Evening journal., 1904-02-25
Twenty-three of the Mi
kado's Ships Continue
to Blockade, the Port
Admiral Togo Failed
to Bottle Up
Cars Congratulations
Sent to AIexief and
Squadron for japanese
RepuIse, il Which Two
Ships We're Sunk

St Petersburg. Feb. 25.-The Port.
Arthur correspondent of the "Novosti"
telegraphs that at Port Arthur the
Japanese lost steamers (number not
stated and one torpedo boat
"At the moment of writing" the cor
respondent continues, twenty three
aJpanese vessels are visible on the
horizon and desultory firing has begun,
in which the Russian cruisers Bayan,
Novik and Askold are participating"
The Szar has telegraphed warm con-
gratulations to Viceroy Alexieff and
the entire Russian squadron at Port
Arthur on the able manner in which
they repulsed the latest attack Of the
aJpanese.
Rattleships at Batteries.
The battleships Retvizan apd Casare-
witch viii be temporarily employed at
Port Arthur as guardships, in which
capacity It has been decided their for
midable guns can be utilized to good
q advantage. It has been found that the
necessary repairs to these ships can
only be fully made in the dock at
4 Vladivostok, so the vessels will be tenn
& porarily patched up and remain at Port
Arthur until circumstances will permit
q of their being sent to Vledivostok.
The rumors that the savings banks
will not meet the demands for the
repayment of deposits in consequence
q of the war are emphatically denied by
4 the "Oficial Messenger.
Attack Desperately Pushed.
n No further details were available this
a morning of the unsuccessful attempt of
the aJpanese to bottle up the Russian
&. fleet at Port Arthur by sinking bigmer-
chantmen at the mouth of the harbor
The brief details contained in the offic-
n ial dispatches indicate that the couI
was planned, according to the usual
Japanese tactics, to take place dur
ing the night, that it was desperately
pushed and backed by eight torpedo
boats. which continued fighting unit
daylight but that it failed completely
Admiral Togo Defeated.
London, Feb. 25.--Another Merrimal
episode. though unattendad- with the par
tial success which the Americans had a
Santiago.
Such was the report which London dis
cussed with its supper last night At tel
time It had just heard that four Japanes
battleships had been sunk at Port Arthur
and by the dinner hour this statement ha,
received apparently semi-official confirm
alton. 1t was added that two Japanes
transports had likewise been sent to tn
bottom in an attack upon Port Arthur.
The mention of transports tended to con
firm the suspicion that there was some
+. thing radically wrong with these ST
# Petersburg reports. Admiral Togo woul
not employ transports in an attack upo
the Russian squadron at Port Arthur,
was argued, and British Sympathizers wit
Japan plucked up their spirits.
The earliest reports Of the great Rus
sian success had absolutely staggere
4 London. 1 saw men come to a sudde
z stop in the street as they caught sight {
the newspaper placards and stand tn
pictures Of absolute astonishment, eye
staring. mouth wide open, arms hangin
Imply. Four Japanese battleships des
troyed?
Japs' Pluck Praised.
What could have happened? Gould an,
thing Of the sort possibly have happened
we're the questf-ns every one was ash
ing. 1t was not till after the theatres Ia
X closed that corrected version Of the a
5. fair reached Lon 4on in a dispatch froi
& st. Petersburg. It was only at the clut
# and at the chief hotels and restaurant