Chapter 68: The Gates of Hell
Seeing the smoke in the distance, the entire fleet immediately became vigilant. This time, six ships from Dingzhen and Zhijing were divided into two teams to protect the merchant ships in the middle, maintaining their original course and continuing to advance while making preparations for battle.
Before long, the observer on the mast reported that it was Yoshino, Naniwa and Takachiho who were coming. The battle alarm sounded instantly over the sea, while at the same time six warships advanced again in a wedge-shaped formation, and four merchant ships turned north to flee to shallow waters.
It is said that during this period, Ito Sukeyuki was also under tremendous pressure. Japan, from the Emperor to the people, had tightened their belts and bought a few warships with great difficulty, only to lose three of them in two wars. If it weren't for Ito Hirobumi's protection, he would have been dismissed by the angry cabinet members long ago. Even so, the army was still holding him accountable for abandoning the 6th Brigade. Fortunately, Prime Minister Ito understood reason and knew that he had done nothing wrong in this matter. Compared to the Combined Fleet, the lives of a few thousand soldiers were insignificant; people could be recruited again, but if the Combined Fleet were lost, Japan would be finished.
In this case, he naturally could not sit idly by while the Qing army reinforced Korea, and before Sōshi Island was repaired, find a decisive battle with the Beiyang Fleet. He estimated that if things went wrong, he would have to pay the price, and the terrifying power of Dingyuan's main gun still made him have nightmares from time to time. However, sending out these three high-speed cruisers, including Yoshino, to carry out harassment was not a problem, even if they couldn't win, they could easily escape. And so, in this way, the two fleets encountered each other for the third time on the vast waves of the Yellow Sea.
Although he had formed a decisive battle formation, Ding Ruchang did not think that the Japanese army would dare to attack him. Even if it was Yoshino, with three warships challenging twice as many opponents, it was still a bit too crazy. However, what happened next left him stunned - they really charged up.
Yi Wei took the lead, and at a distance of 5,000 meters, only a flash of fire was seen on its side. The sound of shells breaking through the air came immediately after, and in an instant, seven water columns rose among the six ships of the Beiyang Fleet. The Jingyuan and Dingyuan, which were sailing, did not show any weakness either. Their eight main guns immediately roared with counterattacks. Almost simultaneously, the remaining ships on both sides also opened fire one after another. However, in the first round of shelling, neither side achieved anything. Just as the main gun of the Dingyuan was reloading, the rapid-fire guns of both sides continued to pour shells at each other at the fastest speed. In an instant, flames burst open on the Jingyuan and Gaotingwei.
But at this time, relying on the speed, the three ships of Yoshino had already turned to the right wing of the Beiyang Fleet. Due to the slow turning speed, the Beiyang ships immediately became broadside-on, but with the addition of the stern guns, there was no significant impact on firepower. Only four 305mm main guns were left usable on Dingyuan, which soon fired out flames. However, hitting a Japanese ship traveling at 19 knots was clearly not an easy task. In comparison, the six ships of the Beiyang Fleet that had crossed over became even larger targets. Just as the main gun of Dingyuan missed again, Jingyuan also took a hit from a 120mm shell.
At this time, however, the Yoshino had already turned to the rear of the Beiyang Fleet formation. In short, the speed difference between the two sides was too great. The Dingyuan II, which originally had a speed of only 15 knots, could now run at 13 knots due to various problems. Facing this high-speed cruiser, which was almost twice as fast as itself, was like a clumsy water buffalo facing an agile leopard. This scene made Ding Ruchang's head sweat profusely.
Yoshino, which had circled around to the rear of the fleet, faced those six stern guns, with a single-ship firepower that even exceeded the entire Beiyang Fleet. At the same time, the slightly slower Naniwa and Takachihō behind it had already escaped the range of Jingyuan's main gun, and it was clear that they were preparing to attack from the rear.
"Shift to line abreast!" Ting Ju-chang immediately ordered the change in formation, but at this moment his heart was filled with a sense of dread. If there were still more ships from the Combined Fleet ahead, then defeat would be certain.
Actually, the opposite Tsuboi Kozo was also regretful at this time, because he made a big mistake, he was too impulsive. Undoubtedly, he unintentionally found a way to defeat the enemy for the combined fleet, but because of his impulsiveness, he exposed himself. In this situation, he did not hesitate and set off towards the distant merchant ship while the Beiyang Fleet was turning around.
At this time, Ding Ruchang also understood his intention. From the beginning, Kishino's goal was a merchant ship. Rushing up to challenge was just a trick to lure the tiger away from the mountain. A single person's trick to lure the tiger away from the mountain is restricted by speed. The Beiyang Fleet could not stop it from attacking those merchant ships.
The power of speed is evident here.
In the angry gaze of the Beiyang Fleet in the distance, the distance between Yoshino and the merchant ships was rapidly shrinking. The four merchant ships were not foolish, and they immediately dispersed and fled towards the shallow water area. Yoshino chose one of them to chase after, but it did not open fire. This was a British merchant ship, and no one dared to attack it unless necessary. The Union Jack on the mast was more effective than the Beiyang Fleet.
