The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-02-20


ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 2O-There
is definite information here that Rus
giun troops to the number Of 100000
are massing in the lower Yalu river.
At the Russian base at Harbin, Man
churia, it is said that that number Of
men win have been distributed through
Manchuria within twelve days.
The soldiers are taking all the pro-
visions and foddsr Of the country, the
value Of paper money is falling and
an exodus of the demOralized pOpulaCe
has set in Thousands clamOr for
transportation to western Russia by
the Siberian railroad, which is unable
10 carry them owing to the demands
upon Il for the conveyance of troops.
1ue following account of the fight
is from Shanghai by a survivor of one
of the Russian ships held ON board the
French cruiser Pascal:
"a japanese squadron consisting of
six armored cruisers and eight tTpedo
boats arrived of Chemulpo prior TO
AAlG dtNl0AUlAOl VI " 1ls AhNlAlNl IAAns
commanding the japanese squadron,
requested the cruiser Variag and the
torpedo gunboat Korietz to put out to
sea, threatening otherwise TO attack
them at their anchorage. A protest
was made by the captains Of the
French cruiser Pascal, the British
cruiser Talbot and the Italian cruiser
Elba. The captain of the United States
gunboat Vic:zsburg alone refrained
from protesting.
"The heroism displayed by the crews
OF both the Russian warships so inn
pressed the foreigners present that
many of them wept, believing the Rus
SLAMS were going to certain destruc-
ton. AS the Variag and the Korietz
steamed past the foreign war vessels
the crews manned the sides and cheer
ed continuously, and the strains Of the
Russian national anthem accompanied
the Russian sailors as they went into
battle.
"As soon as the Russian ships ap-
preached the mouth of the harbor the
japanese poured out their fire upon
them. Every gun took part in the ter
rinc cannonade, which lasted for an
hour. AT l o'clock in the afternoon the
Variag, severely damaged, and the Ko-
rietz returned to their anchorage.
"The Russian officers and crew be-
haved splendidly. Three times flames
broke out on board the Variag while
she was under fire, and each time they
were extinguished as coolly as If the
men had been at drill. The wounded
men were carried below, and the men,
bers Of the crew who lost their lives
were replaced by others The holes
made in the Variag by the projectiles
of the enemy were not stopped up.
The Variag sustained terrible damage.
Both starboard and port bulwarks were
destroyed, her guns were crippled, and
her hull was riddled with shot Thir-
ty-three men on board Of her were kill
ed, including Midshipman Count Nj
rod. The captain of the Variag was
bruised. The Korietz suffered no in
jury.
1he Supahese Squhuron lOst many
men. Two japanese cruisers were Sc
verely damaged, and one torpedo boat
was sunk.
"For four hours we remained in the
harbor expecting the japanese to en-
ter and renew the attack. The inju-
ries of the Variag made it impossible
for her to fight any longer, and in or
der to prevent the japanese from get
ting the vessels as spoils of war both
the Variag and the Korietz were sunk,
and the tender Sungari was burned.
"All the Russian survivors Of the en-
gagement were taken on board by the
foreign warships present excepting the
Yicksburg The Japanese admiral de-