The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-08-19
REACHED PORT
BADLY DAMAGED
Report of the Commander of
the vIadiVOStok Squadron.
HEAVY LOSS OF RUSSIANS
RURIK HIT EARLY ~ THE EN-
GAGEMENT.
Ut PETERSBURG. Aug 1s.-Emper-


y or Nicholas has received "a dis
patch from Viceroy Alexien. dst-d
at Vladiy0st0k. Aug. j., saying that
the cruisers ROssia and GroHioboi of the
Vladivostok squadron returned -
Vladivostok Aug. Is and communicated
the following report. made by Rear
Admiral lessen, commando o. the
squadron:
At dawn on Aug. A. the Eos5la.
Gr0mob0i and Rurik arrived fOTJy-tUu
niles from and parallel with Fuson AID
thirty miles from the northern light
house Of Tsu island.
When to the westward / saw a jap
auese squadron Of armOreG cruisers. six
miles 10 the north. travelling parallel
with our course. This squadron con-
sisted of four vessels Of the Iwa-s
type and was putting on full speed
IT took a course to the northward
with view to attaining the open sea.
hut the enemy. who was of supcrior
speed. turned Immediately and took TIRE
same course.
Compelled to Fight.
Il Was therefore obliged 70 engage
in battle, which commenced ar O'Clock
IT. the morning with distance Of sixty
cables between the two suuadrons 81
cable length = 200 YARDS.
In the straits 10 the south we saw n
second class cruiser of the NancWa
type coming 10 join the enemy
At a convenient opportunity we rap
idly turned 10 the right. intending 70
spprCach the Korean coast and by in
creasing our speed to seventeen knots
we seemed TO have an opportunity of
succeeding. but the enemy now oh
served our intention and directed his
course toward US for the purpose uf
findering our design.
Rurik Disabled.
Hardly five minutes passed before
the RUrik left the ranks and siEualel
that steering gear was disabled [
replied, Steer with the engines. and
continued on my former course.
Seeing that all of the Japanese cruis-
ers were concentrating their fire on the
Rurlk. all my subsequent mauauVer-
ing was exclusively with the object o.
enabling the Rurik to repair her dam
aged rudder. l attracted TO myself the
enemy's fire in order 10 cover tine
Rurik. admiral lessen was on TIE
flagship ROssia.)
AT this time I saw two warshirs.
che second and the other a third
class cruiser. coming to Join the enemy.
The Rurik hoisted the signal can
not steer.
some maneuvering in the front liae.
gave the RuTik a choice of going Hl
the direction Of the Korean gulf ana Al
O'Clock the signal was hoisted -
east
Rurik Started East.
The Burfk answered the signal and
took the requisite course at fun speeI.
as could be seen from the waves from
ner bows
Eventually the Rossia and the Gro
moboi took a northefly course AT q dis-
taDce OF fOrty-twO cables. The RuriN
Kept a course approximately southeas-
at a. distance OF three mlss.
The battle continued for two hour Sc
in this manner
We suffered considerable damag-.
The Bossia had three tunnels pIs-ccG.
which prevented her from keeping un
good steam. and three Of her boil g.
were rendered useless.
At $50 the RUrik began 10 lag be-
hind considerably and again turned he,
bows toward the shore at the same
time fighting against the two second
class cruisers which had joined the
enemy's squadron. The Rurik soon
afterward began to get ont of sight.
Vice Admiral kamimura with four
srmoTed cruisers kept SteddfaStly en-
gaging Us i'm such manner as To keep
les from assisting the Rurik.
Fought Steadily On.
While the Rurik continued fighting
We continued our efforts 20 attract the
enemy further north. in the hope thai
the Rurik would manage to dispose OF
her two comparatively weaker oppc-
Uents and that after repairing the
damage TO her rudders he would Dc
able 10 reach NladivostOk indepeuu-
emily.
shortly before 10 O'Clock the enc
i1y'S FIRE was the most terrific Of th.
battle. but TO our establishment the
whole japanese squadron left US after
the most deadly fighting. which had
lasted five hours.
The Rossia had sustained eleven
holes at her line and the GromOboi had
six Both cruisers lost more than half
their officers and the losses among the
men tCtaiied p per cent.
1t appeared impossible to renew the
battle OF 10 return 10 the EUrik. which
vas now thirty miles 10 the south
Heavy Losses.
Taking advantage of the calm. We
stopped our engines and quickly conf
menced TO repair the breaches in our
vessels 50 as to enable US to proceed TO
NladivOstok. Captain BeTlinsky Of the
R0ssfa was killed and several of his or
fcers were wounded on board the Gro
mobOi two lieuteuants were killed and
other officers were wounded Botn
cruisers had 135 men killed and 800
wounded. Captain BeTlinsky was buried
al sea"
The report concludes by testifyiug u
the heToism displayed by all the OIL
GERS and men who, it says. seemed TO
lave been made OF iron- knowing u5
fear nor fatigue
A personal examination OF the dam
age done 10 the cruisers by the jap
anese fire, Admiral Alexieff says. n
transmitting the report. convinces him
of the high courage and self-sacrificiHE
efforts of those who took part I'm all
unequal battle against the superior
forces of the japanese