Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-02-12
The War in the Far East.

In dispatch from Shanghai, dated
February u, a. IN, correspondent of
the London Daily Telegraph says: ''rhe
bombardment of Port Arthur continues.
Three Russian cruisers have been sunk.
The Russian Bank building has been de-
stroyed."
In a dispatch from Nagasati, dated Feb
ruary 10, a correspondent of the London
Daily Telegraph says: "There has been
a renewed attack on Port Arthur. The
japanese captured seven Russian ships
and chased Others, There have been dis
turbances at Port Arthur, in which a
number of japanese civilians were killed
or imprisoned. A Chinese mob has de-
stroyed the telegraph line around New
Chwang."
The Tienstin correspondent ofthe Lon
don Standard cables it is rumored that
five Russian cruisers from VladivostOk
bombarded Hakodate, Japan, on Tues
day. Hakodate is on the Island of Hok-
aldo, the most northern of the three Jap
anese Islands. The harbOr there is excel
lent, and the town, containing about &c.
600 inhabitants, is well and regularly
built. There is japanese naval school
there.
The foreign Office in Paris received
dispatch yesterday dated Wednesday re-
porting that 5, 900 japanese troops are
encamped near Seoul, Korea, some of
which have entered the town. 1t is add
ed that quiet prevails there. Nomention
is made in the dispatch of the presence
of the Korean Emperor at the French
Legation, where he has been reported to
have sought refuge, and, therefore, the
authorities in Paris place no credence in
the report.
A dispatch to the Berlin Vossische
Zeitung from Yokohama says the greater
number of the Russian warships at Port
Arthur have already been disabled and
that several japanese warships have
been sent home for repairs.
The st, Petersburg correspondent of
Reuters Telegram Company cables that
the naval headquarters staff there an
nounces that in the fight at Port Arthur
six Japanese ships were slightly dam
aged and fifty japanese were killed and
$50 wounded.
A dispatch to Reuter- Telegram Com
pany from Toxic, dated 7l0 p. m.
Wednesday, says an unofficial report
was current there that the Russian fleet
was destroyed, four battleships and
three cruisers being sunk, and that two
japanese warships were damaged in an
engagement yesterday of Port Arthur,
the japanese getting between the Rus
SLAMS and the entrance of the harbOr be-
fore the fight commenced.
Statements of all kinds concerning
the Port Arthur fight are published in
London. According to the Chefoo
correspondent of the Daily Mail the lack
of preparation on the part of the Rus
SLAMS of Port Arthur was due to the fact
that all the naval and military officers
were attending circus performance at
Port Arthur which did not terminate I'M
til early Tuesday morning
According to the correspondent of the
Paris edition of the New York Herald at
Chefoo the japanese torpedo. boats sue
ceeded in entering the outer harbor by
ruse, using the Russian hsshlight signals.
This correspondent adds that three java
nese torpedo boats were sunk with great
loss Of life.
A correspondent of the London Stand
ard at Toxic sends an entirely new ac-
count of the Port Arthur encounter. He |
says Admiral Togos feet arrived on
Monday. night and found the Russian
squadron drawn up in battle formation |
outside the harbor and under the shadow |
Of the forts, the destroyers being spread |
out in front over distance of five miles.
Togo decided on a night attack |
and opened fire at II O'Clock While
the cannonade was hottest number of |
japanese torpedo-boats crept along close
inshore at the foot of the cliff and sue
reeded in the darkness in getting between
the Russian ships and the land Here
they lay unnoticed until the Russians be-
gan to give way before the japanese fire
and sought to re.enter the harbor The
Japanese torpedo boats then opened fire
It comparatively close range and sank
wo battle-ships and one cruiser close to
he entrance of the harbor. The effect of
his coup was the retreat of the remain
Ter of the squadron into the harbor. All
vas safe on board of the japanese ships
It noon Of Tuesday, the correspondent
and the engagement was then
till in progress.
TODAY'S DISPATCHES.
London, Feb. 12.-There is a re-
dearth of actual news from
he seat of war in the Orient this morn
ng. In many quarters it is believed
hat the reason for it is that nothing is
icing done in the way of active hostili-
les at present. The lack of definite in
ormation regarding the japanese feet
3 especially noticeable. This is account
d for by several who assert that the
japanese vessels are, in all probability, {
pread along the coast of Korea, cover {
ny the movements of the troops through
be Korean peninsula toward the North
there the first stiff encounter with q
russian troops is expected. There is
ways the possibility, too, that owing
D the difficulty in transmitting news,
Information regarding the movements OF :
he opposing fleets has been held up, =
nd that any moment may bring news
f an encounter. e
While actual news is lacking, there is I