The Irish standard., 1904-05-07

third repulse sickened the fighting stom.
ach of the assailants, who abandoned
the effort to completely crush the re.
treating force.
Japs Lose at Port Arthur.
Port Arthur, May Another vi
cious attempt was made by the Japan
ese Tuesday morning to block the en-
trance to Port Arthur. At few min
utes before one o'clock the first shots
were fired, awakening the town with
their thunderous noise. The gunboats
lying at the mouth of the harbor
Joined in the cannonade of the bat
teries, the firing gradually increasing
in volume until there was a contin.
uous crash of great guns. Some OF
the enemy's torpedo boats were dis.
covered, but they were finally swal
lowed up in the darkness, and the
batteries and warships after 40 min.
utes activity were again shrouded in
gloom, though the flashing search.
lights showed that the military were
alive to the warning conveyed by the
approach of Japanese ships. At 2:15
a second cannonade began, the heav.
lest firing being directed to the left
of Golden Hill. where the fireships
were located. At about four O'Clock
the batteries ceased firing. save for
an occasional shot.
A Magnificent Picture.
Just about dawn the bark of the
rapid fire guns and the cracking OF
/ the mitrailleuse was heard from Col
den Hill. Occasionally there were
sounds of explosions as of mines
going off. 1t was the enemy's ships
striking on Russian torpedoes. AT
this hour a magnificent sea picture
was formed by the soft light of the
waning moon, the orange flashes OF
the guns, the signal rockets and the
purple fires on the steel colored sea
which were alternately lighting UP
and dying out. The fireships were
ten in number and of about 5000 tons
each. 1t is reported that two Japan
ese torpedo boats were sunk, the re-
mainder Withdrawing in damaged
condition.
Eight Fireships Sunk.
Eight fireships were sunk and yery
few of their crews were saved. Most
of them were killed. In the morning
many dead bodies were seen floating
about outside the harbor. These were
collected by the Russians, who brought
them ashore and buried them. The
vigilance of the men in the watch
towers and on the guard boats was
astonishing. To their keen eyes was
due the prompt sighting of the enemy
This new attempt of the japanese was
on much larger scale than any
heretofore made, but the moonlight
aided in the discontinue of the dis
covered enemy. The Japanese at.
tackled brilliantly, without seeming ia
notice the murderous fire directed on
them. 1t is stated that the crews of
the fireships included a number of
Japanese cadets. who showed extraor.
binary bravery, especially when the
ships were sinking. Several of the
crew sat on the topmasts firing their
! revolvers and then plunged into the
sea. It is believed that none of the
cadets was saved. The attempt to
close the mouth Of the harbor failed.
Gives Satisfaction in London.
London, May 3.-The latest dis
patches received here, confirming the
completeness of the Japanese victory
on the Yalu, could hardly have given
greater satisfaction in Toxic than they
have done in London The editorials
in the morning papers ring with ad-
miration at the success of Gen. Kuro-
l1i's strategy in a manner indicating
that Great Britain had been in consid-
cradle doubt of the capacity of her
ally's troops when matched against the
Russians, and despite the lack by ia
pan of good cavalry to follow up her
victory, it is believed that she will
speedily drive the Russians out of
Fenghuanchong also.
Another Russian Repulse.
London, May 3.-The japanese lega-
tion gave out Monday an official dispatch
from the admiralty at Toxic, reporting
an engagement between japanese war;
ships on the Yalu and Russian shore
batteries. 1t reads as follows:
'"The captain of the gunboat Maya
reports that a flotilla consisting of the
gunboats Maya and Vii and some tor
pedo boats ascended the Yalu May 1,
bombarding the enemy. While they
were returning the enemy's artillery
suddenly attacked the torpedo boats.
The latter silenced the enemy after a
severe engagement lasting 80 minutes
and the flotilla all returned to Yongam-
pc. There were no casualties. Our
armed launches reached Antung the
same morning and repulsed the enemy's
infantry and artillery after 80 minutes
of sharp fighting. Fire was seen ris-
ing from the town and native says
that the enemy fled from Antung after
setting fire to it,"