They were unable to prevent the capture of the port's fortifications by the Japanese, and underwent nightly attacks by torpedo boats. "Dingyuan" was hit by a torpedo and began to sink. She was quickly beached, where she settled into the mud, and continued to be used as a defensive fort. Admiral Ruchang's flag was subsequently moved across to "Zhenyuan". Following Ruchang's suicide, the surrender of the port and the fleet was arranged. "Dingyuan" was blown up by the Japanese forces, as they were unable to salvage her, although there is a suggestion following an eye witness account that she may have been mined by the Chinese. "Zhenyuan" was subsequently recommissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy as "Chin Yen", becoming the first true battleship in the fleet. She was added to Navy list on 16 March, and subsequently rearmed. As other Japanese battleships joined the fleet, she was re-rated as a second class battleship on 21 March 1898, then a first class coastal defence ship on 11 December 1905. During her time under the Japanese flag, she served in the Russo-Japanese War as a convoy escort. She was stricken from the list on 1 April 1911, and used as a target for the Japanese battlecruiser . She was then sold for scrap on 6 April 1912, while her anchor has been preserved near to the city of Kobe.