Beiyang Fleet
| Beiyang Fleet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1871–1909 |
| Country |  Qing Empire |
| Allegiance |  Emperor of China |
| Branch | Imperial Chinese Navy |
| Garrison/HQ | Weihaiwei |
| March | "Anthem of the Beiyang Fleet" |
| Engagements | Sino-French War First Sino-Japanese War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Li Hongzhang Ding Ruchang Sa Zhenbing |
TheBeiyang Fleet(Pei-yang Fleet;simplified Chinese:Bắc Dương hạm đội;traditional Chinese:Bắc Dương hạm đội;pinyin:Běiyáng Jiànduì;Wade–Giles:Pei3-yang2Chien4-tui4;lit.'Northern Ocean Fleet', alternativelyNorthern Seas Fleet) was one of thefour modernized Chinese naviesin the lateQing dynasty.Among the four, the Beiyang Fleet was particularly sponsored byLi Hongzhang,one of the most trusted vassals ofEmpress Dowager Cixiand the principal patron of the "self-strengthening movement"innorthern Chinain his capacity as theViceroy of Zhiliand the Minister of Beiyang Commerce ( Bắc Dương thông thương đại thần ). Due to Li's influence in the imperial court, the Beiyang Fleet garnered much greater resources than the other Chinese fleets and soon became the dominant navy in Asia before the onset of the 1894–1895First Sino-Japanese War.It was the largest fleet in Asia and the 8th in the world during the late 1880s in terms oftonnage.[citation needed]
Creation
[edit]The creation of the Beiyang Fleet dated back to 1871, when four ships from the southern provinces were shifted north to patrol the northern waters. The Beiyang fleet was initially considered to be the weakest of the four Chinese regional navies. This soon changed when Li Hongzhang allotted the majority of naval funds to the Beiyang Fleet. In 1884, on the eve of theSino-French War,the Beiyang Fleet was the second-largest regional navy but was gradually closing the gap with theNanyang Fleet,based at Shanghai. By 1890, it was the largest of China's four regional navies.
Unlike the other Chinese fleets, the Beiyang Fleet consisted mostly of battleships imported from Germany and Great Britain. When the flagshipsDingyuanandZhenyuanwere purchased from Germany, the superiority in strength of the Beiyang Fleet became evident, as Germany was the emerging world power, rivalling Britain (which dominated the ocean) in new naval construction.
The Qing Chinese navy at its peak consisted of 78 ships, with a total tonnage of 83,900 tons. However, construction of new ships almost completely stopped in 1888 owing to the Qing dynasty's high expenditures in other fields. Grand TutorWeng Tongheadvised theGuangxu Emperorto cut all funding to the navy and army, because he did not see Japan as a true threat, and there were several natural disasters during the early 1890s which the emperor thought to be more pressing to expend funds on.[1]Because of the lack of funding, the training of the fleet and personnel essentially came to a standstill, which eventually contributed to its defeat in theBattle of the Yalu Riveragainst Japan. Much of the diverted funding was re-directed to the renovation and repairs of the New Summer Palace and construction of a marble boat a total of $12mil was diverted from the naval fund between 1889 and 1894.[2]
Prior to 1888 the budget of the Beiyang fleet was two million taels however in 1888 the Beiyang fleet was formally subordinated to the Navy Yamen (the Qing equivalent to a naval ministry) this saw the budget reduced to 1.3 million taels and in 1891 theHuburecommended against the purchasing of large guns for the navy and in favour of the reduction of naval personnel, this made any effort of modernisation or even maintenance extremely difficult and meant that many of the Chinese ships went into action in the first Sino-Japanese war in a state of disrepair and unmodernised. The state of disrepair was so acute that when the Dingyuan fired its 10-inch guns at the beginning of the battle of the Yellow Sea its flying bridge flew sending Admiral Ding and Tyler flying along with it.[3][4]
The British naval officer Captain William Lang was recruited by Hart and Li Hongzhi in 1882 to advise the Chinese in naval matters.[5]
Other foreign officers hired include:[6]
- Constantin von Hanneken a German gunnery training expert he was the highest ranked foreign advisor within the fleet who also designed theWeihaiweiandPort Arthurcoastal defences he was appointed co-admiral of the fleet alongsideDing Ruchang.
