Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-02-17
THE WAR IN THE EAST.
Two Naval Engagements, Between Russia and
b lapan-RussIa's Entire Fleet Destroyed.


London, February 11.--According
to later adyices to-day, Japan has
disabled, sunk and captured 2S Rus
sian vessels since .the war began.
Should this dispatchs from Toxic be
confirmed, Russia has lost the main
strength of the Eastern Squadron.
She has not frst-class battleship
nor more than one armored cruiser
left in Korean waters. All that is
left are three unprotected cruisers,
three protectedsgunboats, nine tor
pedo boat destroyers, six torpedo
boats and three gunboats.
London, February 11.-Baron
Hayashi, the japanese Minister here,
has Sreceived official = confirmation
from Toxic of the destruction at
Chemulpo of the Russian first class
cruiser Variag and the third class
cruiser Koretz. The text of the
official dispatch received by Baron
Hayashi is as follows:
"On Monday Japanese squadron
escorting transports met on the way
to Chemulpo, Korea, the Russian
gunboat Korietz, as the latter was
coming out of port. The Korietz
took up an offensive attitude to-
wards the Japanese vessels and fired
on the Japanese torpedo boats. The
latter discharged two torpedoes jim
effectively and then the Korietz re-
turned to her anchorage in the port.
"Early in the morning of Tuesday
Admiral Urik, commanding the Ja-
panese squadron, formally called on
the Russian warships to leave Che
mulpo before noon. The admiral
added that if his demand was not
complied with he would be COM
PEELED to attack them in the harbor.
The two Russian warships left the
port at about 11.30 a. m. and bat
tie ensued outside the Polynesian
island. After about an hours en-
gagement the Russian warships
sought refuge among the islands.
Towards the evening the Russian
cruiser Variag sank and at about a
a. m. to-day, February 10, the Ko-
rletz was reported to have also sunk,
having been blown up. The officers
and men of the two sunken vessels
sought refuge on the French cruiser
Pascal. There were no casualties
on the japanese side"
A summary of the losses sustained
by Russia in the first twenty-f four
hours of war with Japan show that
ten Russian warships were placed
out OF action in one way or another
and that the japanese did not lose a
ship. The losses were as follows:
Battleshlp Retzivan, torpedoed
and beached at Port Arthur; battle
ship Czarvitch, torpedoed and
beached at Port Arthur; battleship
Poltava, hole below water line at
Port Arthur; armored cruiser Boya-
rim, disabled by japanese fire at
Port Arthur; cruiser Pollado, torpe-
doed at Port Arthur and beached {:
cruiser Novik, hole below water line
at Port Arthur cruiser Askold, hole
below water line at Port Arthur :
cruiser Diana, hole below water line
at Port Arthur; first. class armored
cruiser Viriag, destroyed at Che
mulpo, Korea torpedo gun vessel
Korietz, destroyed at Chemulpo.
London, February 1O.-A special
dispatch from Toxic to-day says the
japanese have captured three Russian
transports having on board about
1000 troops.
Washington, February 11.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt has signed the pro-
clamation declaring neutrality of
this governments i'm tho Ruecn T,,on