The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1904-04-16
MAKAROFF GOES DOWN
WITH SIX HUNDRED MEN
Russian BattIeship PetropavIovsk Strikes a Mine
Outside Port Arthur and Turns Turtle.

St Petersburg, April ia naval battle is progressing off
Port Arthur, the result of which is yet unknown. The Japanese
feet, including torpedo boats and torpedo boat destroyers, totals
forty. Vice Admiral Makarof ordered his whole squadron out of
the harbor to meet the attack.
According to the Associated Press informant, while preparing
to draw up his line of battle in the outer roadstead, the Petropav-
lovsk struck a mine in her starboard side amidships and immedi-
ately began to heel
Before the crew could flood the port compartments of the YES
sci in order to keep her on an even keel, she turned turtle and sank
in a few minutes, carrying down almost the entire crew.
Captain N~jakovlof, the Grand Duke Cyril and two other Of
fcers were saved because they were standing on the upper bridge.
The fightul loss of life among the officers and men was due to the
fact that they were all at their stations ready for action.
The Petropavlovsk turned turtle in a manner similar to the
British battleship Victoria, which was rammed by the Camper
down in 1898, and to the incident in the Ch;naJapanese war when
a Chinese warship turned turtle, many of the crew remaining alive
for several days hammering desperately on the upturned hull
When the news of Grand Duke Cyrirs miraculous escape
reached his parents a TIE Deum service was held at the Vladimir
OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION OF DISASTER.
ST. Petersburg, April 13, 638 p. m-The following official dis
patch has been received here from Rear-Admiral Girgorovitcb, the
commandant at Port Arthur, addressed to the Emperor:
sport Arthur, April 13-The Petropavlovsk struck a mine,
which blew her mp and she turned turtle. Our squadron was under
Golden Hill. The Japanese squadron was approaching. Vice-Ad-
miral Makarof evidently was lost Grand Duke Cyril was saved.
He was slightly injured. Captain ~Jackosvlef was saved, though
severely injured, as were five officers and thirty-two men, all more
or less injured.
"The enemy's feet has disappeared. Rear Admiral Prince Ouk-
teemsky has assumed command of the fleet"
The following dispatch to the Gar has been received from
Viceroy Alexief:
"Mukden, April ia telegram has just been received from
LieutenantGeneral Stoessel, commander of the military forces at
Port Arthur. I regret to report to Your Majesty that the Pacific
feet has suffered irreparabe loss by the death of its brave and
capable Commander,w who was lost, together with the Petropavlovsk."
Another dispatch from Viceroy Alexief to the Gar says: "Ac-
cording t. reports from the C~ommandant at Port Arthur, the battle
ships and cruisers went out to meet the enemy, but owing to the
enemy receiving reinforcements, making his total strength thirty
vessels, our squadron returned to the roadstead, whereupon the
Petropavovsk touched a mine, resulting in her destruction. Grand
Duke Cyril, who was on board, was saved. He was slightly wounded.
The whole squadron then re-entered port The Japanese are now
off Cape Liao Shan. No reports had been received from the Acting
Commander of the feet up to the time this dispatch was sent"
Estimates of the number of men lost with the Petropavlovsk
vary, the latest fixing it at 600.
DESCRIPTION OF THE LOST BATTLEsHP.
The Petropavlovsk, which twice previously had been reported
damaged in Japanese attacks on Port Arthur, was a frstclass
battleship of 10 $50 tons displacement and 14213 indicated horse
power. She was 367 IL feet long, had SO feet beam and her r.
mored belt was of about 16 inches steel, with 10 inches of steel
ormor on her turrets. Her armament consisted of 4 12inch, IL
6inch and "a smaller guns, and 6 torpedo tubes. The Petropav-
lovsk was fully manned with 700 men. She was built at St Peters
burg and was completed in 1898.
The Petropavlovsk is the third Russian warship to be blown
up at Port Arthur by accidental contact with a mine, the two others
being the torpedo boat Yenesei and the cruiser Boyarin. The cause
of these frequent disasters is thus explained: At the time of the
first Japanese attack upon Port Arthur, before the declaration Of
war, the Russians were wholly unprepared and not even the chan
mel leading to the harbor was mined. After the attack the work Of
mining the harbor was hastily done, and many mines carelessy
placed afterward shifted their position and left the situation as
dangerous to the Russian feet as to that of the enemy.