Mr. Wyld is publishing a plan of Kagosima, which shows
that the fire on the batteries did necessarily endanger the town. The following extracts, however, from letters from officers in the fleet, published in the Japan Commercial News, seem to indicate clearly a design of destroying the place :—"Shortly after this, most of the batteries having ceased firing, all the ships hauled off except the Racehorse, which got ashore immediately under one of their batteries, which fortunately for her was deserted ; the Argus and Coquette went to her assistance, and continued firing on the town and the battery to the left of it. The Racehorse floated off about half-past five ; the Coquette and Ilavock continued shelling the town until dark. The town took fire shortly after the engagement commenced, and, as a matter of course, burnt
furiously At half-past two p.m. the fleet weighed again, and proceeding under slow speed, commenced shelling the batteries and town as we passed them at long ranges. Not more than twenty shots were fired by the former, all of which fell harmless."
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