Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-03-24
AWAY
AT PORT ARTHUR.
JAPANESE FLEET RETURNS FOR
FIFTH ATTACK.

They Are Twice Repulsed.--Battle-
ships and Cruisers Follow and
Bombard From Behind Shelter
/ ing Promontory. y.--Russian Squadron
( Aids Forts in Reply .--Small Rus
sian Loss Reported.--Japanese
Story Not Yet observation-disclosures
Squadron At Laree.--No Land Bat
ties Yet.
The japanese made their regular weekly
attack on Port Arthur Monday night
and Tuesday forenoon. The purpose OF
these repeated bOmbardments is evidently
to worry the Russian defenders, exhaust
their ammunition and do all the damage
possible without exposing their ships to
serious injury No attempt TO land
troops in the vicinity of Port Arthur IS
yet reported. The garrison is being pro
visioned for long siege, which II is ex-
pected the japanese will begin as soon
as the landing places are free OF ice.
Only the Russian version OF the latest
attack on Port Arthur has yet been re-
ceived II Is noticeable that il makes no
mention OF damage done to their own
ships, forts or the town. The car makes
public the following telegram from Vice
roy Alexief:-
Z
Midnight OF March n, Japanese torpedo
boats were discovered by our searchlights.
Our guardships and fort batteries opened
fire upon them, the firing lasting for 20
minutes. At four o'clock in the morning
the attack was renewed.
AT $50 o'clock in the morning, four OF
the enemys ships appeared from the
south, followed by the whole squadron OF
eleven ships and eight torpedo boats. Our
squadron left the roadstead 10 meet the
enemy.
aAt nine O'Clock the enemy's battleships
opened fire on Liatoishin, after which they
took up position behind the rocky emil
nence OF LiaOtishin and bombarded Port
Arthur
A later despatch from viceroy Alexien
TO the emperor says:
According to supplementary report
from Lieut.. Gen. Stoessel, the enemy's
| fleet consisted OF six hattleships and II
cruisers. About O'Clock in the morning
/ the fleet divided, the battleships and tor
| pedo boats taking up position between
/ Lao Tishin and Columbia bay pigeon
| hayl while the cruisers formed up in two
divisions to the south and southeast OF
Port Arthur.
at 900 the battleship Retyizan opened
Z fire over the crest Of Liaotishin against
I the enemy's battleships, which replied by
( firing on the town. Meanwhile our heet
/ formed up in the outer roadstead.
| "a bout eleven O'Clock in the morning
the cannonade slackened, and the Japa-
I nese feet reuniting, drew off slowly 10 the
I southeast. and at II 80 had disappeared.
.During the bombardment five soldiers
were killed and nine were wounded. One
soldier on the shore was bruised"
/ Another telegram from .Viceroy Alexieh
/ to the emperor gives Vice Admiral Maka-
roff's report as follows:
"At midnight on March p two Of the
enemy's torpedo boats approached the
outer roadstead, but were discovered by
the searehlights OF the batteries and fired
upon by the forts and by the gunboats
| Bobr and Otyaiuy. They were Obliged 10
retire.
"a second attack was made at four
I O'Clock in the morning by three torpedo
I boats, which also were repulsed.
AT daybreak three detachments OF The
enemy's fleet, consisting of six battleships,
( six armored cruisers, six second and third
class cruisers and eight torpedo boats ap-
preached from all sides. At seven O'Clock
/ our squadron commenced to leave the in
ner harbOr, the cruisers leading with the
Askold flying my flag, at their head, ana
/ the battleships following.
.sThe enemy's hattleships approaehed
I Liaotishin and fired 100 shells from Their
I Pinch guns at Port Arthur and los shells
I at the environs OF the town.
ssOur shells fired at a range OF 81 cables
were well placed. About ten O'Clock
/ Japanese battleship was struck by shell
and retired.
ment. which ceased at eleven O'Clock,
when the enemyis ships reassem bied ana
after passing along the outer roadstead
drew of without attaesing our fleet"
4 Ii is mystery TO the Russians where the
I Japanese fleet withdraws to after each al
I tack, for the purposs, apparently, OF re-
nairinp damages and replenishlng supplies
/ Time does not allow it to return TO Japan,
and the Russians think some sheltered
/ Chinese harbor is being used for depot
/ but more likely it is the Elliott islands IN
/ the yellow Sea.
/ Admiral Makaroff is making the Rus
I sian naval force at Port Arthur more ag-
/ gressive. He frequently leaves the harDor
4 for practice cruises, usually finding the
/ Japanese patrols some distance out. II IS
announced that repairs on the hetNihah
1 Czarevitch and Pallada, injured in the hrst
fight. are well along. With these vessels
I added. the Russian squadron would oe
/ able to cope with the Japanese on almost
equal terms The loss of Russian torpedo
boat destroyer, which was reported TO
Z have encountered floating mine and TO
have gone down with all save four OF her
crew, is officially denied.
4 The Russian Nladivostok squadron Is
Z reported to have made its way out OF the
+ lev harbor by the use of dynamite. It's
I destination is unknown, but il is surmised
: il will try to unite with the Port Arthur
squadron. II this were accomplished, the
antagonists would be evenly matched.
Land operations are still in the prellmi-
nary stage. The japanese have large
I force in northern and western Korea, with
/ a considerable body concentrated at Ping
/ Yang and outposts at Aniu. In front the
Russians have an observation force ana
the scouts frequently clash. There Is yet
no general advance by the japanese, who
are finding il difficult to bring up supplies
overland. The Russians content them
selves with watching their foe, while Their
man force concentrates back OF the Nalu,
ready to dispute its passage.
Gen. Kouropatkin, the new Russian
commander, has passed lrkustk on his way
/ to Manchurla-
II has been reported that the Russian
Baltic fleet, instead Of going to the East
Via the Suez canal, might attempt the
/ Northeast passage, above Siberia and VIA
| Behring strait to the Pacific. This voyage
has been made by only one explorer and is
/ extremely hazardous. That the Baltic
fleet. raised to a high point OF efficiency
and accompanied by colliers for coaling al