- William Ferdinand Tyler a former sub-lieutenant in the Royal Navy Reserves and an official within the Imperial Maritime customs service initially an advisor following his volunteering for service he was appointed co-captain of theDingyuan.
- Philo Norton McGiffin an American graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy who volunteered for service in China 1885 as an advisor initially an instructor at the Tianjin Naval academy he was appointed superintendent of the new Weihaiwei naval academy in 1890 during the First Sino-Japanese war he was appointed co-captain of theZhenyuan.
Personnel
[edit]The Fuzhou academy in theFuzhou arsenalestablished in 1866 produced many naval officers which Li hired for the Beiyang navy however the academy also had to provide officers for the other three fleets and with the academy producing only 630 cadets over a 14-year period this was insufficient and Li established the Beiyang naval college in 1880 which produced 300 cadets within the same 14-year period however Fuzhou graduates still composed the majority of the graduates in the fleet. Nonetheless, these two academies only provided basic and general naval training which was insufficient for a modern fleet so 35 cadets were sent to study in theRoyal Naval College Greenwich,Royal Artillery academy Woolwich and others with a more practical assignment in the Royal Navy itself when these students returned to China they were appointed captains this meant a minimum of 636 trained cadets in a fleet numbering 4,000.[7][8]
Senior command of the fleet however went toDing Ruchang,an army officer without any formal training who was noted for his courage and capability in land affairs therefore William Lang was appointed as Chief Inspector of the Beiyang navy in 1882 and re-appointed for another term in 1885 however Lang resigned following the Flag-hoisting incident where Beiyang officers refused to hoist the Admiral's flag due to Ding Ruchang's absence Lang felt insulted when Li did not support him and Lang resigned in anger.[9]
Naval bases
[edit]It was necessary for a modern fleet to possess fortified dockyards and bases for the maintenance and repair of ships of that navy. Li Hongzhang endeavoured therefore to create the necessary support needed for the fleet. The remit of the Beiyang fleet was the protection of the coastal waters between the mouth of theYalu riverand thebay of Jiaozhoua large section of the coastline and an important one as it guarded theBohai bayand therefore the approaches to Tianjin and the capital Beijing. Li decided to fortify the ports ofLushunkou,WeihaiweiandTianjinthat formed a triangle within the Bohai bay.[10]
Tianjin/Dagu
[edit]This port at the mouth of the Hai river and the port city of the capital Beijing was strategically important and was also the headquarters of the entirety of the Beiyang fleet. The base also hosted the Dagu shipyards, the Tianjin Arsenal, the Tianjin Naval college, the Beiyang Military Academy. The base at Tianjin hosted the telegraph office and academy of the fleet making it important for communication as well as a medical academy and a hospital for naval personnel the torpedo and mining detachments also had their headquarters based in the base.[11]
Weihaiwei
[edit]This city sits at the Northeastern tip of the Shandong peninsula and guarded the southern entrance to the Bohai bay. The harbour of Weihai was guarded byLiugong Islandand had excellent deep waters for the basing of large warships. The naval base was established in 1887 due to the limited budget of the fleet soon the harbour wasfortified,with an arsenal including a torpedo factory being constructed too, other facilities included an ammunition depot and coaling facilities important for the fleet.[11]
Lushunkou
[edit]This base sat at the southeastern tip of the Liaodong peninsula and guarded the northern entrance to the Bohai bay. Construction of the base was given particular priority, and a French syndicate constructed most of the facilities; the construction ran from 1880 to 1890 and cost approximately three million taels. The port also hosted torpedo and mining facilities and hosted a large dockyard the only one capable of repairing theDingyuan class battleships.Port Arthur was of particular importance that the Navy Regulations stipulated half the year must be spent there by senior officers of the fleet. However, there is controversy over the decision to adopt Lushunkou as the primary base given its relative isolation something that proved particularly important in the First Sino-Japanese war, this was explained as being necessary as Li as the limited budget of the fleet meant that despite Qingdao being the superior naval base with a larger and more amenable bay the financial capacity to establish a base was not sufficient.[11]
