A Qing dynasty warship believed to have been one of four of China's Beiyang Fleet used during the Sino-Japan War in 1894 was discovered on Tuesday by undersea archeological explorers in the Yellow Sea, according to China's official Xinhua News.

The Chinese warship, dubbed "Dandong No. 1," was found during an underwater survey commissioned by the Dandong Port Group for port construction purposes. The site is located some 10 nautical miles southwest of Dandong Port, said Dandong Port Group Vice President Song Peiran.

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The vessel, which was shipwrecked some 120 years ago after it was hit by the Japanese navy, suffered severe damage to the inside tanks but the 50-meter remained intact, Xinhua relayed.

Song said the company is currently coordinating with the city's cultural department in northeastern Liaoning. However, officials have yet to decide whether they would recover the ship or not.

Archeological experts say the 1,600-ton warship is likely one of four of the Qing Dynasty's imperial navy warships that belonged to the Beiyang Fleet.

Unlike China's other fleets, the Beiyang was comprised of battleships mostly imported from Britain and Germany, both emerging world powers at the time.

Although it was only one of four of the China's regional navies, its numbers reportedly rivaled Japan's entire marine force. The fleet was among Asia's largest and most dominant before the onset of the Sino-Japanese war when the Japanese defeated it on Sept. 17, 1894.

Perhaps the warships' massive size and advanced artillery had been no match for the Japanese fleets' speed and ammunition reserves.

Historic documents suggest Deng Shichang, captain to one of the four sunken vessels - the Zhiyan - refused to abandon the ship even as defeat seemed inevitable. The warship had already suffered severe damage, was on fire and already sinking.

Deng was honored for his bravery and is lauded as a model for patriotism in China for over a hundred years. 

TagsQing Dynasty, Sino-Japanese War, Dandong Port Group, Dandong No. 1, Beiyang Fleet