New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-27
CHANNEL STILL OPEN.
Daring japanese Venture Fails
Russian TORPEDO Boat Sank.

Toxic FEB. 26-vice-kdmirzI TosO's attempt
20 bottle up The Russian feet at Port Arthur
By sinking n Geet Of stone-iaden merchant
steamers IN the mouth OF the harbor evidently
failed though the venture caused no loss OF life
and the vessels lost were not OF great value.
Rive ships were prepared by Vice-Adnliral
Togo for the attempted blockade. -Four are re-
ported 10 have been sunk but the fate OF the
nfth is unknown here. It is presumed that IL
withdrew with the other japanese vessels. The
i've vessels were filed with stones, 80 as TO
make the obstruction permanent and were
manned by volunteer merchant crews II was
impossible 20 select naval officers and sailors on
account OF their great rivalry to take part In
vie caring venture.
Accommodated By four battieships. nine crus-
ers and numerous vessels OF the torpedo notilla.
she E.one-laden steamers reached Port Arthur
on Wednesday. While the feet engaged the
shore batteries the steamers made a dash for
-he mouth OF the harbor. directly under the
Russian guns
Details OF the attack have not been received.
nut q IS evident that the Russians' fire sank
fbe steamers before they reached the points
planned for their laundering b. the japanese.
Il is said that all the crews OF the four vessels
ESCAPED IN beats and were picked I'd by the
Japanese torpedo boat destroyers. The report
that two OF the torpedo boat destroyers were
sunk by the Russians Is denied
The Navy Department has received a brief
dispatch from tie commander OF one Of the tor
psdo boat destroyers. saying that no lives and
no warships were lost, and that 10 damage was
INFLICTED by the Russians. Tending the receipt
or the osacial report OK vice-Adrniral Togo. the
Navy Department declines 20 make any an
nouncemcat regarding the affair.
The fve merchant vesse.s which were prepared
z tons he ~
tsin. 2.e4s tons: the Hokoku. 2,776 tons: the
Buyo. l.609 tons and the Bunshik. 1888 tons.
Zach carried Eve men. two steering and three
firing ard running the engines.
81. Petersburg. Feb. 26.-The Russ this
morning publishes the following from Port
Arthur, un6er date OF February %:
On the night OF February "a the japanese at
tempted 70 blockade the exit from Port Arthur
Bay n order 10 inclose our fleet concentrated
transports the enemy advanced four freighters,
n ballast, at fun speed, 70 the gateway, where
the Dlanruvre was Immediately observed on
the battleship RetvtzsT, which was standing 10
fhe bay before the entrance.
The Retvizan at once opened fire and after
&. the batteries on the peak ana those on the
promont0ry took part. AS result the ships
with which 4 WIS designed 20 blockade the port
were destroyed. and their mission rendered un-
successful. According 10 a wholly unsupported
report. one japanese torpedo boat was sunk.
morning. ard continued until 4 O'clock. From
a. IA. however, there were merely single
discharges. The japanese feet. at long distance.
answered our fire tnenectlvely. This evidently
was done merely 70 cover the retreat OF their
torpedo notllla-
The enerny's squadron. consisting OF ten large
vessels and seventeen torpedo boa. destroyers.
which appeared yesterday about o'clock IN
the morning. manoeuvrsd IN sight OF Port Ar
thur until noon. and then began to withdraw
and disappeared from the horizon IN the morn
ing. The cruisers Novik Askoid and Bayan
Tut 20 sea, and, after an inconsiderable crcss-
IRE returned unframed.
Washington Feb 26-The japanese Ieration
has received cable dispatch from Toxic under
fo-osya date giving account OF the inef-
fectual attempt made by the japanese 10 block
ace the mouth OF the barber at Port Arthur, and
also BRIEF account OF the attack by the Jap
snese on Port Arthur yesterday morning. As
result OF the attack yesterday. the message says,
one OF ihe Russian torpedo boats was destroyed.
The text Of the dispatch follows:
q. Nlee-Admiral Kamimr-a reports On February
70 the following:
According % the report from the torpedo
notiia which was sent for the purpose Of rescu-
ing The crews Of the steamers sent 10 block CD
The harbor ~ Port Arthur the Ffolzolu on TIE
lelt size OF the entrance OF the ha-bor near the
liFhthouse and the Busaiu. outside the entrance,
were sunk puTpOscly by the japanese by ex-
plosion The Tientssn. the Buyo and the Jinsen
sunk themselves on the east Of the Liao-Te-
shan. Al the crews OF these steamers were
picked up safely our destroyers and torrejo
notina are Enharned
On the night OF the oath our cestroyers a gain
went on a scouting cruise near Port Arthur
Daluy and Pigeon Bay.
"On the dawn OF the 18th our main SQUADRON
approached Port Arthur and bornbarded the
ener1y's men-of-war and the forts from a dis
lance. We saw the Eovik the Askold ana the
3ayan neeing into the harbO-. IL thus being ap-
parent that the blocking operation had not much
o~ecf
Our squadron then fired into the harbor and
saw flames and considerable smoke. We with
drew after fifteen minutes shelling While our
cruisers were thus engaged IN firing we saw one
a. the cneInys torpedo boats destroyed. Our
squadron received no damage
Admiral Togo IS still on the scene