The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-19
A1Ex1ETF SENDS ACCOUNT.
Tells of the Battle at Port Arthur
 February @.

SG6A AOAAy
 St. Petersburg. Feb. 18.-A long official dispatch from Viceroy AlexIef recount ing the details of the fight of February at Port Arthur, was given out today. It enumerates the Russian casualties and says it Is known that a number of Japan Ase ships suffered severely which accounts for their not following up the attack.
 The Viceroy's dispatch Is dated Feb ruary IS, and says: ."
 After the night torpedo attack, he Japanese fleet. consisting of sixteen war ships, appeared at 10 o'clock in the morIi- Ing of Port Arthur. Its appearance was noted by the coast signal stations, as well as by the ships of our squadron, which lay In the outer roadstead fully prepared for the battle Our squadron consisted of five battleships, five first and second-class cruisers. and fifteen torpedo boats under the command of vice-Admi- ral Stark and Rear-Admlral Uktonski
 ''The coast batteries immediately pre- pared to receive the enemy. Our squad ron weighed anchor in order of battle and upon the first shot being fired by the enemy the fleet and batteries replied sim ultaneously with lively cannonade. The most exposed to the enemy's fire were the ships of the squadron, battery No 2 on Electric Cliff. and battery No 1 on Golden Hill. Other coast batteries. princi- pdllY NUS. IL ana lo, were also under ire
 '"rhe following vessels took part fin the battle: In the front line were the battle ships PetropaSlosk. flying the flag of Vice-Admiral Stark. and commanded by Captain Jakoovloff; the battleship Sevas- topol. Captain Chernychoff: the battleship Poltava. Captain Uspenski; the battIeship Peresviet, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral Ukhtonski. commanded by Captain Boiss- mann. and the battleship Pobieda. Cap tain Sazarenny. There were also the hrst-class cruisers Bayan. Captain Viron; l Diana. Captain Saltouski. an Askold. | Captain Cramchikos:; the second-cIass cruisers Boyarin. Captain Sarycheff, and Novik Captain Jassen. The battleship Czarevltch. Captain Grogorovitch. and Retvizan, Captain Sensnovitch; and the | other cruiser, Pallada Captain Kosso- | witch. which lay at anchor. having been | damaged in the torpedo boat attack ol l the night before. likewise participated in | the fight as did the transport Angara Captain Suchlonin. There were also en- gagged the torpedo boats of the first and | second divisions.
 ! Throughout the fight the torpedo divis- | ion lay to the right of the squadron dis tance of ten to fifteen cabeltari Ca Rus. sian sea measure) waiting orders. '"The land batteries were under the gen. eraI direction of Major General Ralox l UT SilG aAi kdTFlSOI Of artillery. It is still difficult to ascer, tain the result of the battle but accord ing to observations made by our ships i may be assumed that several vessels O. the enemys fleet sustained damage whici explains why they avoided furthe fghtin- although they were much superior to u. | in strength.
 | According to the reports of the com manders the men fought fairly well. or which account in virtue of the lmperia authorization have conferred six crosses of the Order of St. George on each com pany of the first and second class war ships having crews of over 200 men. fou crosses on each company of all other yes sells of the second class; one cross on eacl torpedo boat; one cross on the signal sta ton al Golden Hill. which operated unde the heavy fire of the enemy; four crosse on battery No. Is. three on battery No 13 and one cross on a gunner who thougl lseverely wounded. returned to his bat tery.
 "our losses were; or the squadron, fiv loficers wounded; "A men killed and '
 men wounded.
 ''Of the fortress and garrison: One ma Ikilled, one man severely wounded and fiv linen slightly wounded.
 "In announcing the above to your ma