The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-11
Torpedo Boat FlOtilla in Port
Arthur HarbOr
Goes Out and Attacks Japanese
Fleet.
IT WAS A STAND OFF.
One Vessel Was Sunk on Each
Side.
Fate of the Crews Has Not Been
Reported.
RUSSIANS MYSTIFIED.
Can't Understand the Tactics
RUSSIANS MYSTIFIED.
Can't Understand the Tactics
of the Enemy.
Japan's Treaty With Korea
NulIifies Russian Concessions.

St. Petersburg, March 11-7:10 P. NJ
The Russian torpedo boat Hotilla left
Port Arthur at broad daylight this
morning and attacked the Japanese
fleet One Japanese torpedo boat was
sunk and one Russian torpedo boat
destroyer, the Besposhtchodni was
sunk The fate of the latter's crew is
not known.
Admiral Makareff inaugurated his as
sumption of the command of the Rus
sian fleet at Port Arthur by a complete
change of tactics. AS soon as he ap-
peared he ordered the removal of the
battleship Retxizan which was strand
ed at the mouth of the harbor and
barred the channel at certain stages of
the tide making the egress of battle
ships impossible. This morning he di-
rected a sortie of the torpedo boat
hotilla supported by a part of the Rus
sian squadron against the Japanese
squadron. The details are not yet
known except that the encounter re-
suited in the loss of one Japanese tor
pedO and one Russian torpedo boat de-
stroyer.
RUSSIANS ARE MYSTIFIED.
st Petersburg, March u.-2:45 p. m.-
Up to this hour no further news is OBJ
tainable Of the bombardment of Port
Arthur, which was progressing, accord
ing to the latest advices, at 8 o'clock
yesterday morning. Whatever later in
formation, If any, the emperor may
have, is not known. Military and naval
circles are mystified at the purpose of
the appearance of japanese torpedo
boats during the previous night, as it
was not accompanied by a serious at
tempt upon the Russian ships. The
bombardment of the fleet from a posi-
ton off the Laio Tishin promontory,
which is five to six miles from Golden
BiH, at the entrance of the harbor, is
Ia FTad to fr,.1i I1-A H.
were afraid to risk a frontal attack un-
der the guns of the land batteries.
1t is considered doubtful whether any
OF the guns of the Russian batteries
command the location from which the
Japanese were firing. It is pointed out
that dropping shells into the harbor
and town even in fun is accompanied
by danger and this haphazard work is
expIcaole perhaps only on the theory
tnat 1t was meant as a diversion TO
cover more serious operations else
where Still some of the experts here
declare their belief that the only object
of the Japanese was to keep the garri-
SOI and fleet worried.
NULLIFIES RUSSIAN CONCESSIONS
Toxic. March 1.-THE Japanese
Korean protocol was published at
Seoul in an extra edition of the Ga
zette yesterday. The Korean govern
ment viii publicly announce that the
publication of the protocol nullifies the
concessions granted to Russia, such as
the nonalienation of coal mining at
Kochyo island and Rose island and the
forestry concessions in the Ullenungdo,
Tumen and Yalu river valleys.
HAVE COAL TO BURN.
Toxic, March 1.-THE Wiju-Seoul
railroad coacession was signed yester-
day by the Japanese and Korean au-
thorities.
The Russians are engaged in building
defenses at Wiiu, which will cooperate
with the fortifications already con-
Gfr cd on "a IaFt 49,,
It is reported that the Russians have
$4,000 tons of coal at Wiju which they
keep drenched with kerosene in readi-
ness to burn should the japanese land
there.
KOREAN SYMPATHY.
Vladivostok, March 1.-THE Korean
1nhabltants OF NladivoStOE, as a tangi-
bic proof Of their sympathy with Rus
sia, have gratuitously placed their ser
vices at the disposal of the commander
OF the town for the construction of de-
fenses. Foreign residents of Nagasakl
who have arrived here report that all
the Japanese docks are engaged in
making repairs to the ships that were
damaged in the engagement at Port
Arthur.
ALExIEFF7s OFFICIAL. REPORT
st. petersburg, March 1.-THE car
has received the following MESSAGE
from Viceroy Alexieff, dated Mukdgn
March 10:
The commandant of the fortress at
6OIl reports that about
o'clock this morning the outlines of
vessels, apparently torpedo boats. were
seen at sea within the area swept bv
our searchlights. Our batteries opened
fire upon these vessels. Our torpedo
boats Dut out at sea at 2:40 a. m, and
at about 4 o'clock met the enemy west
of the Liaotischin light house. After
firing several shots the enemy returned
to the south in the direction of Shan
dun Our torpedo boats returned ts
the harbOr at 6 o'clock.
Later torpedo boats were again sent
to sea to reconnOiter.
They returned in half an hour, hav-
ing learned that an enemy's squadron
was approaching.
AT 8 O'Clock the Japanese opened
fire upon our cruisers and the fortress
The enemy had Il ships, and fired the
entire time from behind Liaotschin.
fI have the honor to report to you1
majesty ALExIEFF"
THE ATTACK AN VLADTVOSTOK
Washington, March 1.-THE japanese
minister has received the following ca
blegram from Toxic, dated today:
ssVfce Admiral Kamimura, comman-
der-in-chief of a division of the Japa-
nese fleet, made a demonstration to the
northeast Of the batteries OF Vladivo-
stok on the 9Th instant and bombarded
for the object of observation, for a(
minutes. beginning at p. m. Some