The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-01
FOUGHT UNTIL ENGULFED.
Men of the Kinshiu- MIaru-Return of
VladivostOck Fleet.
CBy the Associated Press. }

(By the Associated Press.)
Vladivostock, April 29.-The squad
ron commanded by Rear Admiral Yes
zen has returned here from it's re-
cent operations off the Korean coast.
The squadron put to sea at daybreak
April 20 and hove to off WonSan
April 25. Admiral Yeszen sent into
the bay two torpedo boats command
ed by Lieutenants Poehl and Maxi
moff. AS they ran in towards the
shore they found the Japanese trading
steamer Goyo- Maru at anchor, with
crew of about twenty men on board.
The latter We're ordered ashore. Lieu
tenant Maximoff boarded the Goyo-
Maru. took possession of her papers
and flag and then sent her to the
bottom with a torpedo. The torpedo
boats forthwith rejoined the squad
ron after four hours absence.
The Russian squadron returned to
Vladivostock and late during the night
of April 26 started on another eXpe-
dition. At six o'clock in the evening
of April 81, when 800 miles out, the
squadron sighted a Japanese steamer
with war stores on board. Her crew,
consisting of fifteen Koreans and
twelve Japanese, were placed in safe
ty and the steamer was struck by a
pyroxylin cartridge. The same night
a large Japanese transport, the Kin
shiu- Maru, was overhauled. Her com
mander mistook the Russian for a
Japanese squadron, and signalled:
Il am bringing you coal"
The Russian commander promptly
signalled in reply:
stop instantly"
The crew of the transport then rec
ognized their mistake and began to
lower boats and steam pinnaceS with
a. 4 To
escape, but the Russian steam cutters
captured them all.
On board the transport were four
Hotchkiss guns of AZ millimetres, At
the outset it looked as if no one was
left on board, but on examination ii
was found that the cabin was locked
and barred. Therein the Russians
found six infantry officers, who sur
rendered without resistance and were
taken on board the Rurik.
In another part of the ship $50 in
fantrymen. who refused to surrender,
were found.
Admiral Yeszen. whose vessel was
about 1000 yards away, ordered his
men to leave the transport. The Jap
anese soldiers then opened fire and
wounded a Russian coXsWain. After
wards the transport was sent TO the
bottom by means of a mechanical
mine and affew shells. 80
The Japanese on board did not cease
firing and made no attempt to save
themselves, although they had
launch i'm which they could have left
the transport The fire of the Japa-
ness actually continued until the
waves closed over the ship.
The transport had on board not
only ammunition, but 1000 tons of
coal for Admiral Makamura. - 81
The prisoners ImDered 1913, IN
GLIDING seventeen officers Altogether
30 prisoners were taken by the Rus
sian squadron. landed at Vladivostock
and Immediately dispatched by train
to Nikolsk.
the personal intimation addressed Of
ficially to the Emperor by King Ed
ward and King Christian of Denmark,
account of which was given by the AS
sociated Press The text of the clrcu-
lar is as follows:
1.-The foreign press has recently been
persstently circulating rumors con-
corning intentions on the part of some
of the European governments to un-
dertake a friendly intervention with a
view to a speedy termination OF the
conflict between Russia and Japan.
kilograms have even been received an
nouncing that proposals of such a ma
ture have already been made to the
llhpeIIdl SoNei1lIHeHt. Iou arc CiipO"@
cred to deny this statement most cate
forically. Russia did not wish war and
everything within the limits of posi-
| bility was done by her to solve the
complications which had arisen in the
| Far East i'm a peaceful manner; but
after the treacherous surprise on the
part of the Japanese which forced
| Russia to take up arms obviously no
| friendly mediation can have any sue
cess.
Similarly the imperial government
will not admit the intervention of any
power whatsoever in the direct nego-
tiations which will occur between Rus
| STA and Japan, after the termination
of hostile operations in order to deter
mine peace"