The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-18
Eye Witness Describes the Fierce Conflict Preceding Sinking
 of the PerOpaVIoVsk
.STRASHNI WENT DOWN BUT
 WAS GAME ID TIE LAST
Escaped Sailor Tells of the Fearful Scene on Board the Petropav- lovsk Following the Fear
 ful Explosion.

Liao Yang. April 1.-The Associated Press correspondent believing that the Japanese would repeat the attempt to beck the entrance to Port Arthur with fise ships on Easter eve went from Liao Yin to Port Arthur week ago yester- day. He says:
 For four nights I watched with the sentries on Golden Hill. The nights pass ed quietly.
 Tuesday night. April 12. Vice Admiral Makaroff took to sea with his entire squadron including If torpedo boats. The next night, April 13 in the teeth of gale, eight torpedo boats were sent out to reeonnoiter. From Golden Hill on which was standing through the blackness the searchlights of the Notifications flashed over the inky waters of the roadstead and far out to the hazy horizon.
 At il o'clock I heard firing at sea and counted seven shots. but could see noth- ing. At day break made out through the light haze to the southward and about five miles from shore, six torpedo boats strung out in line. all firing. In the lead and outstripplng the others was the boat heading at full speed directly for the en- trance of the harbor. The last In line was beclouded In steam and tagging. She had evidently been hit It was difficult to dis- tlnguish our boats, but finally through my glasses I saw that the leader and the laggard were Russian and that tna four other were Japanese.
 Showed Intensity of Conflict.
 "The flash of the guns and the splash of the projectiles they struck the water showed the intensity of the conflict.
 "The torpedo boat from which steam was escaping was firing vciously. The ] four center crafts drew togetn r c9ncsn-s trating their fire upon her but the crip- pied destroyed poured out her fire and was successfully keeping off her assail- ants
 "The signal station flashed the news to the men of the batteries that the vessel was the Strashni.
 "rhe unequal combat was observed with l breathess, but the net drew close around | the doomed boat The four Japanese ves- | sells formed a semi-circle and poured in a deadly fire. The steam from the Strashni grew denser, covering her like white pail. still she fought like desperately wounded animal brought to bay Rum ming straight for the adversary, barring | her way to safety. she passed the Japa- nese astern and fired at them.
 At this stage Vice Admiral Makaroff. who had been observing the progress of the conflict through q telescope, signalled to the cruiser Bayan, lying In the inner harbor, to weight anchor and go out to the rescue
 "The Japanese destroyers clung to their victim like hounds ip chase. They had become separated but again resumed their | formation. Small jets of flame and | smoke were squirting from the light rapid hrers varied by denser clouds as torpe- does were discharged against the Stra- | shni.
 Beneath the Waves.
 "It was the end. The stricken boat | loosed a final round but 1t was as if a volley had been fired over her own grave | for she disappeared beneath the waves, only little cloud of steam marking tho place where she went down. Satisfied with what they had accom- 1 plished the Japanese torpedo boats turned and made off at full speed, followed by l the Bayan. To their support came six of the enemys cruisers. Still the Bayan went on, seemingly inviting certain de- | structon. She soon ported her helm to | bring 8 broadside to bear upon the foe which was advancing in line of battle. She opened on some of them and turned quickly and stood on into the hall of the enemy's broadsdes. The Japanese steamed at a slight angle, enabling all their guns | to bear and propectiles rained around ths | Bayan raising columns of water as they burst, but none struck home. ITO the eastward suddenly appeared five more of our torpedo boats returning to l the harbor under forced draught Two of l the Japanese cruisers were immediately detached to cut them off, but the Bayan, noticing the movement checkmated 1t l by turning a hot fire upon them. The 1 movement was effective. The Japanese cruisers slowed down and the torpedo 1 boats slipped through into the harbor. | Meanwhile in accordance with Vice Ad- miral Makaroff's S order. the battleshipa and cruisers, in the inner harbor slipped l anchor Majesucally the Petropavlovsk. l flying the admirars flag, steamed through the entrance. On her appearance the more formidable enemy of Japanese cruisers turned and fled The admiral signalled the Bayan to return. Then a streamer of varicolored signal flags huttered out l Brave Bayan
 Entire Squadron Was Out.
 '.By this time the entire Russian squad- ron was in the outer harbor. Besides tha petropavlovsk. l saw the battleships Per- | esyiet Poltava, Pobieda and Sevastopol. the cruisers Novik, Diana and Askold and the torpedo boats. The flags announcing the admirars appreciation oi the 6ayan were hauled down and replaced by anoth- CT signal Immediately the torpedo boats dashed ahead and the heavier ships began to spread out. Seeing the flight or ths Japanese cruisers the Petropavlovsk open e | fire with her great guns, but the en- en,, was out of range and soon disap- pesred.
 "Our squadron continued the chase fin- ally fading from view. l waited anxiously l frr it's reappearance and in about an hour l it came in sight. Far beyond It the num- Der of points from which smoke arose In announced the presence of the enemy. Nearer and nearer came the vessels and | at last made out behind our squadron 1 fleet of fourteen of which six were bat | tleshps and the remaining armored and uIsrmored cruisers.
 | Unable to get within effective ienga of Vice Admiral Makaroff's ships. the