The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-02-19
DETAILS OF WAR CONE BY MAIL
tContinued from Page IL

funneled battleship was struck amid
ships of her armor plating. A
third battleship was struck abaft
her armored section, near the stern.
Apparently no ship on either side was
disabled in this engagement.
The Russian cruiser Novik fought
pluckily, keeping by far the closest
to the Japanese. until heavy fire was
concentrated on her. and she was COM
PEELED to retire on the battleships.
Other Russian cruisers fought at first
outside the line OF battleships. The
Russians seemed to fight with little
formation, probably owing to their
cramped space. They were never
more than a mile and a half from
shore. They remained all the time
under the guns of the forts. which were
fired over them. but not frequently.
The Russian battleships constantly
wheeled round in the same position.
while the japanese kept in splendid
formation, retiring slowly in line to
the southeast after half an hours
action.
The Columbia escaped with a small
hole in her after deck, caused by a
splinter from q shell, and some marks
on her after deckhouse.
| A later dispatch says that two large
and two small British steamers en-
gagged in the coasting trade, and also
the American ship Pleiades, flour la
den, are blocked inside the harbor by
the disabled battleships.
THE CARS PROCLAMATION.
ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 1O.-The
| Official Messenger this morning con-
tains the following supreme mani
fest"
by the grace of God we, Nicholas II,
Emperor and Autocrat of all the Rus
sias, etc, make known to all our loyal
subjects:
I'm our solicitude for the maintenance
| Of peace, which Is dear to our heart,
| we made every exertion to consolidate
| tranquility in the Far East. In these
peaceful aims we signified assent to the
proposals Of the Japanese Government
| to revise agreements regarding Korean
affairs existing between the two gov
ernments. However, the negotiations
begun upon this subject were not
brought to a conclusion and Japan,
without awaiting the receipt of the last
responsive proposals of our govern
ment, declared the negotiations broken
off and diplomatic relations with Rus
STA dissolved.
Without advising us of the fact that
the breach of such relations would in
itself mean an opening Of warlike OPP
erations, the Japanese Government
gave orders to it's torpedo boats to
suddenly attack our squadron standing
in the outer harbor of the fortress of
Port Arthur. Upon receiving reports
from the Viceroy in the Far East about
this, We Immediately commanded him
to answer the Japanese challenge with
armed force.
Making known this our decision we,
with mistaken faith of the Almighty
and with firm expectation of and re-
lance upon the unanimous Willingness
of all our loyal subjects to stand with
US in defence of the fatherland, ask
Gods blessing upon our stalwart land
and naval forces.
"Given at st. Petersburg, January q,
1904, A. D. (new calendar, February 8,
19O4,) and in the tenth year of Our
Reign. Written in full by the hand Of
his IMPERIAL MAJESTY
NICHOLAS"
lALh.
BERLIN, Feb. 1O.-Naval men were |
doing little else at the Admiralty today |
than talking about the Japanese Rus |
sian engagements and the deductions |
to be drawn therefrom. One conviction !
was that Japan had acquired such a SUI
periority that her command of the sea |
practically results. The unwllingness |
of the Russian fleet at Port Arthur to |
leave the protection of the shore bat
teries enables Japan, in the opinion of |
the naval experts here, to conduct her |
landing operations unmolested. 1t is
believed Port Arthur will be invested !
on the land side as quickly as posi-
BILE.
One of the objects of the Japanese
in engaging the forts, it was further
pointed out was doubtless to draw the
Russian fire and locate the guns on
shore. That the Japanese ships with
drew was not regarded as indicating
losses.
A contrast Is also made between the
condition of Japan and Russian ships.
All the former We're locked within six
weeks and every bit of internal appara-
tus was in perfect order and tuned up
for action, while some of the Russian
vessels, 1t was added, had not been
locked for a year.
The breaking of the Manchurian rail-
road at one of several points far west
ward of Hardin is expected, as the Jap
anese In Manchuria are thoroughly
familiar with the topography and are
likely to have prepared to act, only
waiting for the announcement that the
war had begun. Japanese troops, it is
said here, have probably already arriv-
ed with bands of Chinese marauders tc
break the railroad and keep it broken.
Expert opinion here expects that
Japan will strike a fresh blow every
day.
The German mails for the East are
now forwarded by way of New York.
PRAYER FOR BELLIGERENTS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.-Chaplain