Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-03-29
BLOCKING OF PORT ARTHUR.
Japanese Made Another Unsuccessful
Attempt Sunday Morning.

Under cover OF darkness tnlS morn
ing, says at st. Petersburg cable Oh
Sunday, Admiral Togo made another
desperate attempt to bottle up the
Russian fleet in Port Arthur, but he
failed again, and when after daylight
Vice Admiral Makaroff steamed out to
give battle the Japanese commander
refused the challenge and sailed away.
The Japanese practically repeated
the tactics of Feb. "a by sending in
four fireships, preceded by torpedo
boat fiotilla, with the exception that
the fireships this time were armed
with Hotchkiss guns for the purpose
of keeping off the Russian torpedo boat
destroyers.
The enemy's attempt was discovered
by means of the shore searchlights
and a heavy fire was opened from the
batteries and from two gunboats which
were guarding the entrance of the
harbor The Russian torpedo boat de-
stroyer SLIM was outside on scouting
duty and to the dash and nerve of her
commander, Lieut.. Kriniziki, is chiefly
due the complete defeat Of the plans OF
the Japanese. He at once made
straight for the on-coming ships un-
der a hail of fire from the HotchkiSs
guns and torpedoed the leading ship,
which sheered off. followed by the 9TH
ers, three Of them being piled up on
the Golden Hill and one under the
lighthouse The SLIM then engaged
the entire six torpedo boats of the
enemy, coming out from terrific fight
with seven killed and her commander,
and twelve of her complement wound
ed, but On the Japanese side only one
boats crew was saved. In addition,
according to unofficial reports, 1t is
believed that the Japanese lost two
torpedo boats.
The japanese cruisers which sup
ported the attack exchanged shots
with the batteries and then drew Off.
after which Vice Admiral Makaroff
took steam LAUGH and examined the
fireships. An hour later the Japanese
torpedo flotilla followed by Vice Ad-
miral Togo's fleet came up from a
southerly direction. Just at daybrcak
Vice Admiral Makaroff with his fleet
sailed out to engage the enemy. but
after the ships and batteries had fired
a few long distance shots Vice Admir-
al Togo decided to decline the issue
and disappeared to the southwark.
The news of the repluse of Vice Ad-
miral Togo's second attempt to block
Port Arthur created much rejoicing in
the Russian capital and among all
classes the gallantry Of the SLIM and
her commander are the subject OF high
praise, but above all the moral effect
of Admirars Makaroff's Willingness to
engage the enemy, showing that he
considered himself strong enough to
fight. produced n splendid impression.
In high official circles this new effort
to bottle up the Russian fleet is looked
upon as meaning only one thing, name
ly, that the Japanese. as stated by the
Associated Press on March "a. are pre-
pairing for a heavy landing of troops in
the gulf of Liao Tung either at New
Chwang or on the west coast of the
Manchurian neutral zone. to effect
which in safety the immobility of Vice
Admiral Makaroffs fleet is absolutely
essential while the transports are be-
ing conveyed around the southern end
of the peninsula. If the attempt had
succeeded it would have required sew
eral days at least to blow up the
steamers and clear away the wreck
age, during which time the japanese
would be assured of non-interference
in the carrying out Of their purpose.
The failure of the Japanese this morn
ing may seriously hamper their plans
as the ice i'm the Lao river is going
out and when the river is free from
ice it's mouth can be easily mined.
The conviction continues to grow
mere tHttl the JalI9ileSe NAY e SohSiuu.'
that il would be inadvisable to make
Il direct frontal attack on Manchuria
from Korea against the whole Russian
army. and that it will be necessary to
land q thanking column i'm the gulf of
Liao Tung to divide the attention of
the Russians and if possible TO seize
the railroad. and cut off Port Arthur.
The ground above New Chwang is
perfectly familiar TO the Japanese. who
occupied it for year during the Chi
no-JapaneSe war.
Some experts even go so far as to
express the belief that Vice Admiral
Togo was covering the movement of
transports into the gulf of Lao Tung
this morning and that therefore he was
compelled to, exercise great caution
and to decline the Russian offer of an
engagement. Another view OF the