The Springfield herald., 1904-08-19
THE PORT ARTHUR FLEET.
Reports Show That it is Scattered and
Shattered.

Toxic, Aug. 15.-Admiral Without,
commander of the Port Arthur squad
ron, was killed in Wednesdays fight,
and his body buried at sea.
The report of Admiral Withofts
chief of staff, now on the crippled bat
tie ship Cesarevitch at Kiao Shau, to
the Czar, merely tells of the naval
fight and disaster to that vessel.
Toxic believes the five Russian war
ships which returned to Port Arthur
are badly crippled and cannot be re-
paired during the siege. 1t is thought
the Russians will destroy them.
The Japanese main squadron is SAID
to have gone south, probably to find
scattered Russian warships.
German warships guard the en-
trance to Tsingchou, the harbor of
Kaio Chau, preventing egress of Rus
slams and entrance of japanese.
France has not received the Russian
protest to Japan over the Che Foo in
cident.
OF the fleet of six battleships, four
cruisers and eight torpedo boats
which left Port Arthur Wednesday,
one battleship and three torpedo
boats are in German port, the
cruiser Novik is at sea, three torpedo
boats are lost, the cruiser Askold
and a torpedo boat are at Shanghai.
and two cruisers, five battleships and
one torpedo boat are believed to have
returned to Port Arthur, although four
Russian warships are reported at an
chor off the Saddle islands near
Shanghai.
The battleship Cesarevitch arrived
at Tsingchou the night of August 11th,
steaming at the rate of four knots an
hour and burning immense quantities
of coal to make even that rate of
speed. Her rudder shaft was broken,
one gun was disabled, lifeboats had
been lost, her masts were badly bent,
her tunnels were riddled and her
bridge had been twisted out Of posi-
ton. The projectile holes above the
waterline were covered with make
shift shoppers of wood.
Toxic. Aug BIT is believed here
that the Russians will not be able to
repair their five battleships reported
by Admiral Togo to have been dam
aged in the recent sea fighting at
Port Arthur. The Japanese land bat
teries now command the entrance to
the harbor and could render this work
impossible.
Before the Russian fleet emerged
from Port Arthur August 10th, the
Japanese DdllelltS COllu Itdcn lllt
warships there with shells and the
decks were exposed to fire, the Sc
verify of which was increasing con-
stantly 1t is doubted If these ships
will be able to go to sea again without
first undergoing repairs and it is ex-
pected that the Russians themselves
will destroy them before Port Arthur
falls.
Berlin, Aug. 15.-It is now reported
that Admiral Mesevitch has died of
his wounds in hospital. Two officers
and eight sailors. all seriously in
| jured, are at present in hospital.
The German cruiser Thetis left
| Tsingchoun hastily to-day. An Italian
| warship also has left. The destina-
tions of these two vessels are un-
| known.
Admiral Togo is said to be with the
main portion of the Japanese fleet,
which has gone towards Shanghai.
| This portion of the fleet includes all
the battleships.
Che Foo, Aug. ia private tele-
gram received here tonight says that
the Russian battleship Cesarevitch
has moved farther into Tsingchou har-
Dor. following a demand made by the
japanese that the Russians come out
and fight. 1t is surmised that the
| Cesarevitch will be dismantled.