The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-10
DETAILS OF THE FIRST
NAVAL ENGAGEMENT

CHE-FOO, Feb. 9.-The japanese fleet at
tackled Port Arthur at midnight on Mon
day. Two Russian battleships-the Poltava
and the Czarivitch-and one Russian cruis-
er-the Boyaim-were disabled by torpedoes
The battle was continued this morning at
a range of three miles, but no further dam
age was done.
The disabled armored cruiser Boyaim and
the grounded battleships block the entrance
to the harbor, preventing gunboats from
going out and battleships and cruisers
from going in and getting coal. Besides
this. Japan has the Russian gunboats
Variag and Korietz caught at Chemulpo
Later in the day the steamer Columbia
arrived here from Port Arthur with the ad-
ditional news of the attack of the japanese
fleet on the Russian fleet in the roads out
side OF the harbor of Port Arthur. The
Columbia was in the roads at the time and
felt the first shock of a torpedo at IL o'clock
on Monday night The attack continued all
night, and at daylight this morning two
Russian battleships and one first-class
Russian cruiser were seen to have been
disabled and beached at the entrance of the
| harbor. The cruiser was badly listed to
| one side.
| This morning the Russian forts opened
| fire on the japanese fleet, which was about
three miles distant The Japanese YES
sells returned the fire, hitting several of
| the Russian ships, but doing little dam
| age The Russian cruisers then went out,
| and the Japanese vessels disappeared. They
| were seen later going in the direction of
| Dalny, apparently unchanged. Although
| the officers of the Columbia say there were
| seventeen in the attacking party only
sixteen were seen later in the day by the
| stamer Foo-Chow.
| member Of the crew of the Columbia
| tells this story of the naval battle at Port
| Arthur: 1.-The Columbia was lying in the
| roadstead, surrounded by fourteen Russian
| battleships and cruisers. At 1870 o'clock
| Monday night a severe shock was felt on
| board the Columbia. The Russians i'm
mediateiy commenced to operate their
search light and opened fire toward the
sea. The firing lasted only short time.
| At 1 o'clock more shocks were felt and
the Russians again commenced firing. The
| Japanese did not return the fire. At 2
| o'clock two Russian battleships went in
| and were beached across the entrance of
| the harbor. They were soon followed by a
Russian cruiser which also was beached
None of the vessels was damaged above the
water line. More shocks from torpedoes
were felt during the early morning and
| then all was quiet. At 10 O'Clock Tuesday
morning three Japanese cruisers passed
| Port Arthur i'm sight of the Russian fleet.
The whole Russian fleet Immediately
weighed anchor and went after them, but
returned in half an hour.
1.-The Russians left cruiser outside
! to watch for the japanese ships. The
cruiser was fired upon by the Japanese and
| the other Russian vessels took up their
| anchor and cruised around the roadstead.
] The Japanese fleet came up within three
| miles and battle commenced. The Jap
anese fired on the ships and forts, which
replied. Two Russian ships were struck by
shells but were only slightly damaged. The
Russian fire fell short. The Columbia
steamed away while the battle was in prog
ress but later the japanese fleet
leave"
One japanese cruiser with torpedo boats
is reported north OF Che-Foo.