Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-03-12
lESTROYERS SUNK.
Russian Torpedo Boats Make Sortie From Port Arthur.
EACH NATION HAS BOAT DESTROYED

Makaron Cleared Channel of Disa-
 bIed Retvizan, Hotsted His Flag
 and salIied Forth to Engage
 the Japanese Fleet.
 LONDON, March 12.--An official st. Petersburg cable says Viceroy Alex. eieff has sent the following message to the emperor:
 '"The Russian torpedo boat notilla left Port Arthur at broad daylight Fri day morning and attacked the Japa- nese fleet.
 'One Japanese torpedo boat was sunk and one Russian torpedo boat de stroyer, the Bezposhtchadni, was sunk.
 Admiral Makarom has inaugurated his assumption of the command of the Russian fleet at Port Arthurfby a com plete change of tactics. As soon as he arrived he ordered the removal of the battleship Retvizan, which was strand ed at the mouth of the harbor and barred the channel at certaig stages of the tide, making the egress of bat tleships impossible.
 Admiral Makaroff, commanding the Russian fleet, reporting yesterdays action at Port Arthur, says:
 "Six torpedo boats which went out to sea the night of March 10 four of them being under the general com- mand of Captain Mattoussevitoh, en- countered the enemy's torpedo boats, followed by cruisers.
 "A hot action ensued, in which the torpedo boat destroyer Vlastini dis charged Whitehead torpedo and sunk one of the enemys torpedo boats.
 "On the way back the torpedo boat destroyer Stereguschtchi, commanded by Lieutenant Sergueieff, sustained damages. Her engine was disabled, and she began to founder. By o'clock in the morning five of our torpedo boat destroyers had returned. When the critical position of the Stereguschtchi became evident I hoisted my flag on the cruiser Novik and went with the Novik and the cruiser Boyarin to the rescue But as five of the enemy's cruisers surrounded our destroyer and as their battleship squadron was ap- preaching I did not succeed in saving the Stereguschtchi, which foundered. Part of the crew was made prisoner and part was drowned.
 "On the ships which participated in the night attack one officer was seri- ously and three others were slightly wounded, two soldiers were killed, and eighteen were wounded.
 At 9 o'clock fourteen of the enemy's ships assembled before Port Arthur, and a bombardment was begun with the heavy guns of their battleship squadron at long range.
 "This lasted until 1 o'clock in the afternoon. It is estimated that the enemy fired 154 twelve inch shells. The damage to our vessels was in- significant, and they are again ready for battle. Our losses were one officer slightly wounded and one soldier kill ed and four soldiers wounded.
 "The illumination of the sea at night by the searchlights mounted at our batteries was most satisfactory, and several times isolated shots from our batteries forced the enemy's torpedo boats to retire.
 with the commencement of the bombardment at dawn the guns of the fortress replied to the enemy's fire.
 '"The crews of all the ships engaged gave proof of remarkable coolness in action. Below decks the work of the day followed it's ordinary course in spite of the shells falling between the vessels and covering them with frag- ments.
 "A bombardment at such distance must be considered ineffective, but the Japanese cruiser Takasago is reported to have been seen to suffer serious damage, the extent of which, how ever it was impossible to ascertain at a distance of five miles. Many shells were fired at a range of seven and q half miles,"
 A report from Nagasaki says Russian tars to the number of forty went down with the destroyer Stereguschtchi The remainder of the crew were rescued by the Japanese and are now prisoners of war.
 General Kuropatl1in, who left St. Pc tersburg today for the far east to take command of the military forces there, had a long farewell interview with the emperor. He also paid parting visits to the empress and the grand dukes. ~ About 5000 men are going forward over the Siberian railroad every day, and by the middle of April all the troops necessary to put into effect the plans of the government will be in east Asia The land railroad around Lake Baikal is expected to be com- pleted by the middle of April, and thereafter the transportation of sup plies and munitions of war will not, it is believed, give any further trouble. Russia Proposes to Close KfnI<Ow.