The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-05-05


panese navy was slightly superior to
the Russian navy in eastern wateis.
The name of each ship in both ma
vies and the number of torpedo boats
and torpedo boat destrOyers were
known as we'll as the number and
calibre of the guns and thickness Of
armor. Since the beginning Of the
war the following Russian warshlps
are known to have been sunk or dis
abled:
Petropavlovsk, first class battleship,
sunk on April IL with nearly all on
board.
Varaig, armored cruiser, sunk by
Japanese fleet at Chemulpo on Feb. ..
Korietz, gunboat, sunk by Japanese
feet at Chemulpo on Feb. 8.
Czarevitch, battleship, t0rpedoed at
Port Arthur on Feb. 8; not yet SER
viceable.
Retvizan, battleship, torpedoed at
Port Arthur on Feb 8; not yet re-
paired.
Pallada, cruiser, torpedoed at Port
Arthur on Feb. 8; not yet in service.
Pobieda, battleship, damaged at
Port Arthur on April 10; not yet re-
paired.
Bayarin, cruiser, sunk or damaged
near Port Arthur IN February.
Yenesei, cruiser sunk by one of its
own torpedoes.
Bezstrashni, torpedo boat destroyer
sunk by Japanese feet on April 49,.
The Japanese have lost two tor
pedO boats. What other damage has
1rn1 Lev - LII T. -
known, but none of them have been
disabled or sunk. AS to naval fight
ing, the advantage has all been On
the side of the japanese.
During last week there was much
activity on both land and sea. The !.
Japanese captured several CONNER
cial steamers. They were taken to
Toxic, where the admiralty court re-
leased them, the government deciar-
ing that it would abide by the rules
of war proclaimed at The Hague, and
that ships not carrying contraband Ut
war were free. The Russian fleet at
Vladivostok sailed forth and sunk a
Japanese steamer in port and after
wards troop ship. The most of tle
japanese soldiers on the ship refuse
to surrender and went down firing
their rifles until the waves closed
over them. The number that went
down has been stated at 200 and again
as low as Is. Some of the officers
and soldiers were made prisoners and
taken aboard the Russian warship.
The Japanese had a squadron
watching the entrance of Vladivostok,
but the Russian commander by the
aid Of heavy fog was able to escape
the Japanese admiral and sailed cut
and back again in safety.
Admiral Togo made another inef-
fectual effort to block the entrance TO
Port Arthur. He sent in six fire ships
but the Russian batteries sank them
all before they could reach the proper
POSITION Many japanese must havel
lost their lives in this attempt.
Real fighting began on land for
the first time during the week. 1t had
been announced that the Russians
would not make any serious stand on
the banks of the Yalu and would |
simply harrass and impede the adj
vance of the japanese into Manchuria
But the reports show that the Rus
slams have been defeated and suffered |
very heavy losses. If they intended |
to fall back without serious fighting
the Japanese outgeneraled them. |
Skirmishing went on for five days and !
then on Sunday the Japanese sud-
denly threw their whole Korean army |
across the river. turned the left flank
of the Russians, captured q guns, |
much ammunition and many rifles. |
The Russians hurriedly retreatej in |
much disorder, according to the To-
kio reports.
The first reports we're to the effect /
that the Russians lost 500 men and
the Japanese 700, but the later re-
ports put the Russian loss at over
1000. The dispatches say that the
Japanese captured Antung. which, ac-
cording to the maps. Is 125 miles west
of the mouth OF the Yalu and the port
was declared an open port and Sec
Rotary Hay has ordered an American
consul there. The latest dispatches
say that New Chwang has also been
captured II that Is true. and Il seems
to be. for other dispatches say that
with Port Arthur was
interrupted, the japanese have gained