The San Francisco call., 1904-02-19
ALEXIEFF
TELLS OF
REVERSE
Official Report of
Port Arthur
Battle.
Viceroy Believes
Enenly'S Ships
Were Hit.

ST PETERSBURG, Feb. 1s.-A
long official dispatch from Viceroy
Alexief, recountng the details of the
fight Of February 9 at Port Arthur
was given out to-day. 1t enumerates
the Russian casualties and says it is
known that a number of japanese
ships suffered severely, which accounts
for their not following up the attack.
The NicerOy's dispatch is dated Feb
ruary IS and says:
After the night torpedo attack the
japanese feet, consisting of sixteen
warships. appeared at 10 o'clock in the
morning of Port Arthur. Its appear
ance was noted by the coast signal
% station as wrl as By the ships of our
squadron, which lay in the outer road
stead fully prepared for battle. Our
squadron consisted of five battleships.
FIVE first and second class cruisers and
fifteen torpedo boats. under the COM
mand of Vice Admiral Stark and Rear
Admiral Ukhatomski. The coast bat
teries Immediately prepared TO re-
ceive the enemy. Our squadron
weighed anchor in order TO give battle
and upon the first shot being fired by
the enemy the fleet and batteries re-
piled simultaneously with a lively can
nOnade. The most exposed to the
enemy's fire were the ships of the
squadron. battery No. Is on Electric
Cl6f. and battery Nc. 13 on Golden
Hill other coast batteries. principal
ly No. i and No. IS, also were under
fire.
FORMIDABLE ARRAY OF NAMES.
The following vessels took part in
the battle;
In the front line was the battleship
Petropolavsk, flying the flag Of Vice
Admiral Stark and commanded by
Captain JakOvloff; the battleship Sc
vastopOl. Captain Chernychoff: the
battleship Poltava, Captain Uspekn-
ski; the battleship Peresviet flying
the flag of Rear Admiral Ukhtomski,
commanded by Captain Boissmann.
and the battleship Pobieda, Captain
Sasa renny.
There were also the first class
cruisers Bayan. Captain Viron: Diana.
Captain Satouski. and Askold. Captain
Gramchikof: the second class cruisers
Bovarin. Captain Sarychef, and No
vik. Captain Jassen.
THE battleships Cesarevitch. Cap
tain GregOrovitch. and Retvizan. Cap
tain Sensnovftch, and the cruiser Pal
lada. Captain Kossovitch, which Law
n anchor, having been damaged in
the torpedo attack Of the night before.
likewise participated in the fight, as
did the transport Angara, Captain
Suchonlin.
There were also engaged the tor
redo beats OF the First and Second di-
visions under the divisional command
ers. Natussevitch and Duenter. as
follows: Nnimatelni. Captain Simon;
Vladstina, Lieutenant Karsteff; Boa
vol. Captain Yelisseitff; Bezstrashni.
Captain Zimmerman: Besposhtchod-
nj. Lieutenant Lukin; Vnushitelni.
Lieutenant Povushkinp; Vninosli-
vi. Lieutenant Reichter; Grozovoi.
Lieutenant Scheltinga; Razyaschtchi,
Captain Simonof; Reyossitelni, Lieu
tenant Kornelieff; Silny. Lieutenant
Kodorovitch: Stereguschtchi, Iieuten-
ant Kusmekaravayeff: Storchzevei
Captain Kitldn; Smyeli Captain
Schultz. and Serditi, Lieutenant Kus-
rnenksravayen Jr.
ENESIY'S WARSHIPS HIT.
Throughout the fight the torpedo
division lay to the right Of the SQUAD
ron. a distance Of from ten to fifteen
cabletari Ga Russian sea measured,
awaiting orders.
'sThc land batteries were under the
general direction Of Major General
Baloff. commander Of the Kwantung
garrison Of artillery. It is still diff
cult 10 ascertain the result Of the bat
lie. but according to observations made
by our ships ii may be assumed that
several vessels Of the enemy's fleet
sustained damage. which explains why
they avoided further fighting, although
they were much superior to US in
strength.
According TO the reports Of the com