The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1904-02-17
VICTORY FOR JAPS.
Panic Seized the Russians as they
Saw Torpedo Boats
ATTACK THEIR sHIPS OF WAR.

Saw TORPEDO BoaCS
) ATTACK THEIR sHIPS OF WAR.
AS Russian War Ships GDashed
from Harbor They Were Shot
to Pieces by the
Japanese Fleet.
A copyrighted special dispatch to
the Atlanta Journal from London
SAYS Japan has won her first great
naval victory. A dispatch from st.
Petersburg says that an attack has
been made by a japanese torpedo fleet
on the Russian battleships and cruiS-
ers lying at anchor at the entrance or
the harbor Of Port Arthur, and that
the batGleships Czatwitch and RetVi-
:zau and the cruiser Pallada were tor
pedoed and wrecked.
Shortly before midnight on honday
:a.arge japanese feet, presumably that
which left Sacho early Saturday, was
reported of Port Arthur. The Rus
sian feet, which had been anchored
outside the harbor, bad been warned
and hsd returned within the harbor
entrance. The Russians felt that
their torpedo system would protect
them, but even then took no chances,
but kept their searchlights working
both from ships and shore batteries,
particularly from that portion OF the
land called Tigers Tail.
The Japanese fleet outside did some
maneuYering and then apparently
went off to the southwark, SO many
thought, to join the remainder OF the
japanese fleet known to be in the
neighborhood Of Wei Hal Wei.
At 1:4O a. M, Sunday, as watchers
and searchlightS were becoming lag
gard and the alarm at the first felt, was
about dying out, black streak was
observed crossing the harbor mouth
by one of the lookouts on the Care
witch. He gave the alarm, a dozen
searchlights flashed out and the sight
paralyzed the Russians.
THE RUSSIANS ATTACKED.
According to dispatches sent to St.
Peterburg, a half dozen torpedo boats
were making their way toward the
feet. Before any move could be made,
q torpedo was launched from one OF
the Japanese boats at the Czarewitch
and striking her, exploded, tearing
her apart, at almost the same mo-
ment another torpedo was fired at
her and hit the Retyizan, the most
modern ship il the Russian navy anG
made wreck Of ner.
The deadly missile struck tie Ret
vizan Just forward nf her forward tur-
ret on the port side and tore gaping
hole in her side. CONSERVATION among
the Russians had now increased to a
panic and hardly any attempt was
made to rsael the attack being made.
The Pallada, a fine cruiser, was lying
inside of both battleships, and to her
the torpedo boats next turned their
attention. The Pallada's crew had
got her rapid fire guns to work and
were trying to hit the japanese.
The latter then launched half a
dozen torpedoes at the RusSan cruiser
before one took effect. It left the
Russian cruiser hopeless wreck. BY
this time several Russian torpedo
boats had got into the fight and the
Japanese, finding affairs becoming
complicated and more critical than
they cared to meet, withdrew as they
came. .
Attempts were made from the shore
to fire the mines in the entrance TO
the harbor. Some did explode, but
not while any torpedo boats were
near, while others failed utterly to
answer to the electric spark. BY
the time the Russians had gotten
over their CONSERVATION and got into
condition to fight, the japanese had
disappeared. By daylight there were
no Japnese in sight.
ANOTHERS JAP VICTORY.
A copyrighted special dispatch to
the Atlanta Journal from London
says an official japanese telegram to
Baron HayaShi, the japanese minis
ter there, gives details Of tine sea bat-
tie between the Japanese and Russian
SQUADRON in which the cruiser Narlag
and the torpedo gunboat koreitz were
destroyed. The battle took place near
the Polynesiaa Islands in the Yellow
Sea. 1t began on February Sth in
tic afternoon. The Russian warSh'pS,
after some hours Of lighting, taking
refuge among the island Tuesday
morning, the battle was resumed and
continued until the Variag was sunk
and Koreitz blown up. According To
the official Japanese report the huS-
sian losses are said to reach hundreds.
The survivors from the Russian
warShips took refuge on the French
cruiser Paschal. AS the Japanese squa-
dron was escorting the prisoners from
Nagasaki to the Korean harbor or
Chemu,po, near the Polynesian islands,
the squadron encountered the Narlas,
one OF Russia'S most effective lighting
ships, and the koreitZ, a particularly
dangerous adversary because OF TWO
torpedo tubes in addition To her usual
ly heavy armament.
RUSSIANS TRY TORpEDOES.
Tie kOreitZ was in advance OF the
Varia,: both warships had been lying
off Chemulpo. AS soon as the koreltz
sight was within effective range Of