ulf intent on battle.

[Footnote 1: Commander P. N. McGiffin, THE BATTLE OF THE YALU,
_Century Magazine_, August, 1895, pp. 585-604.]

The forces about to engage included the best ships of both nations.
There were 12 on each side, excluding 4 Chinese torpedo boats, and
10 actually in each battle line. The main strength of the Chinese
was concentrated in two second-class battleships, the _Ting-yuen_
and the _Chen-yuen_, Stettin-built in 1882, each of 7430 tons, with
14-inch armor over half its length, four 12-inch Krupp guns in two
barbettes, and 6-inch rifles at bow and stern. The two barbettes
were _en echelon_ (the starboard just ahead of the port), in such a
way that while all four guns could fire dead ahead only two could bear
on the port quarter or the starboard bow. These ships were designed
for fighting head-on; and hence to use them to best advantage Admiral
Ting formed his squadron in line abreast, with the _Ting-yuen_ and
_Chen-yuen_ in the center. The rest of the line were a "scratch
lot" of much smaller vessels--two armored cruisers (_Lai-yuen_ and
_King-yuen_) with 8 to 9-inch armored belts; three protected
cruisers (_Tsi-yuen, Chi-yuen_, and _Kwang-ping_) with 2 to 4-inch
armored decks; on the left flank the old corvette _Kwang-chia_;
and opposite her two other "lame ducks" of only 1300 tons, the
_Chao-yung_ and _Yang-wei_. Ting had properly strengthened his
center, but had left his flanks fatally weak. On board the flagship
_Ting-yuen_ was Major von Hannekin, China's military adviser, and
an ex-petty officer of the British navy named Nichols. Philo N.
McGiffin, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, commanded
the _Chen-yuen_.

The Japanese advanced in column, or line ahead, in two divisions.
The first, or "flying squadron," was led by Rear Admiral Tsuboi
in the _Yoshino_, and consisted of four fast protected cruisers.
Four similar ships, headed by Vice Admiral Ito in the _Matsushima_,
formed the chief units of the main squadron, followed by the older
and slower ironclads, _Fuso_ and _Hiyei_. The little gunboat
_Akagi_ and the converted steamer _Saikio Maru_ had orders not
to engage, but nevertheless pushed in on the left of the line.
Aside from their two battleships, the Chinese had nothing to compare
with these eight new and well-armed cruisers, the slowest of which
could make 17-1/2 knots.

In armament the Japanese also had a marked advantage, as the following
table, from Wilsan's _Ironcla