Ref.: BRON-NB5016
Beiyang Fleet Battleship 'Ting Yuen' The Ting Yuen was the first modern Chinese battleship and the flagship of the Imperial Chinese Beiyang Fleet. Her sister ship was the Chen Yuen. The main armament was four 305mm calibreKrupp cannons in two barbettes one to the port and one to the starboard forward of amidships. The Ting Yuen was an "armoured turret ship" design. It was recognized as one of the most advanced battleships of its time, as good as or better than any ship in the fleets of Great Britain and Germany when she was built. She was protected by an armoured belt 30cm thick. By the time of the First Sino-Japanese War the IJN was able to outmaneuver the Beiyang Navy. Ting Yuen served as Admiral Ding Ruchang's flagship at the Battle of the Yalu River on 17th September, 1894. After this, the Beiyang Fleet was based at Liu-gong-dao Island. On 4th February , 1895, the Ting Yuen was seriously damaged after being hit by a Japanese torpedo and later cannon fire. On 10th February , Captain Liu Buchan ordered the ship scuttled.