204 PAST AND PEESENT. 



ting within range of Eussian vessels during the whole 

 war of 1854 to 1856 was lost. 



Passing over several years to 1863, when, owing to 

 a wilful lady, and an after-lunch expedition on horse- 

 back — we being entirely in the wrong and the Japanese 

 in the right — we found ourselves involved in a war 

 with one of the chief princes. The war commenced 

 and ended by our squadron attacking about a mile 

 of earth batteries, placed in front of the town or city 

 of Kagosima. The first shot was fired by the Japanese, 

 on which our ships, seven in number, went in within 

 300 yards of their guns. Steaming slowly round we 

 passed in this manner, and in line, about half the 

 extent of three batteries. How we fared is well known. 

 Doubtless we thought our foes would be armed like 

 the Chinese, and were considerably astonished to find 

 seven-inch shell flying about our ears. In about an 

 hour and a half we hauled out, or rather steamed out, 

 of range. Our casualties were very heavy. On our 

 getting out of the smoke one ship was found missing, 

 and to our discomfort we saw she had got aground 

 close under one of the batteries. The fact was, her 

 captain thought a closer range than 300 yards would be 

 more effective, and edging in shore rather too much 

 had grounded. The ship I was in had to return 

 to her assistance, and now singly we made a target 



