The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-18

= OKIO, April Il. p. m.-The Japan
csc are elated over the successes
they have won at Port Arthur
They are also proud Of the achieve
meut OF Vice Admiral Togo, DartiCu-
larry Of his newest strategy in cOun-
teTminiuE the enemy's harbCr and de-
Coying him across this field Of mines 10
en- equally dangerous flank attack
The success Of the system OF plac-
ing deadly cOuutermines IS due prin-
clpally to a series Of careful Observa-
lions made by the Japanese during
their previous attacks on Port Arthur
The Japanese saw the Russian neeL
leave the narbor and return TO II sew
eral times, and they discovered that
the Russian warships followed an iden-
teal course every time they came out
or went in, evidently for the, purpose
of avoiding their own mines The Jap
aneSe took bearings on this course.
! When the destroyer division of ehe
japanese torpedo fOtilla laid the cOun-
termines during the night Of April T.
g. they placed them along this course
/ The laying OF these cOUntermines was
exceedingly perIlOuS, because If any
| Japanese boat with mines on board
/ had been struck by a lucky Russian
/ shot she would have been aunihilaUed-
Weather Favorable.
! The weather Of the night Of April
| 1913 favored the work There was a
4 heavy rain. the night was dark and
( cloudy. and the Russian searchlights
/ playing over the channel failed 20 re-
I veal the presence Of the Japanese de-
| StrOyerS.
! Rear Admiral Dewa was in command
I Of the japanese squadron which de-
! coyed the Russian ships over the field
Of mines. His squadron consisted Of
/ the cruisers ChitOSe, YOShinO. KasaEa
and Takasago, all unarmOred vessels,
/ which presented q tempting bait COR
the heavier Russian ships.
Vice Admiral Togo directed the flank
7 attack He had the bartelship Hatsu-
Sc, Mikasa. Asasi, ShikaShima. YaSh-
mia and FUgi. He waited thirty miles
I out at sea until Rear Admiral Dewd
Signaled him by wireless telegTaphy to
come in. His vessels then dashed at
full speed toward the entrance Of the
harbor. All the battleships under Vice
Admiral Togo are capable of a speed
of eighteen knots and they quickly
covered the distance
Russians Were Trapped.
Tt is not clear what warned the Rus
slams that they had been trapped. but
they probably diSCerned the battleship
. squadron on the horizon and retreated
precipitately TO the barbOr- Vice Ad-
miral Togo did not succeed in prevent
ing the Russians from entering, bus
did force them to a disastrous retreat.
which ended in the destruction of the
PetrOpavlOvsk and the disabling of the
Pobieda. After these occurrences the
cruisers N.shin and Ka6uga were used
TO lombard Port Arthur. They pos
SesS the highest angled guns Of the
fleet, capable of throwing shells TO the
elevated Russian land works, which
are beyond attainment by the average
naval weapon.
Vice Admiral Togo calls this attack
on Port Arthur the eighth. whereas
here il is numbered the seventh. A
probably explanation IL that Vice Ad-
miraI Togo regards the last Operatio
as two distinct attacks
Regret Makaroff's Death.
Expressions of regret at the death
of Vice Admiral Nakarof are general
here Speaking for the naval staff
Commander OgaSawara has publish 81
- lengthy statement in which he Ia
ments the death Of the. Russian vice
admiral and prOnOunces it to be a loss
TO the navies of the world. Command
b. er Ogasawar4 reviews the life, pro-
fessionaI career and the personal at
- tributes of Vice Admiral MakarOff
and declares that he is entitled 10 be
Classed with the best admirals Of he
p world.
{ The Koryu Naru. which participated
3 in the latest attack on Port Arthur.
is a torpedo boat ship under the COM
mand Of Commander Oda. Oda is a
mine expert. and the success Of the
, Japanese cOuuterminin| operations
- was due largely 10 his ingenuity and
p bravery.
n The japanese report that the wreck
, of the PetrOpavlOvSk hes east of South
. Colder Hill. one mile outside the en-
b. trance of the haTbOT.