The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-05-10

Toxic, May i.-f p i'
mtral Togo's recital of the latest en-
gagement off Port Arthur, which was
received here to-day, shows that the
1ananese have blockaded the entrance
to the harbOr.
on Tuesday morning, after the
blOckading f1otilla had been scat1ereu
by a gale and the commander OIL the
fotiIla had signalled in vain that the
attempt be abandoned, pendlnS Ihe
moderation of the storm, the crews OF
the separate ships, in no wise daunted
nv the weather which isolated them
from their companions, proceeded to
the work on their own desperate hll-
tiative They forced their way III llie
face of the Russian fire, whlch was
more deadly than ever before, as re-
.uIt of the improved Russian de-
fenses. over the field Of mines. Many
of these exploded, yet five of the jap
anese blockading ships, were Jammeo
into the inner channel and now pre-
vent egress from the harbor to all
craft excepting small boats. Thls at
tack exceeded all it's predecessors IN
desperation and the courage dlsplaSeo
by the volunteer crews is equal 10
that shown in any event IN tne wal
history of the world.
Although Vice-Admiral Togo again
avoided damage to a single one OF MS
vessels. the attack proved to be ex-
pensive in lives.
Commander Hayashi, who was in
command Of the expedition, observed
the impossfbility of keeping the fiot1l-
I,kaa a n
signalled it to abandon the attack.
These signals were repeated until
o'clock in the morning, but they
failed to reach the vessels of the eXpe-
dition, which were swept apart by the
tenDestuous seas and proceeded sep
arately to the mouth of the harbor.
Lieutenant Sosa, who was in COM
mand of the Mikawa Maru, in the
face of an incessant fire, unhesitating-
Iy forced his ship into the channel,
rammed his way through the booms
and reached the center of the inner
entrance. Here he anchored his Ves-
sci and then blew her UP. She sank
Immediately.
Another steamer, supposed to be
the Sakura Maru, then came to an
chor near a projecting rock at the
mouth OF the harbor and sank. Fol
lowing the SakuTa Maru came the
Toni Maru, the Chida Maru and
Otaru Maru. the Sagami Maru and
Aikoku Maru and the Asagawo Maru.
These six steamers advanced to the
mouth of the harbor. The Russian
ere now became highly effective,
while a number of sunken mines,
which were struck by the steamers
began to explode. These explosions
caused heavy casualties among the
japanese on board the blockading
vessels The Toni Maru collided with
a boom. This turned her stem to the
eastward and she sank athwart the
passage, blocking nearly one-half of
the entrance to the harbor.
When the Yado Maru reached the
mouth of the passage and was lower
ing her anchor, her captain, Com
mander Takayangi, was shot through
the stomach and killed. Sub-Lieu-
tenant Nagata succeeded to the COM
mand. He anchored the Yado Maru
and sank her.
Two other stone laden steamers
believed to be the Otaru Maru and
the Sagami Maru, then entered the
mouth of the harbor and sank. The
Aikoku Maru then struck a mine five
cable lengths from the mouth Of the
massage. which exploded and caused
her 70 sink. The lieutenant of this
vessel, Uchida, Chief Engineer Aoki
and eight men are missing
A steamer thought to be the Asa
gawo Maru, which appeared to have
had her rudder broken, blew herself
up at the foot of Golden Hill.
Vice-Admiral Togo in his report
says:
This undertaking, coS-pared with
the last. resulted in greater casualties
to our side Owing to the inclemency
OF the weather and the increased
preparations for defense completed
by the enemy, we could save none OF
the officers or the crews OF the Cho-
ter aIaru, the Sagami Maru, the Sa-