Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-25
AMERICAN SHIP SUNK
Vladivostok Fleet Destroys
 the Knight Commander.
NEWCHWANG EVACUATED, IN FLAMES
Japnnese Approaching City In Oyer- whelming Force Causes Kuropat-
 kin to Burn the Place and Re- treat Toward Russian Base.

treat Toward Russian Base.
 YOKOHAMA, July 25.-The Vladi- vosto6 squadron yesterday sank the American steamer Knight Commander, from New York, off the province of Izu after transferring the crew of the Knight Commander to the steamer Tsinan, which arrived here this morn ing.
 The Vladiyestok squadron also cap- tured d German vessel, believed to be the Arabia, with s0,00o tons of flour, and an unknown British steamer.
 The two vessels were sent to Vladi- vostok in charge of prize crews The American Trading company are the agents here for the Knight Com mander.
 A special from Tientsin dated today says that in accordance with orders issued by General Kuropatkin, the Russians have commenced to eyacuate Newchwang (evidently Kinkow or Port Newchwang).
 This morning the Russian railway station is in flames.
 The Japanese are slowly nearing Newchwang. Great excitement has prevailed in that city since yesterdays fight.
 The Russians are evidently destroy ing their property previous to eyacea- tien.
 A special semiofficial, dispatch from St. Petersburg says that Russia, in re- sponse to Germany's protest, has sent a dispatch to Port Said ordering the immediate release of the Hamburg American line steamer Scandia, which had arrived there as a Russian prize in command of a naval officer and fly ing the Russian flag and was awaiting instructions.
 The official report of the seizure of the Scandia, received from the German consul at Suez, says that the Russian volunteer steamer Snolensk encounter ed the vessel at the island of Perrin, in the straits of Bab-el-Niandeb, and that she was seized notwithstanding the fact that her captain showed from the mani fest that there was no contraband of war on board the Scandia.
 Orders have been sent from St. Petersburg to the volunteer fleet steam CTS St. Petersburg and Smolensk to re- frain from interference with foreign shipping.
 It is rumored at suez that the Rus sian consul is about to charter an Egyptian steamer to convey orders to vessels of the Russian volunteer fleet to quit the Red sea forthwith, It is expected these steamers will eventually join the Baltic fleet and be replaced by ordinary warships.
 Advices received at Port Said say. that the Russian volunteer fleet steam CT Smolensk fired three blank shots across the bows of the British steamer Ardova, from New York for Manila, the cargo of which consists of coal and explosives, and the vessel not stopping the Smolensk sent two loaded shots at her, one of them passing over her amidships and the other over her stern.
 The Ardova was then seized and her crew transferred to the Smolensk. The vessel will be brought to Suez.
 Newchwang advices say that battle was fought on Saturday near Tatche- kiae, attended, it is believed, with heavy losses The progress of the battle was watched by many people in New chwang from the roofs of houses. The day was clear, and the smoke of the guns could be plainly seen.
 A Tientsin report says that battle ragged outside of Newchwang yester- day The fighting could be seen from the city.
 was at @Tahsuitong, six miles distant, and the Japanese were successful:
 Many Chinese refugees arriving at Newchwang have reported that nine Japanese gunboats from Port Arthur have arrived at Tahtingshan,
 In the engagement Saturday the Rus sian losses are reported to have been TOO. Great excitement prevailed in that city during the two days fighting.
 A Tokyo dispatch says that the Rus sian Vladiyostok squadron has sunk the merchantmen which it captured off the coast of 1zu province. The name of this ship and her nationality are not known, and nothing has been learned of the fate of her crew. Witnesses on shore saw the merchantman following the fleet. Then they saw her fired upon, after which she disappeared. The Russian warships were last re- ported to the southwest of Yokohama, A Tokyo report says that merchant vessel is accompanying the VladiYostok squadron, which has been sighted sixty miles of Izu. It is probable that the merchantmen is a captive. A St. Petersburg report says: "On the highest authority it is said that the Russian and British governments have agreed on a mutually satisfactory ba- sis for settlement of the question of status of the Russian volunteer fleet 1 steamers in the Red sea and the seiz- ures by them of British ships" l The validity of the view expressed i in the British note regarding the irreg- ularity of the position of the vessels has been so far admitted by the Rus sian government that they have agreed to waive the right of search. l It has been decided that the present status of the volunteer fleet is not sufii- ciently well defined. according to in