Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-02-12
RUSSlA'S HEAVY LOSS
Japan Scores Repeatedly in the
First Rounds of the War
Some of the Finest Vessels of Russia's
Fleet Destroyed or Observation-Disclosures
Attack with Torpedo Boats.

Attack with Torpedo Boats
War is on in the far east and Japan
has struck Russia a staggering blow. dis
aoling or destroying some of the finest
vessels of her navy.
Japan issued no declaration of war to
Russia, but following the withdrawal of
the respective legations from st. Peters
burg and Toxic, Japan announced that war
existed, and began landing troops in
Corea
The first battle in the war began in
| the roadstead outside Of Port Arthur
shortly before midnight Monday, and con-
sisted of two engagements. 1t continued
until about Don Tuesday and resulted in
disaster to the Russian fleet
-Four japanese torpedo boats made a
secret and sudden attack on the Russian
squadron in dead of night, disabling the
battleships Retvizan and Czarevitch and
the cruiser Pallada.
The torpedo boats returned without los
ing a man or sustaining any damage
/ Ten hours later the whole japanese
squadron. under Admiral Togo. consist
ing of seven battleshps eight cruisers
and four torpedo boats returned to the
harbor and opened fire on the fortress of
Port Arthur and upon the Russian fleet
The second engagement lasted about
an hour, during which time there was
constant heavy firing from the guns of
both fleets and from the forts The Rus
sian battleship Poltava and the cruisers
Boyarin and Novike were repeatedly hit
10y shells and huge holes We're knocked ia
their hulls below the water line
The Russians had many officers and
men killed and wounded.
The armored cruisers Boyarin and Pal
lada and the batteships Retvizan and
Czarevitch were left beached at the en-
trance to the harbor. The Pallada was
. badly listed to one side.
The japanese sQVadron slowly steamed
seward at noon Tuesday. Apparently
none of them received any serious dam
age. The grounded Russian warships
block the entrance to the harbor. prevent
ing gunboats from going out and battle
ships and cruisers from going in and get
ting coal.
Official confirmation has also been re-
ceived of the sinking Of the swift Russian
cruisers Nariag and Korietz of Chemul-
pc. Having received warning from the
commander of the Japanese squadron
the Russians sailed, and after an hours
engagement withdrew to the shelter Of
the islands near the harbor's entrance
where the Nariag sank. The Korietz
was blown up and sank on Wednesday,
the day following the engagement. The
Russian crews took refuge on a French
warship. There We're no casualties
among the japanese.
The London Mail announces that two
large Russian steamers have arrived at
Saseho, Japan. They recently landed
troops and arms at Port Arthur and were
going to Nladivostok. They We're cap
tured by Japanese cruisers near Fusan.
The Mail has also received a report that
the Japs blew up an important bridge on
the Manchurian railroad and that so
Russians were killed. A despatch from
Toxic states that three transports of the
Russian volunteer fleet conveying 1000
troops. We're captured off the Corean
coast.
An unofficial report from Toxic to Lon
don says that in an engagement off Port
Arthur Wednesday. four Russian battle
ships and three Russian cruisers We're
destroyed by the japanese fleet. which
lost only two ships. II this news is con-
firmed it constitutes an achievement of
immense strategic Importance The re-
suit of the first Japanese naval operations
at Port Arthur and Chemulpo was to give
Japan a proponderance of naval power in
the far east.
Secretary Hay has addressed an identi-
cal note to Great Britain. France. Ger
many, Austria and Italy, asking them to
join in a note to Russia that the neu-
trality and integrity of China must be
recognized.
Yesterdays war news was conflicting
One report told of renewed fighting at
Port Arthur. with the capture of seven
Russian ships by the Japs and the bonn
bardment of the city. Another despatch
says that six Japanese ships We're dam
aged and 80 Japs killed and $50 wounded.
The cZar has ordered IS more war ships
from the Baltic fleet to go to the far
east.