The Scottish War Graves Project

spoons · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:51 pm Post subject: Imperial Chinese Navy

an unusual grave worthy of note, in Kirkcudbright cemetery I just posted Admiral McClure, Imp Chinese Navy!

\Paul

Adam Brown · Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Edinburgh

That's a new one for this forum!

More on Admiral MacClure here on the New York Times online:

CHINA'S OFFER TO JAPAN; Terms of the Surrender of Her War Ships at Wei-Hai-Wei. CONDITIONS ACCEPTED BY JAPAN A Chinese Attack at Hai-Cheng Repulsed by the Invaders -- New War Ships for the Japanese Navy.
February 18, 1895, Wednesday

See full article here

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F07E0D81339E033A2575BC1A9649C94649ED7CF

Adam Brown · Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Edinburgh

Wei-Hai-Wei became a British base for 30 odd years after the Chinese Navy defeat and its surrender by McClure / MacClure.

The British raised a local force called the Wei-Hai-Wei Regiment. The Chinese soldiers were dressed in Indian Army uniforms including turbans!

The last British Commissioner was a Scot called Reginald Johnston* and his photographs of his time in Wei-Hai-Wei have been left to the Museums of Scotland and some were on display in the National Portrait Gallery a couple of years ago.

Adam

* Johnston was played by Peter O'Toole in the film 'The Last Emperor'

Adam Brown · Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Edinburgh

From

http://sinojapanesewar.com/weihai.htm

Ting refused Ito's personal offer of political asylum in Japan, and committed suicide. Responsibility was transferred to Admiral McClure . The news was even more startling than that of a single suicide, for Admiral Ting's commodore, the general in command of the island forts, and Captains Liu and Chang had all taken their own lives through grief and shame at having to surrender

The only officer of high rank left on the Chinese war ships was Admiral McClure, the Scotchman who had been recently appointed to act as second in command to Admiral Ting. Admiral McClure sent word by the staff officer that having succeeded to the command by the death of Admiral Ting, he was prepared to carry out the surrender and to consult Admiral Ito's convenience in the matter. He suggested that Admiral Ito should give his guarantee to the British Admiral or to some other neutral naval officer, that as soon the Chinese war ships and island forts had been handed over, the soldiers and sailors and the Chinese, and foreign officers should he set free. Admiral Ito replied that no guarantee was necessary beyond the Japanese word and he peremptorily declined to furnish one. This decision was accepted.

The soldiers who had held the island first gave up their arms, and then were put on board Chinese and Japanese boats and taken on shore. Escorted by Japanese troops, they were marched through the Japanese lines, out into the open country and there set free. They were treated with every respect and seemed surprised that their lives were spared.

The Japanese flag was hoisted on the surrendered battleship Chen-yuen, cruisers Ping-yuen, Tsi-yuen, and Kwang-ping, and six gunboats. With the fall of Weihaiwei the Japanese navy completely annihilated the Beiyang fleet, and gained an absolute control of the Gulf of Pohai.

At 3:15, the foreigners on the Island were called and examined. They were all released on parole, except George Howie, who had already been released on parole when he was arrested at Kobe in the preceding autumn, and was now taken prisoner for thus breaking his word of honour. The foreigners released were Vice-Admiral McClure, and Messrs. Thos. Mellows. Hastings Thomas, Charles Clarkson, W. H. Graves, Sam. Wood, Robt. Walpole, and R. Tyler, and two civilians, Dr. Kirk and Mr. Howard. They were sent with Chinese officers on board the Kwang-tsi, which left on the following day for Chefoo with Admiral Ting's remains. When the vessel passed out of the harbour, the Japanese men-of-war lowered their flags and fired their guns in honour of the late Admiral.

Thus the naval port of Wei-hai-wei, with its men-of-war and Island of Liu-kung, fell completely in to Japanese hands on the 17th February, 1895. The Chen-yuen was docked for repairs at Port Arthur. On the 27th February, Admiral Ito left Wei-hai-wei and arrived at Ujina on the 3rd March with the Tsi-yuen. Two days later, the Ping-yuen and Kwang-ping also reached Ujina. The admiral received an ovation when he landed at Ujina and proceeded at once to the Headquarters at Hiroshima. The total losses of the Japanese navy during the bombardment of Wei- hai-wei and the Island of Liu-kung were as follows : Japanese Killed 27 Wounded 88 Chinese 4,000 (killed)
Chefoo (Yantai), the nearest treaty port and the home of many foreigners, was in a tremor of fear.

The Battle of Weihaiwei is regarded as the last major battle of the First Sino-Japanese War, since China entered into peace negotiations with Japan shortly thereafter. However, the Battle of Yingkou and a number of minor battles would take place before the Treaty of Shimonoseki ending the war was signed.

This article would suggest that Admiral McClure’s naval career ended in February 1895. I take it he had a career in the Royal navy before this.

Adam Brown · Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Edinburgh

Thanks to our member ADP over on the Talking Scot Forum for tracking down that McClure was originally from Kirkcudbright and had two wives

http://talkingscot.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?p=111328

There is very little information out there about him though.

Adam

spoons · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:25 am Post subject:

If you want to know more, I suggest contacting Alan Deveraux of the Stewartry museum (located in Kirkcudbright).

\Paul

Adam Brown · Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Edinburgh

Alan ‘Currie’ on the Talking Scot Forum tracked McClure down in the ‘Aberdeen Weekly Journal’ of Thursday, November 22, 1894.

Shanghai, Wednesday.—Captain M’Clure, of the British merchant service, who has been appointed vice-admiral of the Chinese fleet by the Tsungli Yamen (?), has arrived at Wei-Hai-Wei, and joined his command. …

THE NEW VICE-ADMIRAL OF THE CHINESE FLEET.
Captain M’Clure, who has been appointed Vice-Admiral of the Chinese Fleet, is a son of the late Mr. John M’Clure, architect on Lord Galloway’s estates in Wigtonshire. Captain M’Clure, who is in the prime of life, has had long and intimate acquaintance with the Chinese coasts. He was for many years employed as a captain by Messrs. Jardine, Mattheson, and Company, and took out from Barrow and sailed for two or three years the Howsching. When hostilities commenced the Chinese authorities sought the services of Captain M’Clure for transport and despatch work. He has long possessed the confidence of many leading men in China, and to his friends in Scotland his appointment to the new position is accepted as an indication that stirring events may be anticipated in connection with the movements of the Chinese and Japanese Fleets.

This means his background was the Merchant marine rather than the Royal Navy.

Alan also found out that McClure’s ship was the Barrow-built ship from 1883 the ‘Kow Shing’, not the ‘Howsching’ mentioned above and it was sunk by the Japanese in 1894 when transporting Chinese troops.

The Times of November 17, 1894 confirms the ship’s name as the ‘Kow Shing’ and that McClure had been appointed Assistant Admiral of the Pei-Yang squadron.

Adam