Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-04-15

m.)-Rumors are current here that
Vice Admiral Togo sent in a number
of steamers on the night of March 81
and succeeded in sinking several of
them and In blockading the channel
of Port Arthur. The rumors cannot
be. confirmed at this hour.
The date referred to by the CORES
pondent in the above dispatch, March
81, is probably according to the old
style calendar, by which the event
would have aiken place on April 10,
according to the new style calendar.
London, April 15,-The Daily Mails
Che Foo correspondent declares that
advices from both Russian and Japan
ase sources indicate that the battle
SHIP Petropaylovsk was torpedoed. BY
a pretense of an attack on the har-
Dor by the enemy, Admiral Makaroff,
says the correspondent, was enticed
outside for the Japanese torpedo
boats, which crept behind him and
awaited his return and dealt the blow
as he was nearing the harbor on the
return.
st. Petersburg. April 1.-THE AS
ISOLATED Press obtained last night
what is practically the official version
of the sinking of the battleship Petro-
paylovsk at Port Arthur and it clears
up to a great extent the mysterious
features of that vessels destruction.
This version is as follows:
Retiring before the advance of a
superior Japanese fleet, the Russian
squadron approached the entrance to
the harbor. It was shortly after 8
o'clock in the morning and most of the
officers and members of the crew OF
the flagship were at breakfast. On
the bridge Grand Duke Cyril, his
friend. Lieutenant Won Kobe. Captain
Jakovieff, commanding the vessel, and
two otner officers were on watch ex-
aiming the narrow entrance prepare
tory to entering it.
| At about $3.50 o'clock there was a
| terrific explosion of the boilers fol-
| ton from the well-stored magazines.
Huge gaps we're torn in the hull OF
the ship and the water rushed in. The
center of gravity having gone the
ship rolled on her side and sank. All
information tends to prove that mine
was responsible for the destruction OF
tho Petropavlovsk.
The scene below will never be de-
scribed, as, so far as known, not q
| single person between decks succeed
ed in escaping. The hot sun which
scalded the men on deck indicated
| what must have been the character OF
! the death met by those In the engine
room. The men on deck were thrown
in all directions, those falling into the
water swimming and grasping the
wreckage to which some Of them were
able to cling.
The remainder of the squadron i'm
mediately stopped and lowered small
boats. and the torpedo boats steamed
as quickly as possible to the rescue OF
the survivors,
The escape of Grand Duke Cyril and
Lieutenant Won Kobe was nothing
short of miraculous. The force of the
explosion sent Grand Duke Cyril fly
| llS dCIUS5 LuS III IdSoS GAAAA SAi~ SSSN W
his skull struck on an iron stanchion
Fortunately he did not lose conscious
ness. Believing that the ship was
about to sink he climbed hastily down
its side and boldly plunged into the
water. He succeeded in reaching 8
piece Of wrecl1age to which he chung
The grand duke was in the water
about twenty minutes before he was
picked up by torpedo boat. Lieuten
ant Won Kobe was also found swim
ming and was picked UP. Captain
Jakovleff was thrown against stanch
ion with such force that he was killed
Grand Duke Cyril's injuries were Sc
we're. Besides receiving a blow or
the neck, his legs were burned and nc
suffered a serious shock. He was
Immediately taken to a hospital al
Port Arthur where his injuries were
| attended to. He will remain there sol
three days and will then be brought
4 to st. Petersburg.
4 The exact number Of Vice Admiraa
! Makaroff's staff on board when she
sank is unknown, but it is thought BY
i the admiralty to be probably fifteen q
4 sixteen, The exact number OF the
! oraxu 1oct ia also unknown.