 "Jiyuan" was also misidentified by the transport as being Japanese; therefore, when the three cruisers of the Flying Squadron approached, Captain Galsworthy was neither surprised or even worried, as he thought that the Japanese vessels would be more concerned with the gunboat "Tsao-kiang" which had been escorting "Kowshing" since about 7.00 am.Regardless, "Kowshing" was a British vessel which had only been temporarily chartered by the Chinese government.As a consequence Captain Galsworthy felt safe under the protection of the British civil ensign.