The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-03-25
PORT ARTHUR IS
AGAIN ATTACKED
AsRepeated Bombardment Of
the Russian Stronghold
by Japanese.
NOT MUCH DAMAGE DONE
Reported Five Soldiers Were Killed
and Nine Injured During Con-
fict-Attacking Ships Return
After Bombardment.

London, March PA dispatch ia
Petersburg says:
torpedoboats appeared off
Fort Arthur at midnight of the night OF
March 21-22. and the shore batteries
and guardships shelled them for twenty
minutes.
The Japanese re:reated, but reap
peared four hours later, when they met
with the same reception, when they re-
tired again.
At 6 a. m. a Japanese squadron Of two
divisions, composed of four n eleven
ships and accompanied by eight tor
~pedoboats, appeared and the Russian
squadron sailed out from the outer
roadstead to meet them
No further details regarding the ac-
zion are o~Dtainable.
At 9 a. m. the japanese battleships,
having fired several shots at Lao
Tlshin and sheltered behind the
promontory, commenced a lombard
ment OF Port Arthur.
Russians Were Watchful.
st. Petersburg, March 24.-Another
attack by the japanese fleet on Port
eilul, USSlIIlllIS Win operations Dy
torpedo boats and ending with a bonn
bardment by battleships and cruisers,
took place after midnight Monday.
The dispatches to the emperor from
V1ceroy Alexieff and private Informal
tor show that the Russians sustained
no great damage, having only five SOL
oilers killed and ten wounded.
Vice Admiral Makaroff claims hat
one Of the Japanese vessels was struck
by a shell.
The emperor received the first mes
sage regarding the attack late Tues
day afternoon, but nothing was allowed
to reach the public until 10 o'clock.
All information which has reached
st. Petersburg shows tina the defend
ers Of Port Arthur had taken serious
~ to heart he coup of the japanese
torpedo boats at the beginning Of the
war, and were now maintaining a sharp
lookout.
Enemy Easily Seen.
n Japanese tOrpedOboats We're
twice discovered sneaking towards the
harbor entrance under cover OF dark
ness, but both times they were de-
tected far out at sea, n We're driven
Off by the hot fire opened upon them.
The breaking Of day necessarily pre-
vented further t~orpedoboat operations,
but Admiral Togo brought up his Dat
tleSh1ps and cruisers. The division of
S'C AiSSL was Liz Pun pbSC OIL making
a cross fire upon the harbor in the hope
OF destroying the town and Of damaging
the Russian ships lying in the basin, or
at least of uemoraliZing the personnel
of the defending force.
The bombardmcnt of March 9 show
ed to the Russians the advantage to
the enemy of the position off Liza
Tish1n, which Vice Admiral Togo's
ships took up this morning. and Vice
Admiral Makaroff sought TO minimize
this advantage by SO stationing the
battleship Retvizan that her Shells
could reach the japanese battleships.
Retvizan in Fight.
The fact that the Rctvizan was used
Tor this proves the falsity of the report
that her guns had been removed and in
stalled as a battery at Pigeon bay, and
that 1t has given rise TO the impression
that there is a lack of great guns at Port
Arthur, as otherwise the battery would
have been erected to protect the town at
the only point which Vice Admiral Togo
seems to regard as vulnerable from the
sea.
When the first official dispatches were
received the belief gained ground that
Vice Admiral Makaroff had put to sea,
and that a naval fight had taken place.
While this would be in keeping with his
character as an intrepid officer, which is
further indicated by his use of a cruiser
as his flagship, it was not in accord witl
the plans of the Russian authorities.
Later advices established the fact thu
the admiral had simply gone with the u.
damaged portion of his fleet to the quito
roadstead, where he could more effecti">-
1y support the batteries and = the same
time take advantage of rs weakness
which Nigh develop IL the enemy's at
tack.