The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-04-06
PEOPLE OF PORT ARTHUR
ARE ACCUSTOMED TO WAR
They Are Growing Imf att en-, However,
Because the Enemy Has Been
for So Long lnvisl-
BILE.

st. Petersburg, April "a correspond
ent of the Associated Press at Port Ar
thur, who returned to the fort yesterday
from an inspection trip through southern
Manchuria, telegraphs that that country
is strikingly full of an unusual and active
life; that the troops are vigorous and
healthy, and animated by desire for
active operations, and that the entire ma
tive population, including that of the COM
mercial world, is friendly to Russia and
full of faith in the Russian arms. The
correspondent says:
Russian money, which was shaky at
the beginning of the war, is again firm.
1.-THE natives provide provisions freely
and are selling horses brought from the
surrounding country. The mandarins are
an exception to this general rule, as they
are cautious and are trying to carry wa.
ter on both shoulders. AS their conduct
is passive, it does the Russians no harm.
THE railroad holds out splendidly and
works regularly. The weather is warm
and the rivers are opening. In Port Ar
thur all is quiet, and the inhabitants have
become accustomed to a state of war,
though some of them are impatient that
the enemy has been for so long a time
invisible"
Details of Bombardment.
In a second telegram the correspondent
gives picturesque details of the last at
tempt of the Japanese bombardment and
TO block the harbor. He says:
"Following a reconnaissance, our fleet
returned and anchored In the inner har-
Dor. After midnight the darkness be-
came more profound and our searchlights
were constantly in operation piercing the
gloom. Suddenly a shot thundered and
then second and a third. Golden Hill
and Tiger cliff opened fire when the
enemy was discovered From the battle
ship Petropavlovsk, a launch put off with
Vice Admiral Makaroff and other officers
heading for the gunboat Bobre. At the
same time the torpedo boats SLIM and
Reshitelnii signalled to prepare for ac-
tion, and to attck the enemy. The gun
boat Otvajny discharged her 6-inch guns
and the torpedo boat SLIM fired a broad
side toward the enemy and let go a tor
pedo which fairly struck the PROV of the
first Japanese steamer, carrying it away.
Came at Full Speed.
"Other Japanese steamers came on at
full speed. raining HotchlSlss bullets at
the SLIM. which fired a second torpedo
at the steamers, and then ran aground.
"The commander Of the SLIM discovered
five of the enemy's destroyers further
away and the big ships vallantly rushed
to attack, firing their guns as they did
so. The enemy then separated and dis
appeared in the darkness.
Meantime in the Bobre and the Otvaj-
ny continued to fire on the stranded
steamers, and on the small boats putting
off from them.
Commander Travinski of the Reshit-
elnii saw large steamer making toward
the center of the target. Lieutenant Krin-
tiki, commanding the SLIM, having
fought five of the enemy's ships for a
long time in the darkness was himself
wounded and his chief engineer and six
men were killed
with his machinery disabled and the
helm of the SLIM damaged. Lieutenant
Krinitzki, decided to cease firing, but
fearing to leave the opening entrance to
the harbor he approached the shadows
near Golden Hill and got off in a boat
with another officer to extinguish the fire
on the nearest steamer, and to render aid
to twelve Japanese who had been
wounded.
"Ihe Otvajni sent surgeons to care for
the wounded and boats were sent to the
other steamers at a terrible risk, to cut
the wires connecting the torpedoes with
which the Japanese had arranged to de-
stroy the steamers. The fires on the ships
were extinguished,"