Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-04-15
VAR IN THE EAST.


from Port Arthur that the Bezstrashni,
one of the Russian torpedo-boat destroy
ers sent out during the night to recon-
noiter, became separated from the rest
of the feet, owing to the bad weather
prevailing, was surrounded by japanese
torpedo boat destroyers, and was sunk
in the fight. Five men were saved.
Fortv-fiye officers and men perished.
Admiral Ouktomsky adds: al have
taken command provisionallyof Of the fleet
since the disaster to the Petropayloysk.
During some maneuvering of the battle
ship squadron the Pobieda struck against
mine amidships on the stalboard side
She was able to regain port by herself
No one on board of her was killed or
wounded"
Ii is now announced that the battle
ship Petropavlo SIX went down two and
half minutes after striking. The fleet
remaining at Port Arthur is reduced to
strictly defensive basis.
The new commander of the Care
witch perished on the Petropavlovsk
before he had assumed command OF the
battleship.
The official bulletin conveying the
intelligence of the loss ofanother torpedo
boat destroyer aud the accidental criPP-
ling of another battleship was almost as
severe blow as the loss of the Petro-
payloysk. Wednesday, and plunged the
whole city anew into grief.
The Novoe Vremya reproduces a
lecture delivered by Admiral MakaroJ
in 1894 on the subject of the Victoria
and Camperdown catastrophe, in which
be pointed out the inherent weakness OF
battleships and their liability to turn
turtle, even when their water-tight COM
partments are closed, because their
armor aud guns make them topheavy.
Alarming reports prevail regarding
Grand Duke CyriPs condition. 1t II
said that he is in a high fever, aggravat-
ed by shock, which it is feared my bring
about a crisis. The members Of his
family are greatly disturbed. 1t ap-
pears that the Grand Dukes neck and
legs were burned.
The official version of the sinking OF
the battleship Petropavlovsk at Port
Arthur has been published, and II
clears up to a great extent the mysteri
Gus features of that vessels destruc-
ton. This version is as follows:
Retiring before the advance of SUI
perior japanese feet which was not fight
| ing its progress, the Russian squadron
approached the entrance to the harbor'
1t was shortly after 8 o'clock in the
morning and most of the officers and
members of the crew were at breakfast
on the flagship. Vice Admiral Maka-
rolf WAS eating breakfast IN his cabin
and the wardroom was crowded with Off
GERS surrounding the tables. On the
bridge Grand Duke Cyril, his friend
Lieutenant Won Kobe, Captain Jako-
vieff. commanding the vessel, and two
other officers we're on watch examining
the narrow entrance preparatory to en-
tering it, At about $3.50 O'Clock there
was terrific explosion Of the boilers,
followed few seconds later by deto-
nation from the well-stored magazines.
Huge gaps were torn in the hull of the
ship aud the water rushed in. The cen
ter of gravity having gone, the ship roll
ed on her side and sank. All information
tends to prove that the mine was re-
sponsible for the destruction OF
the Petr )pavlovsk. The scene be-
low will never be described, as, So
far as known, not a single person
between decks succeeded in escaping.
The hot steam 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 decb
were thrown in all directions, those
falling into the water swimming anC
grasping the wreckage to which some o
| them were able to cling. The remain
, der of the squadron Immediately stop
ped and lowered small boats, and thu
torpedo boats steamed as quickly al
possible to the rescue of the survivors
r The escape of Grand Duke Cyril anC
+. Lieut.. Won Kobe was nothing short o
! miraculous. The force OF the explosion
, sent Grand Duke Cyril flying across tn,
bridge, and the base of his skull strucl
: on an iron stanchion. Fortunately, h
did not lose consciousness. Believing
that the ship was about to sink, h
clambered hastily down its side AM
boldly plunged into the water. IL
succeeded in reaching piece of wreck
age, to which he clung. The Gran
Duke was in the water about 20 minute
before be was picked up by a torpepo boat
Captain Jakovleff was thrown against
8 stanchion with such force that he wa
killed. Vassili Verestchagin, the Ru;
sian painter, was Vice Admiral Maka
rolf s guest on the Petropaylovsk. 1t
reported that he was lost with the shiE
+ Nicholas T. Kraytchtnko, the wei
known Russian literary man, who wa
acting as correspondent for the Associ'
ton Press at Port Arthur. it is believe
went down with the Petropavlovsk.
A brief report from Rear Admiral Urn
of Wednesdays fighting off Port Arthr
reached the japanese Navy DepartmeI
Yesterday. 1t says Vice Admiral Togo
feet attacked Port Arthur in the morI
|. ing and succeeded in sinking a battl
ship of the Petropayloysk class and @
torpedo-boat destroyer. The Japane
sustained no losses. One japanese WI
wounded. At daylight the Japanese to
pedo boats made demonstration beio
the port and at the same time laid MN