Sino-French War
[edit]The Beiyang Fleet took good care to stay out of range of AdmiralAmédée Courbet'sFar East Squadronduring theSino-French War(August 1884 – April 1885). Nevertheless, it featured prominently in the calculations of the French government between 1883 and 1885. The Beiyang Fleet was due to take delivery in early 1884 ofDingyuan,JiyuanandZhenyuan,three modern warships then building in German shipyards. In December 1883, as war with China seemed increasingly likely, the French persuaded the German government to delay the release of these three ships. They did not reach China until the autumn of 1885, after the end of the Sino-French War.[12]
In late June 1884, when the news of theBắc Lệ ambushbroke, the French admiralSébastien Lespès,commander of the Far East naval division, was cruising off Che-foo in theGulf of Petchiliwith the French warshipsLa Galissonnière,Triomphante,VoltaandLutin,while the Beiyang Fleet lay at anchor in Che-foo harbour. Although war was clearly imminent, France and China remained technically at peace, and Lespès was forbidden to attack the Beiyang Fleet pending the outcome of diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis. On 3 July 1884 the Beiyang Fleet's commander, AdmiralDing Ruchang( đinh nhữ xương ), withdrew his ships from Che-foo to Pei-ho, where a strong bar across the harbour protected them from the French ships. The fleet remained atPei-hoin almost complete idleness throughout the Sino-French War.[13]
In February 1885 the Beiyang Fleet reluctantly released two of its ships,ChaoyongandYangwei,to join a sortie launched by a number of ships of theNanyang Fleetto break the French blockade ofFormosa.The two ships set sail forShanghaito join the Nanyang vessels, but were almost immediately recalled by Li Hongzhang, who claimed that they were needed to watch the Japanese inKorea.The result was the loss of two Chinese warships from the Nanyang Fleet at theBattle of Shipu(14 February 1885). Li's selfish attitude was neither forgotten nor forgiven, and in theFirst Sino-Japanese Warthe Nanyang Fleet made little attempt to help the Beiyang Fleet.[14]
Composition, 1894
[edit]
In 1894, on the eve of the war with Japan, the Beiyang Fleet was in theory the most powerful fleet in Asia. It was only one of China's four regional fleets, but in numbers it equalled Japan's entire fleet. The pride of the Beiyang Fleet were the German-built steelturret battleshipsDingyuan( định xa ) andZhenyuan( trấn xa ).
Between 1881 and 1889 the Beiyang Fleet acquired a squadron of eightprotectedorarmoured cruisers,most of which were built in either Britain or Germany. The cruisersChaoyong( siêu dũng ) andYangwei( dương oai ), which joined the fleet in 1881 and which Li Hongzhang prudently kept far from the scene of action during the Sino-French War, were products ofLaird's yard,Birkenhead.Three German-built cruisers,Jiyuan,Jingyuan(normally romanised asKingyuanorKing Yuen( kinh xa ) to distinguish her from another, British-built, cruiser whose name was pronounced identically) andLaiyuan( tới xa ), were completed in 1887 in the Vulcan yard at Stettin. Another pair of protected cruisers,Chingyuan( tĩnh xa ) andZhiyuan( trí xa ), were built byArmstrong Whitworthat its newElswick yardin 1887. The latter pair were a class loosely known as the "Elswick Cruisers", ships built for export under a generally similar design. These cruisers were fast (25 knots) and heavily armed, but were not adopted by theRoyal Navybecause theAdmiraltyconsidered them to be "weak in structure". The Admiralty view proved correct when both Chinese ships were lost in the Sino-Japanese War. (So were the Japanese Elswick CruisersYoshinoandTakasagoduring the 1904Russo-Japanese War,though not for the design reasons – the first was accidentally rammed, and the second struck a mine and blew up.) These foreign-built ships were joined in 1889 by the armoured cruiserPingyuan,a product of the Foochow Navy Yard originally namedLongwei(Lung-wei,Long uy ).
