Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-21
Three Russian Cruisers Reach
Vladivostok Harbor.
ELUDED THE JAP FLEET
STORY OF THE DESTRUCTION
OF JAPANESE TRANSPORTS.
Japs Refused to Haul Down Their Flag
Under Heavy Fire-Preferred
Death to Surrender.

VLADIVOSTOK, June Plying in the
harbor are the three Russian cruisers which
have Just returned from their successful
raid in the Japanese sea ard straits of
Korea.
Vice Admiral Bezobrazoff took his squad
ron out June II. The first day the warships
were foghound. They reached the Korean
straits June 10. and were sighted and
watched by fast three-masted Japanese
cruiser. OF Tsu Island the Russians pur-
sued u vessel resembling yacht. which es-
capped inshore. They sank the Japanese
transport: Idsumi off kotsu Island Idsumi
was bringing back invaded soldiers from
Port Dalny. 1O5 of whom were rescued by
one of the Russian cruisers.
Transports Sighted
The Japanese transports Hitachi and
Sado were next sighted and soon after the
Hitachi, which was filled with troops. dis
regarding the signal to stop, put on full
speed. The Russian cruisers thereupon
opened fire on the Hitachi. Gripping her
engines and setting her decks afame. Still
the japanese refused to haul down their
flag. The vessel was then seen to heel over
and hundreds of the Japanese jumped INTO
the sea. They were all drowned. The
Hitachf was then sunk by torpedo
The Sado Obeyed the summons to stop.
She carried 1850 coolies for railroad work
In Korea: 200 tons of coal, LOCO tons or
rice, railroad and telegraph equipment a
hundred horses and a large amount oil
specie.
The specie was thrown overheard by the
purser. Besides ten boats the Sado car
ried twelve RATS. each capable OF carrying
100 men. AS soon as the crew was ordered
to leave the ship the coolies rushed on
deck. filled the boats and headed them
for the coast. Admiral Bezobrazoff sent
boats to the Sado to take off the captain
and officers. Captain Oguro. twelve mill
tary officers and three Englishmen in the
Japanese service came. The others re-
fused to leave the ship. The Russians hay
ing done everything possible to save the
lives of those on board discharged two
torpedoes against the vessel. A heavy
sauall broke at that time and hid the sink
ing transport from view.
Failed to Capture Zap Cruiser.
A three-masted japanese cruiser witness
ed the whole affair. The Russians caught
her wireless messages. The apparatus on
the eLemys cruiser works necessarily
and messages were recorded on board the
Russian cruisers and were translated by
some Of the Japanese prisoners. One mes
sage read:
THE Russians are in the straits Run
for safety"
The Russians vainly tried to catch the
Japanese cruiser.
the British collier Allanton. captured by
the Russian squadron during the raid She
came out at the beginning of the war and
went around the Cape of Good Hope so
to avoid the squadron of Vice Admiral
Wirenius, and then engaged in carrying
Japanese coal from Muraron to Sasebo,
Japan. The cargoes were nominally con-
signed in each case to British firms at
Hong Kong and Singapore.
The Sado according to Japanese advices.
did not founder. She was beached on the
east coast of Okino Island and was even
tually pulled off and towed to port.
Russian Losses Were Heavy.
ST. PETERSBURG. June p. 2:21 Pm
The reports Of heavy fighting at Hai-Cheng
are denied by the general staff. The Japan
csc are continuing to advance from Sit
Yen and there are continuous skirmishes
between outposts. but 10 further advance
Of Gen. Oku's army has been reported.
The Russian losses a. the battle of Van
fangow are turning out to be heavier as the
reports of the various regiments come in.
They IRE now placed by conservative off,
cal estimate at 1000. but a usually we'll
informed authority expects the total to be
no less than $500.