The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-04-15
DARE NOT
FACE FOB
. tII
Russian Fleet Will Act Only
on Defensive.
PORT ARTHUR WILL FALL
Admiral Skrydloff TO Go from
Black Sea TO Succeed
Makarof.

LONDON, April ia St Peters
burg dispatch says it is officially an
nOunced that the torpedo beat destroy
er Bezstrashnl was cut off from the
rest Of the Russian fleet yesterday at
Port Arthur and sunk by the Japanese,
that her crew was lost and that the
battleship Pobleda accidentally struck
a mine while maneuvering, but was
able to return 10 the harbor without
loss Of life.
Another report has il that the cruiser
Bayan was struck and seriously dam
aged and that Admiral Aolas went
lovsk
Rear Admiral Prince Ouktomsky
wires from Port Arthur that the Bez-
strashni was sent out during the night
10 reconnoiter, became separated from
the rest of the feet owing to the bad
weather prevailing, was surrounded by
Japanese torpedo boat destroyers, and
was sunk in the fight.
Forty-fve officers and men perished
on the BeZstrashni. Only five were
saved. Admiral Ouktomsky adds:
Il have taken command Professionally
of the feet since the disaster to the
Petropavlovsk.
During some maneuvering Of the
battleship squadron the Pobieda struck
against u mine amidships on the star
board side. She was able TO regain
port by herself, No one on board of
her was killed or wounded"
report from Rear Admiral Prince
OuktomslSy to the emperor, after reit-
Grating that the Peropavlovsk sank
'in consequence Of the explosion of a
mine while she was maneuverlng in
the Port Arthur roadstead in sight Of
the enemy's feet" adds that those
saved included, besides Grand Duke
Cyril and Captain Jakoyleff, three lieu
tenants, two midshipmen and fifty-two
sailors. The bodies Of a captain, two
midshipmen, a surgeon and Il few sail
ors have been recovered.
1t is now stated that Admiral Maka.
roff's whole naval staff was on board
the Petropavloysk when that ship was
destroyed.
The admiralty at Tokyo have re-
csived a brief report from Rear Ad.
miral Uriu of the fight at Port Arthur.
He says that the fleet under command
of Admiral Togo succeeded in sinking
the battleship Petropavlovsk and one
Russian destroyer. The japanese had
one man wounded.
The following report was given out
by the foreign office:
"a great naval engagement has TAX
en- place OF Port Arthur. The battle
ship Petropavlovsk was sunk.
Her whole crew, except four off,
GERS, was drowned.
Admiral Makaroff was among those
lost.
Prince Cyril is among the survivors,
but he is wounded"
Admiral Togo, it is surmised, while
maneuyering his squadron of cruisers
opposite the entrance of the harbor for
the purpose of attracting Makaroff to
venture out, dispatched torpedo boats
lOTWhIu IOT u COllslueTuDle ulSIdnCe on
both tanks to cut off the Russians re-
treat. 1t is suspected that the ad-
vance Of the torpedo boats was not
observed by Makaroff's ships, which
were intent on the engagement with
Togos squadron, until so late that 1t
was impossible that all the Russian.
fleet could regain the harbor.
Makaroff's reputation for courage is
taken to warrant the opinion that he
lnterposed his heavily armored flagship
to protect the retreating vessels and
thus saved the squadron at the cost of |
his own ship and life as well as the |
lives of nearly all on board
Later advices from st. Petersburg
say that Rear Admiral Uriu's state |
ment that Vice Admiral Togo's feet |
was responsible for the sinking of the |
battleship Petropavlovsk at Port Ar
thur is officially denied there. A men,
ber of the general staff said that the |
advices received do not show that a
naval engagement took place, unless
the cornering and sinking OF the torpe-
do boat destroyer Bezstrashni can be
so denominated.
The destroyer and four consorts were