The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1904-03-17
Such News As Is Available Nc,
Defiaate
ACME ii0STILITIES HAVE BEGUN
Sharp Fighting Reported Between
The Forces Of Russia and Japan
Ntwe IHdef!note,

$. Petersburg. BY Csble.-The EN-
'feror received a message from Viceroy
AleIlen which says:
"A Afm!ran MarakofT. commanding the
feet, reports from Port Arthur under
date Or March 10 a. follows:
2iX torpedo boats which went ont to
SEA the night Of March 10. four OF th EN-
being under the command Of Capt
NatiOusEeyitch. encountered the enc
,ny's torpedo boats followed by crlIs-
sTs. \ hot action ensued in which the
torpedo boat destroyer Vlaslini dis
charged Whitehead torpedo and sunk
unc OF the encmy's torpedo boats. On
the Pay back the torpedo boat destroy
- Sier"guse ehtchi. commanded by Lieu
tendnt SCTgueicn, sustained damages ::
her engine was disabled and she be-
gan TO founder. BY o'clock iD the
morning five Of our torpedo boat de-
st-oyers and returned. When the crit
'cal position OF the Steregusch!tchf be
-ume evident ] hoisted my flag on the
cruiser NOvik and went with the Novik
and III" cruiser ROyaTin to the rescue.
But as five Of the enemy's cruisers sur-
'rdnded our destroyer and as their bat
feshlp squadron was approaching,
..id not succeed in saving the Steregus-
-hichi which foundered. Part of the
crew was made prisoners and part v as
drowned.
On the ships which participated In
he night attack, one officer was seri-
cUaly and three other we're slightly
IoUndcd, two soldiers were killed and
eighteen were wounded
AT 9 o'clock fourteen OF the enc
my's ships assembled before Port AT
bur and 4 Commandment was begun
with the heavy guns of their battle
gEip squadron at long range.
This lasted until l o'clock In the
afternoon. l. Is estimated that the
enemy fred t54 twelve-inch shells. The
damage to our vessels was insignif1~
aant. and they are again ready for
battle. Our losses were one officer
slightly wounded and one soldier killed
and four soldiers wounded.
The iilumation of the sea at night
by the searchlighis mounted at our
batteries was most satisfactory, and
several times isolated shots from our
batteries forced the enemy's torpedo
beats to retire.
With the cOmpenCemeDt OF the
bombardment at dawn the guns Of the
fortress replied TO the enemy's fire.
The crews OF all the ships engaged
save proof of remarkable coolness in
action.
~ bombardment at sucE a distance
must be considered ineffective, but the
Japanese cruiser Takasago is reported
TO have been seen to suffer serious
damage, the extent of which, however
1t was impossible to ascertain at a
distance of five miles. Many shells
we're fired at rance Of 71s miles.
Il have the honor to report the fore
going to your Majesty.
t"Signed) L1EXEFF.'
Toxic. BY Cable.-Oficial and pri-
avte reports both indicate that Admiral
TOgo's fourth attack on Port Arthur on
the 10th instant was the most effective
since the first assault OF month ago
One Russian torpedo boat destroyer
was sunk and several Russian torpedo
boats seriously damaged. The fortiti-
cations and city were submitted to d
heavy bombardment lasting nearly
fOur hours. The naval bombardments
cf the land works have generally been
ineffective, yet the peculiar topograp ph
icai conditions OF Port Arthur make
immunity from serious loss from BON
Dardment almost impossible. Admira
Togo's torpedo fiotilla opened the ac'
ton by boldly steaming in under the
batteries Of mechanical mines in th'
harbOr.
The closing action was the lombard
noent Of the inner harbor by the Japan
csc battleships. The latter took q pc
sition southwest OF Port Arthur anf
used only their twelve-inch guns
There were twenty-four twelve-iGct