The Beiyang Fleet also included six steel but unarmoured British-built gunboats, delivered in 1879. These gunboats, of identical specifications, were named respectivelyZhenbei( "Guard the north" ),Zhendong( "Guard the east" ),Zhennan( "Guard the south" ),Zhenxi( "Guard the west" ),Zhenbian( "Guard the frontier" ) andZhenzhong( "Guard the interior" ). The first four ships were originally to have been allocated to the Nanyang Fleet, but Li Hongzhang was so impressed with their quality that he took them over for the Beiyang Fleet, compensating the Nanyang Fleet with four elderly gunboats that had served with the Beiyang Fleet since 1876.[15]
The Beiyang Fleet also possessed an array of small torpedo boats. Exact numbers are uncertain, because these craft were not systematically listed, but some details are known. Four 16-ton torpedo boats were built in 1883 at the Vulcan yard in Stettin for the use of the steel battleshipsDingyuanandZhenyuan.These four craft, known respectively asDingyuanNo. 1 and No. 2 andZhenyuanNo. 1 and No. 2, were delayed in harbour by the Germans during the Sino-French War along with their mother ships, and joined the Beiyang Fleet in October 1885.[16]
- Battleships
| Name (pinyin) | Name (Wade Giles) | Characters | Type | Construction | Specifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dingyuan | Ting-yuen | Định xa | steel battleship | 1882, Vulcan, Stettin | 7,430 tons, 14.5 knots, four 12-in guns, two 5.9-in guns, three 14-in torpedo tubes |
| Zhenyuan | Chen-yuen | Trấn xa | steel battleship | 1882, Vulcan, Stettin | 7,430 tons, 14.5 knots, four 12-in guns, two 5.9-in guns, three 14-in torpedo tubes |
- Cruisers
| Name (pinyin) | Name (Wade Giles) | Characters | Type | Construction | Specifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaoyong | Ch'ao-yung | Siêu dũng | steel cruiser | 1881, Laird, Birkenhead | 1,350 tons, 15 knots, two 10-in guns, four 4.7-in guns, two 15-in torpedo tubes |
| Yangwei | Yang-wei | Dương oai | steel cruiser | 1881, Laird, Birkenhead | 1,350 tons, 15 knots, two 10-in guns, four 4.7-in guns, two 15-in torpedo tubes |
| Jiyuan | Chi-yuen | Tế xa | steel protected cruiser | 1884, Vulcan, Stettin | 2,440 tons, 15 knots, two 8-in guns, one 5.9-in gun, four 15-inch torpedo tubes |
| Jingyuan | Ching-yuen | Kinh xa | steel protected cruiser | 1887, Vulcan, Stettin | 2,900 tons, 16 knots, two 8.3-in guns, two 5.9-in guns, four 18-in torpedo tubes |
| Laiyuan | Lai-yuen | Tới xa | steel protected cruiser | 1887, Vulcan, Stettin | 2,900 tons, 16 knots, two 8.3-in guns, two 5.9-in guns, four 18-in torpedo tubes |
| Zhiyuan | Chih-yuen | Trí xa | steel protected cruiser | 1887, Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick | 2,355 tons, 18 knots, three 8.2-in guns, two 5.9-in guns, four 18-in torpedo tubes |
| Jingyuan | Ching-yuen | Tĩnh xa | steel protected cruiser | 1887, Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick | 2,355 tons, 18 knots, three 8.2-in guns, two 5.9-in guns, four 18-in torpedo tubes |
| Pingyuan | P'ing-yuen | Bình xa | steel armoured cruiser | 1889, Foochow Navy Yard | 2,150 tons, 10.5 knots, one 10-in gun, two 5.9-in guns, four 18-in torpedo tubes |
- Gunboats
