The Chinese admiral had drawn up his ships in a single line, with the large ones in the centre and the weaker ones on the wings. Ito's ships came up in column, the _Yoshino_ leading, his purpose being to take advantage of the superior speed of his ships and circle round his adversary. Past the Chinese right wing swept the swift _Yoshino_, pouring in the shells from her rapid-fire guns on the unprotected vessels there posted, one of which, the _Yang Wei_, was soon in flames. The ships that followed tore the woodwork of the _Chao Yung_ with their shells, and she likewise burst into flames. The slower vessels of the Japanese fleet lagged behind their speedy leaders, particularly the little _Heijei_, which fell so far in the rear as to be exposed to the fire of the whole Chinese fleet. In this dilemma its captain displayed a daring spirit. Instead of following his consorts, he dashed straight for the line of the enemy, passing between two of their larger vessels at 500 yards distance. Two torpedoes were launched at him, but missed their mark. But he was made the target of a heavy fire, and came through with his craft in flames. At 2.23 the blazing _Chao Yung_ went to the bottom with all on board. [=The "Matsushima" and the "Ting Yuen"=] As a result of the Japanese evolution, their ships finally closed in on the Chinese on both sides and the action reached its most furious phase. The two flag-ships, the Japanese _Matsushima_ and the Chinese _Ting Yuen_, battered each other with their great guns, the wood-work of the latter being soon in flames, while a heap of ammunition on the _Matsushima_ was exploded by a shell and killed or wounded eighty men. The Chinese flag-ship would probably have been destroyed by the flames but that her consort came to her assistance. By five o'clock the Chinese fleet was in the greatest disorder, several of its ships having been sunk or driven in flames ashore, while others were in flight. The Japanese fire was mainly concentrated on the two large ironclads, which continued the fight, their thick armor resisting the heaviest guns of the enemy. [=McGiffen's Terrible Danger=]