The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-14
IN CONFLICT.
Japanese Report That Port
Arthur Has Fallen.
The Russians Say There Is No
Truth in Story.
TOGO FILES A REPORT
TOGO FILES A REPORT.
Japanese Admiral Tells the
Story Officially
OF His Fourth Attack Upon Port
Arthur.

nese here report that Port Arthur has
been captured.
st. Petersburg, March 14.-Noon-
There is no truth in the rumors that
the Russians have abandoned Port Ar
thur. Admiral Abaza. secretary of the
commission on far eastern affairs,
authorizes the Associated Press to deny
the story. He says the situation at
Port Arthur is unchanged and that
nothing of the importance has occurred
there in the past "a hours.
FOURTH ATTACK ON PORT
ARTHUR.
Toxic, March 4.-Admiral Togo's re-
port of the fourth attack on Port Ar
thur by the Japanese fleet on March 10
reached Toxic last Saturday afternoon.
1t is as follows:
Our suadron, as prearranged, at
tackled the enemy at Port Arthur on
March TO- Our two torpedo fiotillas
reached the mouth of the harbor at
Port Arthur at 1 o'clock on the morn
ing of the 10th. Finding no enemy and
waiting till dawn, one fiotilla engaged
in sinking special mines in the en-
trance of the harbor. Notwithstanding
the enenlyS fire, our flotilla succeeded
in sinking the mines. The other fiotiIla
met the enemys torpedo fioti1la, con-
sisting of six boats, in the Lao Phie
Shan channel, south of Port Arthur, at
4:30 o'clock. A hot engagement oc-
Cured at close range for 80 minutes.
The enemy then took flight.
Our fire greatly damaged the Rus
sian ships, one of which was badly
crippled by a shot through the boilers,
and another was observed to be on fire.
So close were the two flotillas to each
other that our destroyers, the Asashio,
Kasumi and Akatsuki, nearly touched
the enemy's ships and our could
even hear the cries of agony of the in
jured men on them. We sustained
some damage and loss. The Akatsuki
had steam pipe broken and four stolk-
ers were killed thereby. Our loss was
seven killed and eight wounded. Among
the latter is Chief Engineer Minanaisa-
wa, of the KaSuIni.
Our other flotilla, while leaving the
l1arbor entrance, observed two Russian
torpedo boats coming from seaward
and Immediately engaged them, the
battle lasting one hour. After causing
them severe damage one of them
effected its escape, but our destroyer
the Sasanami captured the other boat,
which proved to be the Stereguschtchi.
Notwithstanding the land batteries
pouring d heavy fire on our f1etilla the
captured vessel was taken in tow.
Owing to the high sea the tow line soon
parted and the Sasanami found it nee
cSSdIy 10 ldhG the crew from the ISuS-
sian boat and abandon the Steregus-
chtchi, which finally sank at 1920
o'clock.
THE enemy's cruisers, the Novik and
the Bayan, steamed out of the entrance
of the harbor toward us. but observing
the approach of our cruiser squadron,
retired to the harbor. Our fiotilla suf-
fered some damage, but net heavy. The
Sasdnami and the Akatsuki had two
sailors killed and Sub-Lieutenant
Nl-s
ors were wounded.
Our main cruiser squadron arrived
off Port Arthur at o'clock and the
cruisers Immediately advanced toward
the harbor entrance to protect the tor
pedo flotilla The main squadron ad-
vanced near Lao PHO Shan and opened
an indirect cannonade against the inner
harbor from 10 o'clock to lao. Accord
ing to the observations made by one of
our cruisers firing at the entrance the
bombardment was remarkably effec-
tive. During our cannonade the enc
my's land batteries fired, but none of
our ships suffered any damage. An
other cruiser squadron went to Talien
Wan and bombarded the enemys fort
ress on Samshar Tao, damaging the
buildings thereon
THE cruisers Takasago and Chihaya
reeonnoitered the west coast of the
Port Arthur Peninsula, but did not find
the enemy. The Russian torpedo boat
on Port Arthur was found to be the
Wnuschiterinuy, which had been COM
pletely sunk, the mast only being visi-
BILE above the water.
Our squadron stopped fighting at 2
o'clock and returned to the rendezvous" !"
SPIRIT OF THE SPARTANS.
New York, March IA Japanese
woman at Takasaki, on learning thar
her only son had been exempted from
active service on the ground that she
h nicr % inc l11=
committed suicide, says a World dis
patch from Toxic. In letter she sta
ted that she was about to kill herself
in order that her son might be free to
fight for his fatherland. Then she
plunged a dagger into her heart With
drawing the weapon, she handed it to
her son who Immediately volunteered
for active service.
STATEMENT FROM TOGO.
Toxic, Monday. March IA supple
mentary report from Vice Admiral
Togo, concerning the effort made by
the crews of the Japanese torpedo boat
destroyers. in action off Port Arthur on
the 10th instant, to rescue the crews
of the disabled Russian torpedo boat
destroyers, reached here today. Captain
Shojiro Asai. commanding the f1otiHa
of torpedo boat destroyers. states that
the japanese would have been able 10
rescue many more of the enemy but for
the deadly fire OF the shore batteries
and the close approach of the Russian
cruiser Novik- The four men save3
were not part of the regular crew CT
the Steguschticki as originally report
ed.
When the Japanese rescuers reached
the Steguschtfchi only the dead re-
Tlained or board and it is believed that
the living mambers of the crew jump
ed overheard and perished in the sea.
Three of the rescued Russians are en-
gfneers and the fourth is torpedo op-
orator. Two cf the captives were
slightly wounded. They were all placed
on board of a, Japanese i3attIeship AMI
were given food and medicine.