Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-29
TOLD BY WITNESS
Washingtonian Describes
Bombardmentof Port Arthur.
THE TORPEDO ATTACK
PASSENGER STEAMER FIRED
UPON BY RUSSIAN VESSEL.
The Act Denounced as Gross Barbarity
England Asked to Protect
Her Flag.

from Mr.. George Curtis, former resident
of this city, who is engaged in the prac-
tice of law at Shanghai China. Until about
three years ago Mr.. Curtis was for some
time in charge of the law library of Con-
gress.
Enclosed in the letter was clipping from
the China Gazette of February ID, telling OF
the torpedo attack and hombardment OF
Port Arthur by the japanese fleet February
2. Mr.. Curtis was passenger on the c.
and M. Companys steamer Fuping, which
left Port Arthur February 1 and arrived at
Shanghai twelve days later
The clipping embraces an interview with
Mr.. Curtis. and tells how the steamer was
fired on by a Russian boat. In his state
ment to the China Gazette Mr.. Curtis said:
1.-The Fuping was through the torpedo at
tack on Port Arthur by the japanese fleet
on Monday night and the brief lombard
ment next morning. She was inside the
harbor all the time. and when she came
out and started on her voyage her expert
ences were still moreSexciting..
Mr.. Curtis, the Gazette states, describes
the effect of the torpedo attack upon the
Russians as simply terrific and demoral1z-
ing. Nothing like it was expected at the
time when the admiral and all the higher
officers were enjoying supner after a thea
trical entertainment, as utterly oblivious OF
danger and the proximity of the enemy as
were the gay jewellers at the famous ball at
Brussels on the eve of Waterloo.
Result Of Attack.
1.-The result of the dashing attack by the
Japanese torpedo boats was almost exactly
as described; the flagship Czarewitch and
the battle ship Retvisan were crippled and
settled down until they rested on the bot
tom right across the mouth Of the harbOr,
where they completely blocked the entrance.
till the Czarewitch was pulled to one side
by the aid of seven tugs next day.
The Palladin, huge four-funneled cruiser,
was beached at the left hand side OF the
harbor to prevent her from sinking, and she
still lies where she was run ashore.
The passage into the harbor is now posi-
BILE since the disabled battle ships have
been moved inside.
The CONSERVATION produced by the tor
pedo raid was indescribable. Mr.. Curtis
says the civilians went crazy and rushed
about like madmen; every place was closed
up next day to prevent loot1ng, and the SOL
diers were kept busy on police duty.
In the forts and among the military there
was great excitement, but Mr.. Curtis says
there was not so much panic, and the men
stuck to their work next day when the
bombardment commenced early in the
morning. The torpedo boats of the Japa-
rese, he and another American passenger
assert, obtained entrance inside the Russo n
lines by using the Russians own signals,
which they had obtained in some mysterious
way and when the Russian guard ship sig
nailed them the daring Japanese returned
the signals arranged by the trusty officers
OF the car The Russians did no discover
the ruse until it was too late to fire upon
the small but death dealing craft
Creates Panic.
The bombardment next day created
the most intense panic among civilians
Huge shells fell in the town; one passed
through a transport and fell On the dock,
but did not explode. Glass was shattered
everywhere by the conclusion and the
sounds of the shells as they hurtled through
the air Mr.. Curtis AYERS he will never for
get He was ashore at the time and could
not see much of what went on outside the
harbor. but he does not think the damage
to the Russian feet was SO serious as has
been described. He says that as far as he
could learn in the terrible confusion only
one big Russian was sunk outside.
1.-THE Fuping left about o'clock on
Wednesday evening after she had discharg-
ed her cargo of coal from Ching Wan-tao,
Mr.. Curtis said. "As she got outside the
harbor the guardship Rasboynik, Prince
Leben commanding. suddenly and without
warning fired. upon her. using explosive
shell, which struck the Fuping about twelve
feet above water on the port bow.
Three holes made by the shell, about
four inches in diameter can be plainly seen
today
Havoc Among Chinese Passengers.
1.-The shells went into the quarters of the
Chinese passengers five of whom We're
wounded horribly. One man had his leg
half torn off and it had since been am
putated. while another had his back torn
terribly: another's arm was shattered and
II is expected that two of the wounded men
will die
,nIl ole H. AIT.
of the Chinese on fire and the ship was in
great danger till the hose was turned on to
extinguish the flames.
Her commander, Capt. Gray, then STOP
ped her and turned her head back into the
harbor. when he was commanded to go on
board the guardship. which had meanwhile
covered the steamer with her big guns.
He was told that the reason he was
fired at was because he had not obtained
some special pass to go out, but the real
reason is probably very different.
'She had hardly any Russian passengers
on board.
Denounced as Barbarous.
'All on board iercely denounce the gross
act of barbarity and cowardice perpetrated
upon an inoffensive neutral ship, and think
that the British authorities should take
strong measures to protect the flag she
flies
The effect of the Japanese attack upon
Port Arthur was simply Supplying to its
Inhabitants. who were wild with terror and
fled by every means OF exit, by train. road
and water, whatever way they could es-
cape.
"Viceroy Alexieff was very active in the
work of defense when the Fuping left and
was rewarding the soldiers in the forts
with personal gifts of ten rouble bills for
good shooting"
AS far as Mr.. Curtis could gather there
were only thirteen people killed in Port
Arthur and some fifty-seven wounded by
the Japanese Smelling. which he describes as
terrific while 1t lasted
The japanese Soldiers Rations.