The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-05-14
GOT OUT QUICKLY
ALExIEFF AND DUKE BORIS
PORT ARTHUR,

Special Train Which Carried Tho.
Narrowly Escaped Captur.
Large Japanese Army Landso
and Cuts Port Arthur OR h.
Land.
st. Petersburg, May Sit is adm;,
ted that at last the japanese have sno.
ceeded in gaining foothold ON tho
Taiotung peninsula and have ont ~
line of communication with Port A.
thur. Not only that, but it was ONLY
accidentally that Viceroy Alexieef
Grand Duke Boris and many of tho
higher officials of Russia in Mancbnr;a
escaped capture, or at least be;nn
penned up in the beleaguered town
News that the japanese had arrived
near Pitzewo was transmitted to por,
Arthur by Russian signal corps off,
Ger who sighted the Japanese trains.
port fleet off Pitzweo early Thursday
He notified the viceroy, and, as it was
stated the japanese army was veru
large, occupying forty transports
preparations were made at once for
quitting Port Arthur by Admiral Alex.
Jeff, Grand Duke Boris and the vice.
roy's staff, and in baggage car was
placed all of the documents of the
Manchurian administration which had
been stored at army Headquarters in
Port Arthur.
Shelled the Town.
While this was going on the Japan.
ese transports had run close to the
beach at Pitzewo and made prepare.
lions for the landing of the troops.
The cruisers which had accompanied
the fleet shelled the beach, almost all
of the shells being aimed at the small
settlement of Pitzewo. There was but
a small garrison at this place. They
had but few guns and these We're of
small caliber. Recognizing that 1t
was hopeless to attempt to oppose the
japanese, and recognizing also that an
extended stay might mean the capture
of the entire force, the Russian com.
manndant reluctantly gave the order
to retire.
Following the departure of the Rus
sian garrison a veritable panic took
place among the inhabitants of the
town, and within an hour they had
fled along the road to the northward
So precipitate was their fight that
they left behind them their poor
worldly possessions, preferring to
chance it with the Russians, whom
they knew, to remaining and trusting
to the mercy of the Japanese
The japanese landed boat after boat
each crowded to the gunwales with
men, and by nightfall force of $1,000
men had been -disem barked with their
accoutrements. This was excellent
work Oh the part Of the Japanese, as
the boats could not run close to the
beach and the men were compelled to
jump into the water up to their waists
and wade ashore. A small band of
Russian Cossacks held their position
on the hills near the abandoned town
until the Japanese began their advance,
and in this way complete report of
the operations had been placed at the
disposal Of the Russian officials
Fired on Alexief-s Train.
A detachment of engineers was
among the first to land, and they be-
gan the preparation of system OF
landing piers. A japanese flying col.
umn was hurriedly sent forward and
the Cossacks retreated before them.
When the railroad was reached the
train bearing the viceroy and bis par
ty was in sight, and the Japanese made
an attempt to capture it, but failed.
They fired several volleys after it, but
the range was too great and the shots
went wild
In the meantime another japanese
column had been sent toward the south
west, and, by marching the better part
of the night, they were enabled to Sc
cure possession of the roads leading
southwark.
The last werd received from Porl
Arthur came from the oOmmandant'
Lieutenant General Stoessel. He stat
ed that there was great confidence
among his men, and that he did NOT
believe the japanese could capture the
fortress even though they landed ah
army of 100, 900 men.