The Yoshino quickly caught up and forced the ship to stop, but fortunately it was not carrying soldiers. After receiving a promise of compensation worth twice the value of the ship from Commander Hanada, the British merchant ship hastily lowered its boats and all crew members evacuated. The Yoshino then opened fire with its cannons, and the merchant ship, along with the supplies intended for Yashima, exploded into flames.
Ding Ruchang, who was desperately rushing to the scene from a distance, could only watch helplessly as this unfolded. After sinking the merchant ship, Yoshino and the other two vessels each chose a target and chased after the remaining three ships. The Beiyang Fleet was now powerless, and all they could do was pray that they could escape into shallow waters before the enemy arrived, but it was clear that this would not be easy.
But just then the observer suddenly exclaimed: "Look, what's that?"
Ding Ruchang hastily turned his head and ran towards the mast, but before he could climb up, a small warship with a yellow dragon flag flying on it, just like their own, was speeding towards them from afar at a speed that left everyone's jaws dropped.
"Good heavens, at least thirty-five knots!" exclaimed a foreign officer standing beside him with an expression of utter astonishment. Ding Ruchang's heart skipped a beat as he immediately realized who it was that had arrived. Yesterday, he had received a telegram from Taiwan that the Flying Hawk destroyer squadron under Yang Fung-ki, the garrison commander of Taiwan, would escort the Ryukyu prince to Beijing to express his gratitude. He hadn't expected this guy to arrive so quickly, and as he watched, it seemed like the small warship was flying towards Jinwu Bay at an unbelievable speed.
On Yoshino, which was chasing a merchant ship, Tsuboi Kōzō was also stunned.
"Where did this come from?" he asked his chief of staff with a stunned expression.
"It seems to be a high-speed destroyer of the Swedish Yang shipyard, I saw it in the UK, either Flying Eagle or Flying Thunder, now it should belong to the Taiwanese fleet of Dog Island." The chief of staff said solemnly.
"A weapon?" asked Tsuboi Kōzō directly.
"Two triple sets of steam-powered torpedo tubes, five 76mm quick-firing naval guns."
"Order all ships to turn around, immediately form a combat formation and retreat at high speed, prepare anti-torpedo guns." Tsuboi Kōzō shouted without hesitation. As for the new type of torpedo that could have sunk Akatsuki with one hit, he still had lingering fears about it. If they hadn't destroyed the torpedo launcher last time, even Nagato might have been in danger.
Yoshino's three ships immediately gave up the chase of the merchant ship and retreated eastward in column at high speed. The Flying Eagle destroyer still rushed forward at a speed of 36 knots, but before it entered the range of four kilometers, Yoshino's three ships opened fire simultaneously, and large-caliber shells exploded around it, blooming with water flowers.
Feeling that it was too dangerous, the Flying Eagle hesitated and gave up its attack. Although running another kilometer would only take a minute for it, in that minute it would have to face over a hundred shells from nearly twenty large-caliber naval guns without any cover, which was extremely perilous. After all, it had just come to lend a hand and still had its own work to do, so there was no need to risk its life.
When the three cruisers of the Yoshino squadron retreated, the three merchant ships turned around and sailed back to rejoin the Beiyang Fleet. After receiving a reward of 1,000 taels of silver from Ding Ruchang, the Swedish captain of the Flying Hawk, Anderson, happily agreed to their request to escort them to Yashan. One destroyer escorted two battleships and four cruisers, which was absolutely something to brag about.
Although a merchant ship was lost, the supply to Yashan was not affected. This trip was originally an opportunity to escort and send some supplies to the front line. The materials there are now piled up like mountains, and Li Hongzhang is still desperately sending military supplies to Nie Shicheng and others every day.
Just as the fleet sailed into Ya-shan Bay under cover of night, fighting had already begun on land.
Ye Zhichao abandoned his defense of Gongzhou and retreated to Tianan with two battalions of the Zhengding Army, handing over command of these troops to Zhang Gaoyuan. He himself withdrew to Yashan as commander-in-chief of all Southern forces, but in reality he was merely a figurehead. The Huai Army's system made it inevitable that no one would listen to anyone else's orders; Ye Zhichao had less prestige within the army than Nie Shichen, and Zhang Gaoyuan was not someone he could command either. This guy wouldn't take orders from anyone except Li Hongzhang and his former superior Liu Mingchuan.
Tianan East and South are both mountains. During this period, under the help of Hanna Green, Zhang Gaoyuan built a series of fortresses relying on these mountain ranges. In combination with Nie Shichen's lessons in Chenghuan and Burton's suggestions, trenches were dug around these fortresses instead of building those speechless breastworks. Fifteen new smokeless Maxim guns purchased from Bofors were installed inside the fortresses, along with ten Gruson guns. Of course, these Maxims are no longer wheeled, but all-new tripod-mounted ones. Additionally, ring-shaped gun emplacements made of sandbags were set up behind the defense line, installing twelve Krupp 75mm cannons and twenty Bofors-made 82mm howitzers.
As for other caliber artillery, they were scattered along the defense line, also using sandbags to pile up ring-shaped gun positions. There are 57, 37, 60, and 47, and even four Haicheng Kai Shi five-barreled 37mm rapid-fire guns with a firing rate of 60 rounds per minute, now this stuff is so abundant that it's disgusting.
