The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-03-23
Russian Vessels Steam Out ir
The ROadstead TO Meet
the Enemy
FIVE SOLDIERS KILLED
DURING COMMANDMENT
Report Comes From Toxic That Japan
ese Have Succeeded In Blockad-
ing the Entrance to the
5esieaed City.

st. Petersburg. March 2S.-The emperor
has received the following from Viceroy
Alexieff.
Lieutenant General Stoessel reports
that at midnight of March q. Japanese
torpedo boats were discovered by our
search lights Our guardships and fort
batteries opened fire on the enemy. the
firing lasting for twenty minutes. At
o'clock in the morning the attack was re-
newed. At o'clock in the morning four
of the enemys ships appeared from the
south, followed by the whole squadron Of
eleven ships and eight torpedo boats. oar
squadron left the roadstead to meet the
enemy.
AT o'clock the enemy opened fila
on Lao Tishln. after which they TOOK
up position behind the rocky eminence
of Lao Tishin and bombarded Port Ar
thur"
viceroy Alexieff adds that he is waiting
for details.
A later dispatch from the viceroy to
the emperor says
According to a supplementary report
from Lieutenant General Stoessel the on.
emy's fleet consisted of six DattleshiIs
and twelve cruisers About o'clock In
| the morning the fleet divided, the battle.
! ships and torpedo boats taking up a po
sition between Liao Tshin and Golubinais
| bay pigeon bay), while the cruiser
| formed up In two divisions to the south
and southeast of Port Arthur.
Retvizan Opens Fire.
| At 92O the battleship Retvzan opened
| fire over the crest OF Lao Tishin against
| the enemy's battleships, which replied
| by firing on the town Meanwhile our fleet
| formed up In line In the outer roadsteaa
al =, oc.oek IL lhe morning the can
nofsade sistc xaned and the Japanese fleet
reuniting. drew off slowly to the south
| east, and at 1870 had disappeared.
| During the bombardment five soldiers
L--yere Killed and nine wounded. One soldier
II shore was bruised
Another telegram from Viceroy Alexief
| to the emperor gives Vice Admiral Maka-
| roffs report follows:
AT midnight of March 81 two of the
| enemys torpedo boats approached the
| cutter roadstead but were discovered by
| the searchights of the batteries and fired
upon by the forts and by the gunboats
Bobr and otvazuy. They were obliged to
| retire.
"A second attack was made at o'clock
| in the morning by three torpedo boats,
| which also were repulsed.
Approach From All Sides.
AT daybreak three detachments of this
| enemy's fleet, consisting of six battle
| ships, six armored cruisers, six second
| and third class cruisers and eight torpe-
do boats, approached from all sides. At
| o'clock our squadron commenced to
| leave the inner harbor the cruisers lead
| ing with the Askold flying my flag at
| their head and the battleships following.
| THE enemy's battleships approached
| Lao Tishin and fired one hundred shells
| from their Finch guns at Port Arthur
| and 108 shells at the environs Of the town.
| Our shells fired at a range of eighty ca
bles, were well placed. About 10 O'CLOCK
| a Japanese battleship was struck by
/ shell and retired.
| 1--WE lost no men during the lombard.
| ment, which ceased at II O'Clock, wher
| the enemy's ships reasembled ard after
| proceeding along the outer roadstead
| drew off without attacking our feet"