The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-17
(From japanese Files.)

lowing description OF the naval engage
nents at Korsakoff, furnished by an Of
fcer who participated in it;
The Chitose and the Tsushima, hav-
ing been informed that the Russian
cruiser Novik had passed off the Atoea
Cape lighthouse of the kuriles IN
northwesterly direction on the 10Th at
z:4o a. m, steamed ahead for the Soya
strait at full speed. The Chitose watch
ed the strait, whilst the Isushma
searched for the enemy. The Isushima,
having two masts and. three tunnels,
Tesembled the Russian cruiser Bogatur
IN appearance and was likely to misiead
the Russians AS for the Ch1tose, she
had always been near Port Arthur since
the first naval engagement OF February
o, and was familiar to the Novik. ms
consideration caused the commander OF
the squadron to select the Tsushlma tor
the mission. The latter had been main
" engaged in picket duty and had had
no experience in actual fighting. 1t
might be easily imagined, there
fore, with what feelings her crew pro-
ceeded to meet the enemy for the flrst
time. She steamed in northrly direc-
ton and reached a point IS nautical
miles off Korsakoff on the Goth at 4 20
d. m, when to the crews delight the
top of mast and then three tunnels OF
the Novik at anchor within the harbor
appeared in sight. Immediately alter
wards, the enemy, perceivIng the ap-
proach of Our warship, steamed out OF
the harbor at high speed, and headed
south, apparently with the object OF
running through the strait. The Tsu-
shinla also directed her course to the
south and presented her portside against
the starboard of the Novik. AT 4 go p.
m. fire was opened by our vessel and
fierce fighting ensued. The Novik was
the ship noted for her rs knots speed,
her repeated attacks on the Japanese de-
stroyers, and her unsurpassed pluck and
valor Her shells poured close to the
Tsushinla in most dangerous manner.
Her maneuvering was so skilltul that 1t
drew forth the admiration of our sea-
men. The issue of the day might have
been otherwise than actually occurred II
two of the shots fired by the Tsushi1na
had not burst upon the deck OF the
Novik They not only destroyed the
deck. but caused combustion on board,
and the Novik, in consequence, sudden
Nv turned north and fed for Korsakof.
The Tsushima at once followed in pur-
suit and the enemy entered the farbor.
During the fighting, which lasted until
$50 p. M, one of the enemy's shots
ricocheted on the surface of the sea and
struck the bunker on the starboaTd side
of the Tsushina, causing leakage. The
damage, however, was speedily repaired.
Moreover no casualty occurred on board
the ship.
Prior to this, the Chitose guarding the
Soya straits received at A 20 p. m. a
wireless message from the Tsushima,
stating that the enemy had been discov-
cred The Chitose at once ordered the
Tsushina to notify the location. Aware
of what was happening. the enemy threw
out currents of electric waves IN order to
confuse our messages, and it was with
great difficulty that the Chitose made
out the word Korsakof. She then
steamed at full speed for the latter port,
but could not find the Novik owing to
the darkness The Tsushima was again
despatched to Soya strait in order to
guard against the escape of the Nov1k,
harbor the whole night The following
dav. little past 6 a. M. she entered the
harbor and found the Novik beached,
with her stern submerged to the upper
deck 1t presumed that this had been
done in order to save theN vessel from
sinking. No sooner had the Chitose en-
tered the harbor than the crew of the
Novik lowered steam launches and boats
and made for the land 1t was seen
from our warships that the shutters OF
the houses in the town were closed and
the streets deserted The Chitose fired
her broadside guns on the Novik, to the
immense satisfaction of the crews of
those guns who had hitherto had no OPP
oortunity to display their craftsmanship,
and the gallant Russian warship was
made total wreck. The Chitose con-
tinued firing from s6:2s to 7:Io. She
then left Korsakoff and rejoined the
Tsushina.
RUSSIAN WARSHIPS AT Using
TAO.
The Asahi publishes detailed ac
count prepared by its correspondent at
Kiaochow, of the flight into that port of
the Russian war vessels after the recent
naval engagement off Port Arthur. We
reproduce the following from his story
AT 4 80 D. m. on the nth inst, a
signal was received from the signal sta
ton that Russian warships were arriv-
ing. Presently the Russian torpedo-boat
(?destroyer) Beschumni entered the
harbor, being followed by the cruiser
Novik, while the battleship Cesarevitch
arrived at about ! 80 p. m Owing to
the darkness the latter vessel could not
be identified at the time of her arrival
and was supposed to be the Askold by
the Germans and other nationals at the
port.
During the same night the Novik was
supplied with coal by the British stean1-
er Whig( p. which had been staying at
kiaochow during the past six or seven
days. This steamer had originally been
destined for Fort Arthur with coal for
the Russian squadron there. but could
not reach her destination. Throughout
the night the Novik took in coal. suffi-
Gent enough. according to a German, to
enable her to proceed not only to any
nearest port but to any distant place
She might select. The vessel left Kiao-
sEhow at 5 80 a. m on the 18th and
Eso Russian torpedo-boats arrived in