The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-05-26
PIucky Japs Meet With Another Dis
aster On Sea
sunk BY MINE AND COLLISION
The BattIeship Hatsuse Struck Rus
sian Mine and the Cruiser Yoshino
was Rammed During Fog by the
Kasuga.

"A report from Rear Admiral Dewa
says that the cruiser Kasuga and Yo-
shino collided during fog off Port
Arthur on May Is. The Yoshino sank,
only 80 of her crew being saved.
''On the same day the battleship Hat
suse struck a Russian mine and
sank"
Giving details of the disaster, Vice
Admiral Togo soys:
AT IA minutes past l in the after
noon of May Is, in a deep fog off Port
Arthur, the Kasuga rammed the Yo-
shino, sinking the latter in few min
utes. Ninety of her crew were saved.
The same morning the Hatsuse,
while cruising off Port Arthur, covering
the landing of the soldiers, struck a
mine ten knots southeast of the harbor
entrance. She signaled for help, and
instantly struck another mine. She
sank in half an hour. Three hundred
Of her crew were saved by torpedo
boats"
The Yoshino was a cruiser Of 4,1S0
tons displacement and $4,000 indicated
horsepower. She was built in Eng
land, was launched in 1892, was $50 feet
long, had 461a feet beam, and her draft
was II feet. The armament Of the Yo-
shino consisted Of four 6-inch guns,
eight 4. Finch guns and twenty-three j.
Founders. She had five torpedo tubes,
her armored deck was Az inches thick
and her gun positions were protected
by shields. The cruisers speed was
estimated to be % knots. her coal ca
pacity was 1000 tons, and her crew
numbered 800 men.
The Hatsuse was a battleship Of To-
600 tons displacement and of the latest
model. She was only completed in
1900, was built in England, was 400 feet
long, had 761a feet beam, drew q feet
of water, had i6,3O0 indicated horse
power, and was fitted with water tube
boilers. She was completely armored
with steel. Her armament consisted OF
four Pinch guns, fourteen 6-inch guns.
twenty. 12-poundsrs, eight 3-pounders,
and four 21s-pounders. She had four
torpedo tubes, her estimated speed was
1911 knots. Her crew numbered TAI
men.
st. Petersburg, By Cable.-The loss
OF at least two Japanese warships is
officially confirmed. A message dated
Port Arthur, received by carrier pigeon
st Mukden, was transmitted to the
Emperor early yesterday morning, say
ing that two Japanese warships had
been lost off that port. The message
followed the Emperor to ,Koursk, and
no one here knew its contents until
late last night. when foreign kilograms
brought full details Of the Japanese
loss.
Early in the afternoon, reports OF
the sinking of the Shikishima and the
Fuji, on the authority of Russian ref
ugees from Dalny, began to circulate
and aroused the most intense interest.
When, later, confirmation came of the
sinking Of the japanese warships, the
greatest enthusiasm was manifested.
Without reference to its effect on the
campaign, the people attribute the en-
emy's disaster to divine interposition
in the Russian cause.
In naval circles the Japanese catas-
tIophe is matter for rejoicing, though
regrets are expressed that brave men
have lost their lives. But this feeling
of sympathy is swallowed up in the
greater thanksgiving for the blow in
flicted on the sea power Of the enemy.
1t is pointed out that the Hatsuse was
one of Japan's finest battleships, and
that the loss of two, and possibly four
Marships at intervals of few days,
cannot fail to deeply affect Japan and
to influence the course of the cam
paign. The general staff tonight is
without direct news of the sinking Of
the japanese ships, but there IS an i'm
preston that it may be true. The re-
ports, at any rate, have infused fresh
life and enthusiasm in official circles,
where it is believed the tide has turned.
No surprise is expressed by the ad-
r,iraIity at the Japanese vessels strik-
ing Russian mines, the admiralty ex-
pecting that such mishap to Vice
Admiral Togo, particularly since the
naval commanders at Port Arthur have
faithfully duplicated his plan, which
resulted in the sinking Of the Petro-
pavlovsk.