The San Francisco call., 1904-12-15
NAVAL COMBAT
REPORTED BY TOGO
Admiral Is in Doubt as to
the Result of the Tor
pedO Attack Upon the Rus
sian BattIeship SevastOpOl
TOXIC, Dec. 10 (nOOn)-
1t is reported that the Japa-
meSe have successfully tor
pedOed the Russian battle
ship SevastOpOl.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE THIRD
JAPANESE ARMY, Dec. 14--Every
mart Of the city and harbor Of Port Ar
thur is visible from Meter Hill. The
streets Of the city are deserted and but
few soldiers are doing patrol duty
Many buildings have been burned and
others shattered. The shelters OF the
harbor present a strange appearance,
with the turrets, masts and tunnels OF
uarships showing just above the water.
There is not a vessel afioat in the har-
Dor. The docks and buildings on the
water front are torn and burned The
japanese shells search every part OF
the city and harbor.
The tremendous price in life paid by
the japanese for the capture OF 2O5-
Meter Hill has been redeemed by the
utter destruction Of the Russian fleet
The japanese feet VIII now go into
dock
The japanese are working their ad-
vance on the shores Of Pigeon Bay on
comparatively level ground against the
TaiyankoW. Idzchan and Antzshan
forts. The approaches TO the fortiflca-
tiOns are easy, but the forts arer enor-
mOusly strong and the near approach
VIII be all the more difficult, as the
sapping Of trenches viii have 10 be
done through frozen ground.
The naval guns mounted on 203- Meter
Hill viii be able to cover the advance
Of infantry against any of the western
forts.
TOXIC. Dec 14.-Vice Admiral Togo
reports a series Of torpedo attacks on
the Russian battleship SevastopOl, be-
ginning al midnight Of Monday. The
Russians. the admiral says, vigorous
ly resisted the attacks. The results Of
the explosions Of the tOrpedOes have
not Yet been ascertained-
The report Of Vice Admiral Togo was
received last night. 1t was as fol-
lows:
Commander Kasama, commanding
the torpedo hOtilla. on Monday at
midnight attacked the Russian battle
ship Sevastopol, lying outside Port
Arthur. The result Of this attack has
not been ascertained- Subsequently
two torpedo boats under Commander
Masado attempted several attacks, fac
ing the enemy's vigorous fire The
shock Of the explosions Of torpedoes
was felt but the next day the Sevas-
top0l remained IN the same position
None Of our vessels were damaged.
"On Tuesday. at 2:30 o'clock in the
morning. another torpedo fiotilla at
tackled the Sevastopol, but the result
OF this attack was not learned. In this
attack a shell from the enemy struck
the funnel of one OF our torpedo boats
and another struck the enginc room,
disabling the vessel and she lost her
freedom OF motion and was towed
away by her comrades. There were no
casualties.
Again at s O'Clock on the morning
OF the same day a torpedo fotilla un-
der command Of Commander Sehi at
tempted an attack, but was exposed
by the enemy's searchlights, and, be-
ing subjected to a heavy fire, was un-
. able 10 accomplish it's purpose.
simultaneously Lieutenant Adachi
commanding two torpedo boats, ap-
preached the enemy's ship and dis
charged torpedoes. which were seen to
explode, but with what effect is not
known These attackers also were ex-
posed 10 a heavy fire and each was hit
once and three men were wounded"
The commander Of the naval guns
overlooking Port Arthur, reporting at
10 O'Clock on Tuesday night. says:
fTo-day's bombardment was princi-
pslIy directed against the arsenal and
torpedo storehouse at Tigers Tail pen
1nsula and the vessels anchored in that
vicinity. The storehouse was set afire
and burned in about an hour. About
six shells struck the ships and three
vessels used for various purposes were
destroyed. One took fire and sank. The