The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-03-04
JAPANESE GUNB0AT
IS DESTROYED
DAMAGED WARSHIP SINKS, BUT
THE CREW MANAGES TO
REACH LAND.
RUSSIA ALSO LOSES
A FIGHTING VESSEL
Torpedo Boat Destroyer Is Sunk Off
Port Arthur-Corea to Help Japs
Instructions to Consul Morgan
Are Suspended.


Chefoo, Feb. 29.-Several Japanese
officers and sailors who landed here
from an open boat early Saturday re-
fused to give any information as to
where they came from. At the jap
anese consulate it was given out that
they belong to a gunboat which
was damaged during the fight off Port
Arthur, and which sank trying to
reach this port. The statement that
they were members of the crews of the
merchant steamers sunk near the en-
trance Of Port Arthur for the purpose
of b%lockading it and that they were
not picked up by the torpedo boats in
company, was positively denied. They
crossed the gulf in the open boat in
which they arrived. The consul claimed
that he had been expecting the arrival
of survivors of the action off Port Ar
thur.
New York, Feb. ga previous dis
patch from Toxic, giving details of Adj
miral Togo's attempt to bottle up the
Russian fleet at Port Arthur, reported
that all the crews of the four Japanese
vessels which were sunk off Port Ar
thur escaped in boats and were picked
up by the japanese torpedo boat de-
stroyers conveying them. 1t is con-
sidered possible, however, that the
sailors mentioned in the above dis
patch were a part of the crews of the
sunken merchantmen.
Sink Russian Boat.
Toxic, Feb. 29.-The official report of
the attempt made last Tuesday night to
block the entrance of the harbor of Port
Arthur reached Toxic Friday night.
While failure to accomplish the object
sought is admitted, it is claimed one of
the Russian torpedo boat destroyers was
sunk in the action following the block
aiding attempt. The report was written
by Vice Admiral Kaminura, division
commander under Admiral Togo.
Corea to Help Japs.
Seoul. Feb. 29.-The Corean' govern
ment has decided to order the Corean
troops to join the japanese in the field.
The standing army 10Y consists of about
1900 men with European methods. In
1896 it was taken in hand by a Russian
colonel with three commissioned and ten
nol-commissioned officers, who retired,
however, in 1898. A royal ~bodyguard of
LOU men was formed and has been well
drilled, and periodically a draft of well
trained men is transferred from it to
the other regiments of the standing
army.
Orders of Consul Suspended.
Washington, Feb. 29.-The orders of
Edwin V. Morgan, appointed and con-
frmed as American consul to Dalny,
to proceed to that post have been sus-
pended. Mr.. Morgan will not pro-
ceed until he has received further or
ders from the department. There is
no present intention of trying to force
Mr.. Morgan upon the Russiana govern
ment.
The state department recognizes the
right of any government to withhold
an ~exequatur by warrant of which the
consul is authorized to exercise his
functions, and if another government
does not feel that a consulate located in
N of its ports facilitates commerce,
there is no disposition to make an
issued on that point. Mr.. Morgan re-
mains at his New York home.
No change has been made in the or
ders to Messrs. Cheshire and David
son, who have been named as consuls
to Mukden and Antung, respectively,
and are about to sail in a day or two
from San Francisco for the east.
Russian Cruiser Not Sunk.
St Petersburg, Feb. 29.-According
to a telegram received here from the
commander of the Russian cruiser
Askold, at Port Arthur, all rumors re-
garding the sinking of his vessel are
false. The commander adds that the
Askold is quite sound.
Object of Japs.
ST. Petersburg, Feb. 29.-The des-
perate in which the japanese
are returning to the attack of Port Ar
thur, in spite of their repeated re-
pulses, has convinced the military au-
thorities here that their main object
i've for the present is hopelessly to
cripple the Russian fleet, in order to
secure absolute freedom in the dis
embarkation Of troops. For this rea-
o the Russian commander is care
fully guarding against exposing his
ships. keeping them in the harbor, un-
der the guns of the Notifications.
A doubt exists as to whether the Jap
anese really design to- land near Port
Arthur and invest the city. The au-
thorities admit they are considerably
mystihed, but the prevailing opinion
continues to be that the Japanese viii
not hazard a landing at this stage Of
the campaign. 1t is pointed out that
owing to the conformation Of the
shore the only suitable landing places
near Port Arthur are well within the
range of the batteries, and that il q
landing is attempted on the northern
part Of the peninsula the japanese
transports will be unablet to- come close
to land, and that on account Of the
shelving of9the shoreathe troops would
have to march miles through mud and
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