The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-12
Sink One OF the Enemy's Torpedo
Boats, but Lose a Torpedo
Boat Destroyer.
PRAISE FOR MAKAROFF
Attempts to Save His Destroyer,
but Is Forced to Steam Back
Into Port.
TWO OFFICIAL REPORTS
Clash OF the Torpedo Flotillas Due
to an Accident During
the Night.

ST. PETERSBURG, March u.-There was
a clash yesterday between the Russian and
Japanese torpedo 1otilas at Port Arthur.
one japanese torpedo boat was sunk and
one Russian torpedo boat destroyer the
Stereguschtchi. fOundered. The crew of the
latter either perished or was taken on board
the japanese ships. Admiral Makaroff made
a sortie and attempted TO rescue the de-
strOyer. but was forced to retire into the
harboT. The channel is now clear. As
soon as he arrived at Port Arthur he or
dered the removal of the battleship Retvi-
zan. which stranded at the mouth of
the harbOr and barred the channel at
certain stages of the tide. making the
egress of the battleships impossible This
morning he directed a sOrtie of the torpedo
boat fotilla supported by part of the Rus
a, sian squadron against the Japanese squad
ron The details are not yet known except
that the encounter resulted in the loss of
one Japanese torpedo boat and one Russian
torpedo boat destroyer.
Late tonight Nceroy Alexieff sent the
following message 70 the Emperor: In the
fight between our torpedo boats and the
Japanese cruisers March 10 Captain Mat
teusseviteh. Ensign AIexandroff and Me
chanical Engineer BlinOf received slight
wounds and Ensign Zaeff was severely
wounded in the head. losing his right eye.
The cOmmandant al Port Arthur reports
the following details of the bombardment
of the fortress there on March 10: As soon
as the enemy opened fire our batteries re-
piled Six of the enemy's ships remained
behind the Lao Tichin promontory and
opened fire on the fortress over that shell
ter. They ceased bOmbarding at 1:15 p. m.
The enemy fired about 200 projectiles. One
shell from battery No. II. Electric cliff.
damaged a japanese cruiser seriously. The
results of the bombardment were insgnifi-
cant; six soldiers were wounded. Three in
habitants Of the town were killed and one
was seriously wounded. According TO Gen
eral Stoessels's report the officers and sol
diers in the shore batteries displayed exem-
plary courage and fired their guns in per-
feet order"
A special dispatch received here from
Port Arthur says: Port Arthur was in
vested by sea on this day March 10, and
the day must undoubtedly be regarded as
memorable. The japanese displayed an
especially noteworthy determination in
keeping up the bombardment of our forts
from TO a m. until l y. m. The town
suffered very little damage. The enemy's
ships in great force formed into three
divisions. among which were distributed
nine armored ships. Each division was ac-
COmpanied by a hotilla OF torpedo beats.
Ions intervals elapsed between the firing
by the Russian batteries. which indica ted
that the guns were discharged only when
there was reasonable certainty that the
shells would reach the targets. The Rus
slams did not fire one-tenth many shells
as did the Japanese. There was no panic
or excitement among the civilians of Port
Arthur and the troops kept cool.