The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-19
NEARING PORT ARTHUR
Japanese Lines Now Less Than
40 Miles Away.

Toxic, May 1880 p. m.-vice
Admiral Togo has reported as fol-
lows.
"a report from Rear Admiral Dewa
says that the cruisers Kasuga and
Yoshino collided during fog off Port
Arthur on May Is. The Yoshino sank,
only ninety of her crew being saved.
con the same day the battleship
p Hatsuze struck a Russian mine and
sank"
In giving details of the disaster.
Vice Admiral Togo says:
'At IA minutes past one in the
afternoon of May IS, in a deep fog
OFF Port Arthur, the Kasuga rammed
the Yoshino, sinking the latter in a
few minutes Ninety of her crew
We're saved.
The same morning the Hatsuze
while cruising off Port Arthur cover
ing the landing of the soldiers, struck
a mine 10 knots southeast of the har-
Dor entrance. She signalled for help.
and instantly struck another mine.
She sank in half an hour. Three hun
dred of her crew were saved by tor
pedo boats"
The crusier Kasuga, mentioned in
the above dispatch, was purchased by
Japanese from Argentina before the
outbreak of hostilities with Russia.
The crusier Yoshino was a steel
vessel of Also tons displacement; she
was $50 feet long, 66 feet wide and
had a draught of IT feet. Her indi-
Gated horse power was Is, 900 and her
speed was % knots. She was built in
1892. She carried four six inch guns,
eight Al guns and twenty-three three
Founders. She had five torpedo tubes
and complement of 800 men.
The Hatsuze was a steel battleship
of $4,000 tons displacement She was
400 feet long, 76 feet wide and had a
draught of % feet. Her indicated
horse power was 16,300; she was built
in 1888 and her speed was 9 knots
She was armed with four 12-fnch and
fourteen 6-incch guns as we'll as thirty
two guns of smaller caliber. She had
four torpedo tubes and a complement
The Russian Version.
Chefoo, May 19.-3 D. rn.-PeopIe
just arrived here from Dalny have
reported to the Russian consul that
the japanese battleship Shikishima
sank in two minutes after contact
with the submarine mine and that
there was no time to save the crew.
The accident happened, it is said
within sight of Port Arthur.
The battleship Fuji, which struck
the mine on the port bow. had a.
heavy list and was also down by the
DOW, but was righted and went off in
tow of the other cruisers 1t is
thought impossible, however. that
she could reach port. The rumor at
Dalny to the effect that the Asama
had sunk in Kerr bay probably refers
70 the sinking of the steel cruiser
Miyaka, which took place there re
Gently by coming in contact with a
submarine mine.
The Russian consul personally had
q telegram from Dalny saying that it
is rumOred there that two Japanese
battleships had been sunk off Port
Arthur
Refugees coming in say that the
town received no damage from the
bombardment and that considerable
land lighting is going on to the north
of Dainy.
A party of IS Russians arriving from
Danny this morning by junk are auth
orlty Tor the statement that during a
bomb2rdment of Port Arthur by the
japanese Monday afternoon the Japa-
nese battleship Shikishima and the
cruiser Asama struck mines and sank
ne russians say that the Shikishima
sank two minutes after running on the
mine and that the Asama was being
lowed away by a vessel of the bonn
DaIdlng fleet when she also went down
ne 13 Russians seem to have OBJ
tanned their Information from the com
1landln8 officer at Dalny who showed
tnenl' they assert, telegram from Port
Arthur that the bombardment com
menced at 1 o'clock Monday afternoon
ana lhat two hours later the Shikishi-
ma struck the mine and was soon at
the bottom. During the confusion that
followed, according to the story told
the Asama also struck on a mine and
was taken in tow, but was settling so
fast that it was found necessary to
abandon her.
A number of Russian torpedo boats
then went out but the Japanese receiv-
ed reinforcements and the Russians re-
tired.
Todays arrivals say that the en-
trance to Port Arthur was blocked but
one of the sunken steamers was re-
moved and the entrance is now omen
but is still dangerous and the Russian
fleet has been ordered to remain in the
harbOr until the arrival of Admiral
Skrydloff, who will take command
Communication north of Dalny has
been completely severed.
The Shikishima is frst-class battle
ship of 1850 tons displacement She is
400 feet in length, rs feet beam and has
horse power of Ia. 500. Her armOr belt
is nine and four tenths inches thick
and her turret armor is II and six
tenths inches thick. Her deck armor
is of three and five-tenths inches. She
carries four 12-inch guns, IA six-inch
guns and 20 quick frers She had five
torpedo tubes. Her speed is reckoned
at Is and hve-tenths knots and she car