| Name (pinyin) | Name (Wade Giles) | Characters | Type | Construction | Specifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhenbei | Chen-pei | Trấn Bắc | steelRendel gunboat | 1879, Laird, Birkenhead | 440 tons, 10 knots, one 35-ton Armstrong, two 22-pdr guns |
| Zhenbian | Chen-pien | Trấn biên | steel Rendel gunboat | 1879, Laird, Birkenhead | 440 tons, 10 knots, one 35-ton Armstrong, two 22-pdr guns |
| Zhendong | Chen-tung | Trấn đông | steel Rendel gunboat | 1879, Laird, Birkenhead | 440 tons, 10 knots, one 35-ton Armstrong, two 22-pdr guns |
| Zhennan | Chen-nan | Trấn nam | steel Rendel gunboat | 1879, Laird, Birkenhead | 440 tons, 10 knots, one 35-ton Armstrong, two 22-pdr guns |
| Zhenxi | Chen-hsi | Trấn tây | steel Rendel gunboat | 1879, Laird, Birkenhead | 440 tons, 10 knots, one 35-ton Armstrong, two 22-pdr guns |
| Zhenzhong | Chen-chung | Trong trấn | steel Rendel gunboat | 1879, Laird, Birkenhead | 440 tons, 10 knots, one 35-ton Armstrong, two 22-pdr guns |
- Torpedo boats
| Name (English) | Name (pinyin) | Name (Wade Giles) | Characters | Type | Construction | Specifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DingyuanNo. 1 | Dingyuan yihao | Ting-yuen i-hao | Định xa nhất hào | torpedo boat | 1883, Vulcan, Stettin | 15.7 tons, two 14-in torpedo tubes in bow |
| DingyuanNo. 2 | Dingyuan erhao | Ting-yuen erh-hao | Định xa số 2 | torpedo boat | 1883, Vulcan, Stettin | 15.7 tons, two 14-in torpedo tubes in bow |
| ZhenyuanNo. 1 | Zhenyuan yihao | Chen-yuen i-hao | Trấn xa nhất hào | torpedo boat | 1883, Vulcan, Stettin | 15.7 tons, two 14-in torpedo tubes in bow |
| ZhenyuanNo. 1 | Zhenyuan erhao | Chen-yuen erh-hao | Trấn xa số 2 | torpedo boat | 1883, Vulcan, Stettin | 15.7 tons, two 14-in torpedo tubes in bow |
- Left Fleet 1 "Tả đội nhất hào"
- Left Fleet 2 "Tả đội số 2"
- Left Fleet 3 "Tả đội số 3"
- Right Fleet 1 "Hữu đội nhất hào"
- Right Fleet 2 "Hữu đội số 2"
- Right Fleet 3 "Hữu đội số 3"
- Fulong"Phúc long"
- "Tiệp thuận"
Training ships
- Kangji"Khang tế"
- Weiyuan* "Uy xa"
- "Nhanh nhẹn"
Auxiliary ships
- "Thái An"
- Zhenhai"Trấn hải"
- Cao gian g"Thao giang"
- "Mi vân"
Transport
- Liyun"Lợi vận"
Beiyang Fleet land units
[edit]The Beiyang Fleet maintained anaval infantryunit of 300 marines who were identified by their red uniforms as opposed to the regular Beiyang Navy personnels white dress uniforms for the summer & autumn, and blue dress uniform for the winter & spring. The marines role also involved military policing and firefighting along with their role in amphibious warfare.
The marines saw action following theFirst Sino-Japanese Warwhen it attempted to retake Nanbang Fort ( nam giúp pháo đài ) after it was attacked by Japanese forces on Christmas day of 1895 and fell on December 29 1895. However the marines failed to dislodge the Japanese from the fort.[17]
First Sino-Japanese War and demise
[edit]
In 1894, theImperial Japanese Navylaunched theFirst Sino-Japanese Waragainst China. Due to the lack of government funding and the intensive Japanese naval program, Beiyang's once superior resources were becoming outdated. By the time of theBattle of Yalu River (1894),the Beiyang Fleet suffered heavy losses due to the surprise attack of the Japanese and the inferiority of its equipment, and was eventually annihilated in theBattle of Weihaiwei.
