The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-04-16
LOST ANOTHER SHIP
PETROPAVLOVSK SAID To HAVE
BEEN SUNK.
Dispatch From Por,
Arthur Says She Came in Con
tact With a Mine--One Repor,
Says All But Four of Crew Were
LOst--MararOff Reported Can.
tured.

st. Petersburg, April 14.-The wors,
disaster that has befallen Russian arms
since the war began occurred in the
open raodstead just outside the harbor
of Port Arthur yesterday, when the
first class battleship Petropavlovsk, fiy.
ing the flag of vice Admiral Makaroff
the active commander of the naval
forces in the far East, ran onto float
ing mine and was blown up.
Her whole complement of officers
and men, numbering over 700, were
torn to pieces by the force of the ex.
plosion or drowned in the waters of the
bay when the ship turned turtle and
sank, except only four officers, includ.
ing Grand Duke Cyril, cousin of the
cazr, who was acting as aide-de-camp
on Makaroff's staff and accompanied
him on cruise from which the war.
ship was returning when she came in
contact with mine. Cyril and the
three surviving officers were severely
though not dangerously wounded, and
their escape is considered miracle.
First News of Disaster.
The first inkling of disaster came
in the form of rumor, originating in
Paris, to the effect that the Japanese
had captured Makaroff while he was
out making one of his usual sorties in
a small boat.
This rumOr was received with indif
ference in st. Petersburg and given
scarcely any credence.
In few minutes, however, rumors
came of an overwhelming disaster to
the Russian fleet, together with a re.
port of the death of Admiral Makaroff
the hero of the hour at Port Arthur
the only man who, it is believed, could
keep the japanese from storming the
city.
1t was stated that the Japanese feet
had attacked the city and that Maka-
rolf had steamed out of the inner har.'
Dor with his full fleet and engaged in
battle, during the course of which his
flagship had fallen into the hands of
the enemy.
Still the officials were incredulous.
but when semi-official dispatch was
received that the Petropavlovsk the
pride Of the Port Arthur feet had been
sunk with all on board, the consterna-
ton can hardly be conceived.
Official Report Stuns Russians.
Then came the official dispatches to
the government confirming the reports
of the disaster, and then it began to
dawn on the officials that the greatest
reverse of the war had been suffered.
The still meager reports of the catas-
trophe state that Makaroff, accompa-
MED by the Grand Duke Cyril, started
out of the harbor for cruise out at
sea in hte hope of sighting the Japan
ese fleet, which had passed Port Ar
thur in the direction of New Chwang.
The cruise proved fruitless, and the
Petropavlovsk was heading back for
the inner harbor when, without an
inkling of the awful danger, she ran
into one Of the large mines which were
sunk in the channel Immediately after
the first japanese assault on the city.
The Petropavlovsk seemed to rise
nearly out Of the water, with gaping
holes in her port side. She listed heav-
lily, then completely turned turtle and
sank beneath the waves.
The first reports stated that two 9th
er warships had been seriously dam
aged, but these reports cannot be con-
firmed.
When the cazr heard of the catastro-
phe it is stated that he nearly COL
lapsed, but at once dispatched cour-
Ter to Mime Makaroff to convey his con-
dolences to her. He then went into
conference with the general staff.
Pride of Port Arthur Fleet.
The Petropavlovsk was battleship
Of the first class, with a tonnage OF
10, $50. Her main battery consisted
of foua l2-inch guns, supplemented by
battery of twelve 6-inch guns. Her
secondary battery consisted OF 80
smaller guns. Her rated speed was
1884 knots an hour
Vice Admiral Grigorowitch, at Port
Arthur, sends the following official ac-
count of the loss of the Petropavlovsk:
1.-The Petropavlovsk struck imne at
the entrance of the harbor today. The
mine exploded and the vessel over
turned. Our squadron was near Gold
EN- mountain at the time and the JAP
anese were approaching the port. wee
Admiral Makaroff is apparently dead
Grand Duke Cyril, Captain Yakov-
left, five officers and 32 sailors escaped.
A number of bodies have already been