The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-16
CAN'T KEEP JAPS
OFF MUCH LONGER
Port Arthur's Power Of Resistance
Is Believed to Be Elk
hausted.
ONLY A CRISIS WOULD
WARRANT SHIPS LOSS
Gear Receives stoessel's Els
n patches Wild Rumors Ahoat
in Russian Capital.

Chi-fu, Nov. 16.-The Russians have
blown up the torpedo boat destroyer
Rastoropny, which put into this harbor
this morning with dispatches from Gen
patches are said to ask for Instructions
as to whether he should continue to hold
out awaiting relief, or make inlmediate
arrangements with the Japanese for SUR
render upon the most advantageo
terms possible.
stroyer 5 object was ismply to carry dis
patches. The other Russian ships re-.
NAMED at Port Arthur. The Rastorop-
ny, being one Of the fastest Of the Rus
sian vessel, soon distanced her pursuers
and entered Chi-fu at $3.50 am, and
anchored few hundred yards abaft the
ship Of Rear Admiral Folger, command
er of the cruiser squadron Of the At
lantic fleet. - s
The Chinese cruiser Hai-Yung raised
steam within twenty minutes and came
Ching, of the Hai-Yung, boarder her
and held a brief conference with Com
mander Pelem. Ensign wainwright.
Rear Admiral Folger s aide, also board
ed the Rastoropny, but he and Captain
Ching were not invited to enter the
| RastOropny g cabin, altho blizzard was
cutting their faces.
Captain Ching notified Commander.
| Pelem that twentyfour hours was the
limit Of the time he could remain armed
at Chi-fu, after which the RastoropnY
would be compelled to disarm.
| While this ultimatum was being de-
! livered, the Russian sailors, who seemed
/ to be healthy and care-free, continued
greasing the torpedo tubes, which We're
loaded.
! The Russian officers are all reticent,
but they say the condition Of Port Ar
I
ago. They also deny the report that
the Russian armored cruiser Bayan had
sunk, tho they admit that a shell dam
aged her engines, which are being re-
paired. The overdrawn optimism Of
4 the officers, it was asserted ashore,
made it obvious that their story was re-
q hearsed before twas given to the pub
!. s1f When the correspondents were al
4 lowed on board the Rastoropnq, a guar
4 ter Of beef was carefully placed where
it y, was impossible to miss seeing it.
been wounded is confirmed.
The, Russians, except. one man, left
the destroyer in the afternoon. This
last man lit fuses and blew up the YES
sell. There were three dull explosions,
which were scarcely discernible. hun
eously the Rostoropny sank and settled
on the bottom. A battleship spar
marks her grave.
| It is impossible tonight to secure an
; explanation Of the action Of the Rus
} slams, but it is believed that they were
determined not to allow a repetition Of
: the Ryeshitelni incident.
Prior TO- the destruction of the de.
stroyer the tac-tai had officially noti.
, fed the Japanese consul that her dis.
armament had been completed, the
breechblocks and ammunition having
:. been removed and the machinery dis
abled.
In the afternoon the Russian consul
3 officially notified the tao-tai that the de
stroyer had been driven towards Chi.fu
" by heavy sea, and that it had been
decided to disarm her. because her ma
! chinery had been disabled. This il
: looked on in some quarters here as the
throwing of a transparent veil over the
purpose Of the vessel s visit.