New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-21
Wittsoeft Reports Another Battle
ship Damaged by Mine.

St Petersburg. May 20.-High Admiral Grand
Duke Alexis has received the following dispatch,
bearing to-day's date from viceroy Alexieff;
The following report by mail from Rear Ad-
miraI wittsoeft. in command of the naval forces
at Port Arthur. was received on the night OF
May 1920:
cruisers appeared to the east on the morning OF
May 10. Their movements were watched from
Lao-Teai-Shan and Golden Hill.
After crossing the meridian OF Port Arthur
this squadron turned eastward and appeared
to be getting into battle formation, when an ex-
pIosion was observed under the third battleship.
which was OF the Full type. The tronclad
stopped heeled over TO starboard and began
to sink by the bow, sending up quantity OF
steam.
Two cruisers Immediately approached. and 1t
was observed from Golden Hill that thew lowered
boats after which the battleship gradually
righted herself and appeared to recover from
her injury
ship of the ShikishtTna type approached the
scene of the accident. and mine exploded un-
der her midship section, causing similar expo-
sion to that which occurred In the case or the
battleship PetrOpavlOvsk In the course or one
minute she sank
The third ironcIad put out to sea. the cru:s-
ers remaining on the scene of the disaster.
I sent sixteen torpedo boats TO harass the
enemy. and should favorable opportunity pre-
sent itself, TO attack the ships separately.
The cruiser NOvfx went cut to the passage dn
order. IL necessary, 10 support the torpedo boats
nUf the cruisers got up steam EL tA4S juHNtAAS
and drew in toward the shore
The Japanese cruisers opened fire with all
their heavy guns on our torpedo boats. but the
latter returned TO port without loss
The damaged ironclad Their disappeared below
the horizon with her attendant cruisers, es-
Gaping from the pursuit of our hotilla-
In the mean time night had fallen, the wlnd
had freshened and there was a rough sea
on the morning of May 16 three torpedo boats
approached the scene of the disaster. sent the
NOvik against them, and they put out 70 sea-
The ship which blew up in Kerr Bay was SVl7
dentIy a cruiser. Judging by her tunnels ana
fighting tops, which are visible at low wafer,
According To- reports received from the coast
three torpedo boats. covering an attempted lano-
ing in Kerr Bay. were damaged by our light ar
tillery.
Toxic. May 2O-vtce-Admiral Togo's full re-
port on the sinking of the battleship Hatsuss
and the cruiser Yoshino is follows:
1t is regrettable to have to report third mis-
fortune At > o'clock Sunday morning re-
ceived a wireless message from Rear Admiral
Deva saying that on that day at D O'Clock IN
the morning while returning from the work of
blocking Port Arthur. he encountered a dense
fog north of the Shan-Tuns PromOntory.
The Kasuga ran into the port stern OF the
Yoshino, which was sunk Boats from tne nd
suga saved ninety or her crew. me dense AO5
still continues.
This has been a most unfortunate day for
our navy While the feet was watching the
eran1v off Port Arthur the Hatsuse struck one
Of the eneTny's mines and her rudder was dam
aged.
which was being sent. when another message
brought the Iamentable report that the Hatsuse
had struck another NINE anu iuhilSuldteiS De-
gan TO sink.
The Hatsuse was then ten knots or Lao-Teat-
Continued second page.