six o'clock
Also the _ Akagi _ , another survivor of the Yalu battle , armed with four 47-inch guns ; and the _ Chokai _ , carrying one 8-2-inch and one 47-inch gun . These were the craft destined to bombard the Nanshan Heights from the sea while the Japanese infantry and artillery attacked them from the land side ; and they were the only craft we had at the time at all suitable for the purpose , while even they were incapable of rendering such efficient help as might have been desired , the fact being that the shallow waters of Kinchau Bay compelled them to keep at so great a distance from the shore that they could only use their guns at extreme ranges . Accompanying these four ships was a flotilla consisting of ten torpedo-boats under my command , their duty being to lend a hand generally in any manner that might be required . There was just comfortable time for us to re-bunker the _ Kasanumi _ before six o'clock , at which hour we got under way , the expedition as a whole being under the command of Rear-Admiral Misamichi , who knew the locality well , having carefully reconnoitred the whole of the western coast of the peninsula a week or two earlier . I had by this time completed all my calculations , laid down upon the chart the positions of my series of buoys , and indicated in figures the exact measurements in yards from the lines which they marked to a number of points ashore , and a copy of this chart had been handed to each captain ; they were therefore now in a position to steam in and open fire forthwith , with the absolute certainty of landing their shots upon the spots aimed at . We were rather a slow-going lot , our speed of course being regulated by that of the slowest craft of the bunch , which happened to be the old _ Hei-yen _ ; and our progress was further impeded by the circumstance that , upon rounding Liao-ti-shan promontory we ran into a westerly breeze and sea that flung our torpedo-boats about like corks and necessitated our slowing down to a speed of about eight knots ; in consequence of which it was late the next night when we arrived and came to an anchor well out in deep water . And now arose a little difficulty .