The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-10
DEMOLISHED.
Port Arthur Fleet Almost Com
pletely Wiped Out.
OlIy One Effective Battleship
Remains.
SAIYEN STRIKES A MINE
japanese Cruiser Sunk While
Doing Blockade Duty.
Japan Is Now Master of the
Eastern Sea.
SAIYEN STRIKES A MINE

! washington, Dec. 10.-The japanese
legation has received the following ca
blegram from Toxic:
Commander naval artillery reports
bombardment Friday set Bayan afire
which heeled to port 25 degrees, nearly
capsizing. Retvizan and Poltava sub
merged in high tide up to upper deck
below coming tower. PalIada and
PObieda heel considerably to port and
starboard respectively exposing hull be-
low water line and in high tide part of
upper deck washed. Peresviet sub
merges in high tide up to stern walk
at stern and torpedo tube at bow.
Giliak close to shore listing considera-
( bly, and believed resting on bottom. Sc
vastopol at dawn Friday removed from
anchorage to outer roadstead, presum-
ably for escaping shells.
Commander third squadron reports
! cruiser Sayen Q,344 tons) while engaG-
ed cooperating army and blockade near
Port Arthur fortress November 80, hit
Russian mechanical mine and sank.
Complement saved except 3S including
Captain Tajima.'
Fleet Is No More.
Toxic, Dec 1O--The Port Arthur fleet
is no more. Not since the Spanish
was wiped out of existence in a day,
has there been so complete naval dis
| aster as that which has overtaken the
Russian fleet
In four days Japanese guns mounted
on 2O3 Meter hill sank four battleshipS
and practically destroyed two great ar
mOred cruisers.
The destruction wrought by the Japa-
nese guns includes the following ships:
RetVizan-Battleship, sunk. the stern
being under water and the upper decks
nearly submerged.
PereSviet-BattleShip, sunk, the upper
decks being submerged.
Poltava-Battleship, sunk, only the
masts showing above water.
Pobieda-Battleship, submerged, to
the stern walk and listing aft
Bayan-Armored cruiser, aground and
burned to the fore deck.
Pallada-Armored cruiser, sinking
astern and beginning to list to port.
One Fighting Ship Left.
There are no effective fighting ships
left in Port Arthur harbor except the
battleship Sevastopol.
of the smaller warships remaining
in the harbor there were, at last ac-
counts the gunboats Vsadnik, Giliak,
and Bobr, the coast defense ship
Otvashni. the mine transport Amur.
and the hospital ship Angara There
are eight torpedo boat destroyerS-
viz: the Stroini, SLIM, Smelly, Serdit,
Boiki. Bezshumi, Stovoservi, and the
Ratsiastchi.
THESE vessels are all that is left of
the mighty fleet which rode in fancied
security in the roads at Port Arthur
on the evening of February last.
That fleet consisted of seven modern
battleships, two armored cruisers,
three protected cruisers, three smaller
cruisers. three gunboats four trans
ports, eleven torpedo boat destroyers,
and ten torpedo boats.
Fate of a Mighty Fleet.
Five of the battleships have been
sunk and one. the Czareyitch, is hulk
in Kiauchau bay. The armored
cruisers are sunk. One of the pro-
tected cruisers was sunk on the SAX
halien coast, one is a battered hulk at
wreck at Saigon. The smaller cruisers
have been sunk and so have the tor
pe6fo boats.
The destruction of the fleet has sim
plified Japan'S naval situation. Togo s
fleet need no longer remain on guard
to prevent the escape of the Russian
ships from Port Arthur. His big ships
will have ample time to reht and re
arm to meet ROjestVenSky' feet-if it
comes. Until it does come Japan is
master of the eastern seas.
Torpedo Boats for Russia.
New York, Dec. 10.-Nine torpedo
boats, built at Perth Amboy, N. j.,
for the Russian government, have
been completed and will leave the
wards today. They have been taken
apart end loaded on barge to be
towe,. c New York and shipped as
merchandise on a liner. The. tenth
boat will cross the ocean under its
own power.
Torpedo Boats Are Hidden.
Toxic, Dec. 10.-11 a. MT is re-
ported here that since the commence
ment of the bcmbardment of the Rus
sian fleet in Port Arthur harbor, the
Japanese military observers on 203
Meter hill have not seen anything of
the Russian fleet of torpedo boat de-
stroyerS. and it is presumed it has
taken shelter behind Laoti mountain.
The Japanese fleet lying off the en-
trance to the harbor is constantly on
the alert in anticipation of an attempt
being made by any of the Russian
warships to escape and seek refuge in
some neutral port.
Japanese Cruiser Sunk.
Toxic, Dec. 10.-The japanese
cruiser Saiyense struck mine and
sank November 80. The majority of
her crew were rescued.
Fifteen officers and IT'S men were
rescued. Captain Tajima and 50 9TH
ers went down with the ship.
The navy department announces
that the Saiyen commanded the de-
tached squadron while cooperating
with the army in bombarding Port Ar
thur November 80, struck a Russian
mine and was seen to be enveloped in
smoke. The gunboat Akagi which ,
was also engaged in shelling Port Ar
thur imme ediately ceased firing and
went to the rescue of the Saiyen. |
Finding that the latter was taking wa |
ter rapidly the Akagi anchored near
the sinking ship and cooperating with |
succeeded in rescuing Is officers and
IFS men, but Captain Tajima and SO
others went down with the ship.
The Saiyen while in command of the |
detached squadron and at the same |
time engaged in blockading Port Ar
I. -