The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1904-03-30
SAW PORT ARTHUR BATTLE
EYEWITNESS Sends Graphic Account of the First
Naval Fight of the Russo Japanese War--CZar 8
Officers Taken by Surprise

shells we're flying fast. The forts
gave tongue and the firing of the
fleets was incessant.
There was one fine duel. Japa.
nese battleship engaged Russian
battleship and the two steamed up
and down delivering constant broad.
| sides.
Then there was a mighty tragedy.
One large Russian cruiser was seen to
stagger under an explosion either of
torpedo or her own magazine, and |
then, within three minutes, go down
stern first She carried all her Off
GERS and men with her
Not the slightest effort was made
by the other ships of the Russian fleet |
to save any of their comrades. They |
were too busily engaged to heed the |
distress of their fellows; and up to |
| the time the Flu Ping sailed there was |
no news that any of the unfortunates
had been picked up.
| The Japanese opened the fight at
| 11:10 a. IN. The last shot was fired at
! 1850, the battle lasting just forty
minutes; but 1t was too hot to last
| longer.
Then the Japanese fleet withdrew
and Capt Gray and his officers left
their shelter under the forts at the
west harbor mouth and rowed back
to the Flu Ping. From the steamers
bridge the captain watched the re-
turn of the battered Russian sea fight
ers.
Admiral Starks flagship, the Petro-
pavlovsk, came limping in with shot
through her bow and other disabili-
ties. Seven cruisers and torpedo boats
also came In for repairs. The other
Russian ships crept closer under the
shelter of the forts. Tugs went to
work on the shattered and stranded
Cesarevitch and she was towed to the
center of the harbor. But her stern
settled slowly to the bottom, throwing
her bow out of water. Evidently she
was hard hit.
The Russians brought in reports OF
the capture of a Japanese cruiser and
torpedo boat, but they showed no
prizes. They also spread stories OF
the great damage they had inflicted
on the enemy.
But these stories could not quell
the panic prevailing in Port Arthur.
When the morning showed the dam
age to the fleet inflicted by the Japa-
nese in their night attack the houses
of the merchants opened for business.
The people said that whatever dam.
age had been done the ships the town
was safe and impregnable. But the
battle of the day had changed all this
feeling of confidence into one Of dis
+, may.
Shells had fallen thickly in town
and harbor. From much OF the fire
it seemed that the Japanese were try.
! ing to destroy or disable the great
dry dock on which the Russians de-
pend for the repairing of their injured
, ships. This dock is in the east basin
and one shell actually fell In 1t, but
did not explode.
This rain of shells destroyed the
last vestige of the peoples confidence
: in the impregnabiity of their town,
I and when Admiral Stark's flagship
D came staggering home from the fight
, the panic became pitiful. The Chi
|
= and one Japanese shell fell near a
;. flock of them. covering them with de-
r bris and accelerating their flight.
d But the panic soon passed beyond
r the coolies and took hold Of both the
n devotees of business and the votaries
r of pleasure. II must be remembered
/ that the Russian Is a plcasure-loving
animal ana there has been at Port
& Arthur reckless pleasure seeking
r | which out.Parisians the gay people OF
It the French capital
r Ever since the Russian occupation
h and fertilization of the place Russian
@ French, Austrian, American and Japa
p nese women have focked in, ant
Is everything at night has been giveI
e. over to pleasuring
d The Hotel De France, the Palermo
the Sarato, the theater and Baronf
10 sky's circus are too well known to Wis
81 itors to Port Arthur to require de
a scription, and no visitors are likel!
t. to forget the abandon OF the votarie
10 of these places. They were to Por
Arthur what the Moulin Rouge, TIT
IN Nouvean Cirque, the Follies Bergere
III ana the GfuDeT are 10 fdTlS' Dlnne
n parties. theater parties and maske'
I'd balls after kept the merriment goinl
I'd until o'clock in the morning, ant
III such was the case on the morning o
~ Japsn's first heroic attack.
But with the opening Of the BON
ne bardment on the Sth all thought o
ed pleasure and all idea of business var
lg ished. The houses of the merchant
ay closed with bang. Many employe
lie fed to the hills or took the first trail
ly toward Mukden and Hardin. Tn
er Chinese swarmed away like the ira
IT. ditonal rats leaving the founderin
n ship, The freight trains. as well a
'e- the passenger coaches, were crowde
with refugees. All sorts of conve,
nd ances were pressed into use. TIL
4