrances, in the eastern of which lies the smaller island-fort. At the opposite side is deep water, and in all directions on mainland and islands, on sea and shore, are defences—forts, batteries, mines, and ships of war—all Chinese. The Chinese fleet consisted of fifteen men-o'-war and gunboats, and thirteen torpedo-boats. The Japanese fleet numbered twenty-four ships and sixteen torpedo-boats. Besides these latter ships were numerous other vessels "looking on" and watching the struggle with the greatest interest. The captain of the Naniwa offered to send me on board an English ship, or convey me to Chefoo, but I thought I would see the match out—the end was not far off. Having gone so far I thought I had better complete the tale, and curiosity was at length aroused; my poor services were even enlisted on one occasion.
Besides the defences already mentioned, the Chinese had fixed two substantial booms across the bay. Steel hawsers, supplemented with great baulks of timber of immense thickness, anchored by chains and grapnels, were supplied with torpedoes on both sides, in addition to the mines outside. Had any European or Japanese soldiers been in possession of Wei-hai-Wei, or Port Arthur, it must have been impregnable, and if Russia seizes either place we shall find this out.
It was evident that the capture of Wei-hai-Wei depended upon the destruction of the boom; and this seemed to be an impossible feat. When the strength and position of the obstruction were considered, the desperate nature of the service might well have daunted the Japanese, who would be exposed to the fire of the forts and batteries in nearly all directions. But if the assailants hesitated it was only in order to make sure of the result.
The weather continued very bad, but worse was approaching. I had had no further news respecting Captain Goldheugh, and no one thought about my departure. The Japanese vessels were divided into five squadrons. The main squadron consisting of the flagship Matsushima, the Chiyoda, Itsukushima, and Hashidate. The four flying squadrons included first the Yoshino, Takachiho, Akitsushima, and Naniwa. The other three flying squadrons and the three torpedo-flotillas may be mentioned generally.
On the 30th January 1895 the Admiral Ito decided to attack. All the vessels united outside Wei-hai-Wei, and began patrolling the coast. At intervals, and later more constantly, we heard the heavy guns as the eastern forts were attacked by the troops ashore, and these continuous roars made us impatient of inaction.
"I wish I could do something," I said at last to Tomi. "Can't I join you if you go out in a torpedo-boat? Wouldn't your captain give me a chance to do something?"