The San Francisco call., 1904-04-18

| line OF battle. Another signal was
fioated from the flagship, and the tor
pedo-DoatS at once proceeded through
the entrance into the inner harbyr.
Vice Admiral Makaroff was EVIDENT
ly unwilling to risk his vulnerable
craft to the heavy projectiles of the
enemy's armored ships. L watched the
Petropavlovsk closely as she steamed
toward Electric Cliff. The frowning
marine monster, whose guns were ever
turning toward the enemy, was pre-
pared to send huge messengers of
death against him
All was quiet. 1t was the hush be-.
fore battle-the hush when every
nerve is strained to get into impending
danger. / looked for the Japanese
ships, but they were without move
ment, save that caused by the heav-
ing sea.
My glance returned to our squadron.
The Petropavlovsk was almost with
out headway, when suddenly l saw
her tremble. She seemed to rise out of
the water tremendous explosion
rent the air, then a second and then
third. Fragments flew in all direc-
tions and wreckage and men were
mixed up in a terrible mass. l was
hardly able to realize the horror of it,
when the ship began to list. In mo-
ment the sea seemed to open and the
water rushed over her. The Petropay
lovsk had disappeared.
STORY OF A SURVIVOR.
The floating woodwork and the few
men struggling in the water were all
that was left to recall the splendid
fighting machine which a few hours
before had sailed out of the harbor.
The same shock experienced by the OBJ
| servers on Golden Hill paralyzed for
"a moment the men on the ships, but
when it passed torpedo-boats and small
boats fastened to the rescue of the
| survivors.
Eager to ascertain what had hap
pened on board the sunken ship, l has
tened to landing where small renl-
nant of the gallant crew were being
put ashore and conveyed to hospi-
tai. Signalman Pochkoff, who was
| slightly wounded, was able to give me
| a remarkably clear statement of the
| disaster He said:
I'VE were returning to the harbor
| the Petropavlovsk leading. Some of our
| cruisers which had remained in the
! harbor came out and steamed toward
the enemy, firing sixteen shots at him
| with their bow guns. They then retired
The enemy numbered fourteen heavy
ships, nearly all armored, while ours
were nine. Against their armored
cruisers we had only the Bayan I
| SIOOu III the WneelnOuSe On DOdIu the
battleship. looking at the signal book.
! The admirals last signal had been
| for the torpedo boats to enter the har-
| Dor.
The Petropavlovsk slowed speed and
almost stood still Suddenly she shook
violently l heard another explosion.
| Immediately followed by another and
then another. They seemed to me to
be directly under the bridge. l rushed
/ to the door of the wheelhouse, where
1 met an officer, probably helmsman-
1 could not pass him and l sprang to
| the window and jumped out. The ship
was listing and l feared every moment
| she would turn over.
"On the bridge saw an officer well
tering in blood-it was our admiral
Makaroff He lay face downward.
sprang to him, grasped him by the
shoulder and attempted to raise him.
''The ship seemed to be falling some
where From all sides flew fragments.
heard the deafening screech and the
| frightful din. The smoke rose in dense
| clouds and the flames seemed to leap
toward the bridge where 1 was stand
ing beside the admiral. I jumped on
the rail and was washed out but sue
ceeded in grabbing something.
''On our ship was an old man with
| a beautiful white beard who had been
| good to our men. He had a book in
his hand and seemed to be writing
perhaps sketching. He was Veres-
chagin, the painter"