The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-03-29
TORPEDO BOAT BLOWS UP THE
JAP FlREsHiP AND FRUs-
TRATEs THE PLAN.
BOTH SIDES SUFFER LOSSES
ONE RUSSIAN BOAT SUNK AND
TWO JAPANESE VESSELS PUT
OUT OF ACTION.

emperor says that at / o'clock Sunday
morning the Russian searchlights dis
closed four large merchant steamers
making for the entrance to the har.
Dor, supported by six torpedo boats.
A heavy fire was opened on them by
The batteries and some warships.
The torpedo boat Stilni, command.
Cd by Lieutenant Krinizki, turned the
merchant vessels from their course
by blowing up the PROV of the first
and then boldly attacked the enemy's
torpedo boats. In the fierce fight
which followed, Chief Engineer Swyer-
killed and the commander and twelve
men were injured.
The Japanese plan to block up the
entrance to Fort Arthur was frustrat-
ed. however, and the channel is still
clear.
Vice Admiral Makaroff, commanding
the Russian naval forces at Port Ar
thur, has sent the following telegram
10 the emperor, dated March 81:
Il II beg most humbly to report that
ut 2 o'clock this morning the enemy
made aAsecqnd attempt to block the
entrance to the inner roadstead. For
this purpose they dispatched four
large merchant steamers, conveyed by
six torpedo boats, to the entrance.
"The enemy's ships were promptly
discovered by the s~earchlights and
were bombarded by the batteries and
by the guardships Bohr and Otvajny.
Attacked the Japanese Boats.
Fearing the enemy's ships might
break through, Lieutenant Krinizki,
commanding the guard torpedo boat
Stilni, attacked the enemy and de-
stroyed the bow of the foremost
Japanese steamer with a torpedo. This
steamer turned TO the right and was
followed by two others with the result
that the three were stranded to the
right of the entrance. A fourth
steamer went to the right Of the
enemy's ships and likewise sank to
the side of the fair way. The Stilni
then battled with the enemy's six tor
pedo boats. Engineer Artificer Swyer-
eff and six seamen YER killed and the
commander and twelve seamen were
wounded.
"At davbreak the enemy's battle
ship and cruiser squadron appeared
and l proceeded with the fleet under
my charge to meet the enemy.
1.-THE second attempt of the Japa-
nese to block the entrance to Port Ar
thur has failed, thanks to the ener-
getic defense by the sea and land
forces who acted as they did during
the first attempt. The harbor re-
mains perfectly clear"
A further telegram to the emperor
from Vice Admiral Makaroff says:
81 respectfully report that the
enemy having withdrawn, I returned
to the harbor with the fleet.
1.-THE torpedo boat destroyer Stilni,
which stranded in consequence of dam
age caused to her engines by one OF
the enemy's shells, was floated during
the course of the night and entered
the harbor, thanks to the energy of her
crew. Her commander, Lieutenant
Krinizki, who was slightly wounded in
the arm, did not quit his boat.
Carried Internal Machines.
ION the freships we're internal ma
chimes, the wires connected with
which were cut by Lieutenant Ked-
rolf and Ensign Pilsoudsky, Of the If
regulars, whom I dispatched on this
task. They boarded n of the steam
ers as soon as 1t stopped, cut the cleo
trio wire and extinguished the fire,
which would have lit up the entrance
of the harbor to the enemy in the road.
stead.
I'm the morning a floating mine was
found bearing an Internal machine,
but the latter was successfully re
moved.
sSVNH :. s-~n@ok;or ~~onl~ chouyn1 %ho{
the steamers utilized as fireships were
not old. They were each of about
1000 tons and they were armed with
light calibre guns"
According to unofficial reports, it is
believed the Japanese lost two torpe-
do boats, and saved only one boats
crew from the fireships.
The following official dispatch has
been received from General Smirnoff,
at Port Arthur, dated March ~:
Last night after moonrise, the
Japanese attempted to block the en-
trance to the harbor. Four f1reships
were SEM toward the port conveyed
by a torpedo fotilla. Toward 2:15 a.
h., the approach Of the enemy's ships
was perceived by the guardships and
batteries, which simultaneously open
ed upon them heavily.
Opened Fire on the Forts.
"The fireships were preceded by tor
nedo boats and followed at q consid'
cradle distance by larger ships, which
opened fire on the forts, supporting
the action Of the freships and torpedo
boats.
Owing to the heaviness OF U ar
tillery fre and the bOldness OF our to-,
pedo boats, the fireships did not
reach the entrance to the harbor. two
IL them grounded on q reef undel
Qclden Hi. anot.er sank behind thu