Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-08-18
TWO SEA VICTORIES
FOR THE JAPANESE.
PORT ARTHUR AND vLADlvos-
Tok SoUAoRONS BEATEN.

Former Emerged From Harbor in Ef-
tort to escape.--Met BY TOGO and
Dispersed After Long Battle. IVES
sells Scattered in Distress.--North-
ern Russian Squadron Tried to Join
Southern. But Japs Met It, Sunk a
Cruiser and Drove Others Off.--Port
Arthur Must Soon Fall.
In two desperate engagements. the jana
nese nave dissipated whatever hope the
Russians still held Of securing once more
control OF the Eastern seas. The Port
Arthur squadron, sallying forth from its
harbor Aug. luth, driven by the advance
OF the japanese land forces whose batter
les commanded the harbor and made
further stay full Of danger. was met by
the main japanese fleet under Togo and
dispersed after a fight lasting all the after
noon ana well into the night On Sunday,
the elusive Nladivostok squadron, attempt
ing TO pass through the Corean straits on
ITS way 70 effect junction with the Port
Arthur heet, according to a pre-arranged
plan, met kamimura's squadron stationed
10 watch for il and after a battle lasting
all the forenoon one Of the three Russian
ships was sunk and the others sailed
away, seriously damaged.
The Port Arthur feet consisted Of six
battleships, four cruisers and numerous
torpedo boats. Togo's feet was slightly
inferior in battleships, but stronger in
cruisers and greatly superior in torpedo
boats. The latter first encountered the
escaping squadron and brought it to bay,
sowing torpedoes across It's path. Then
the larger ships came up and fierce fight
eusued. The japanese concentrated their
heaviest fire on the Russian flagship, the
CzareYitch, while the Russians made the
japanese flagship, the Mikasa, their chief
target. The battle continued until dark.
when the Russians lost their formation,
and the japanese torpedo boats kept up
their attacks during the night.
Admiral WitthOefft, commander OF the
Russian feet, was killed by shell early in
the fight. Nearly all the Russian ships
suffered serious losses. The cruiser Pallada
was sunk during the night. The battle
ship Czareyitch reached Kiauchau, a Ger
man port $50 miles distant on the Chinese
coast, in an almost sinking condition.
The Askold, cruiser, reached Shanghai
with 300 shell holes and decimated crew.
Both vessels will have to be repaired before
they are seaworthy. IL is unlikely that
they will be able 10 resume duty during
the war. The cruiser Novik, which put in
at Kiauchau, cOaled and put 10 sea at
once, uninjured. Several torpedo boats
have come into these same ports for shell
ter One Russian torpedo boat that put
into Chefoo, Chinese port, was boarded
inside the harbor at night by japanese
from three destroyers lying outside and
fight ensued, resulting in the vessel being
captured by the japanese, and it was
fotrpd aVrav This il claimed 10 have hepn
a violation Of Chinas neutrality, and
China has made a demand on japan for
the return Of the boat. The rest Of the
Russian squadron that left Port Arthur
returned after the battle, the ships badly
damaged. Admiral Togo reports the Japa-
nese ships not seriously injured and able
to stay on the fighting line. His casualties I
l70.
Sundays battle in the Corean straits /
ended the aggressiveness OF the armored 4
cruisers that have several times /
issued forth from NladivostOk and /
harassed commerce. The Rurik was
sunk in the fight. The Rossia and I
Gromoboi fed to the northward, crippled.
The Japanese ships were struck but once
snd lost but two killed. The japanese
saved $50 OF the Rurik's crew.
The siege Of Port Arthur is being pressed
uurelentingly. Troops have been drawn
from the northern armies to aid the Japa-
nese, whose losses in repeated assaults
have been heavy. They have approached
near the fortress and their siege guns COM
mand the town and harbor, which are
subjected to constant fire. The capitu-
Iation Of the place is but matter OF days,
as now appears. -,
Operations IN the north are al s'anu
-tfF