Minor attempts to rebuild the fleet were made after the war, but the Beiyang Navy was never to reattain its former significance. From 1896 to 1899 the fleet received new ships fromGermanyand the United Kingdom, including theHai Qi-classcruisersHai QiandHai Tienthat arrived inDagū,where they became part of the reorganized Beiyang Fleet at the time of theBoxer Rebellion.[18]
In 1909 the Beiyang and Nanyang fleets were merged and re-organised into the Sea Fleet and the River Fleet.[citation needed]
Ships of the Beiyang Fleet
[edit]-
Dingyuan( định xa ) -
Zhenyuan( trấn xa ) -
Jingyuan( tĩnh xa ) -
Jingyuan( kinh xa ) -
Lai Yuan( tới xa ) -
Chaoyong( siêu dũng )
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^Chang, Jung (2013).The Concubine Who Launched Modern China: Empress Dowager Cixi.New York: Anchor Books. pp. 182–184.ISBN9780307456700.
- ^Elleman, Bruce A. (2021).A history of the modern Chinese Navy, 1840–2020.Abingdon, Oxon. p. 65.ISBN978-1-000-39324-8.OCLC1226800594.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^Li Hung-chang and China's early modernization.Samuel C. Chu, Kwang-Ching Liu. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe. 1994. p. 258.ISBN1-56324-242-7.OCLC28632352.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link) - ^Elleman, Bruce A. (2021).A history of the modern Chinese Navy, 1840-2020.Routledge studies in the modern history of Asia. London New York, NY: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. p. 72.ISBN978-0-367-68544-7.
- ^John King Fairbank (1978).The Cambridge History of China: Late Chʻing, 1800–1911, pt. 2.Cambridge University Press. pp. 250–.ISBN978-0-521-22029-3.
- ^Elleman, Bruce A. (2021).A history of the modern Chinese Navy, 1840-2020.Abingdon, Oxon. pp. 64–65.ISBN978-1-000-39324-8.OCLC1226800594.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^Li Hung-chang and China's early modernization.Samuel C. Chu, Kwang-Ching Liu. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe. 1994. p. 254.ISBN1-56324-242-7.OCLC28632352.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link) - ^Li Hung-chang and China's early modernization.Samuel C. Chu, Kwang-Ching Liu. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe. 1994. p. 259.ISBN1-56324-242-7.OCLC28632352.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link) - ^Li Hung-chang and China's early modernization.Samuel C. Chu, Kwang-Ching Liu. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe. 1994. pp. 254–255.ISBN1-56324-242-7.OCLC28632352.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link) - ^Li Hung-chang and China's early modernization.Samuel C. Chu, Kwang-Ching Liu. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe. 1994. p. 256.ISBN1-56324-242-7.OCLC28632352.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link) - ^abcLi Hung-chang and China's early modernization.Samuel C. Chu, Kwang-Ching Liu. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe. 1994. pp. 258–259.ISBN1-56324-242-7.OCLC28632352.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link) - ^Lung Chang, 180–94.
- ^Loir, 26–9, 37–65.
- ^Lung Chang, 327–8.
- ^Wright, 43–6.
- ^Wright, 179 and 182
- ^Thanh triều hải quân lục chiến đội, sức chiến đấu cực kỳ cường hãn
- ^Gardiner, Robert (1979).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905(First American ed.). New York: Mayflower Books. p.397.ISBN0831703024.
References
[edit]- Arlington, L. C.,Through the Dragon's Eyes(London, 1931)
- Loir, M.,L'escadre de l'amiral Courbet(Paris, 1886)
- Lung Chang [ long chương ],Yueh-nan yu Chung-fa chan-cheng[ Việt Nam cùng trung pháp chiến tranh, Vietnam and the Sino-French War] (Taipei, 1993
- Rawlinson, J.,China's Struggle for Naval Development, 1839–1895(Harvard, 1967)
- Wright, R.,The Chinese Steam Navy, 1862–1945(London, 2001)
External links
[edit]
- Travel Guide on the Ting Yuen
- Beiyang.org(in Chinese)
- Beiyang Navy(in Chinese)