Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-02-12
RUSSIANS WERE SURPRISED.
New York Herald Correspondent Saw
the Battle at Port Arthur.

New York Herald Correspondent Saw
the Battle. at Port Arthur. a
Paris, Feb. 10.-The correspondent
at Che Foo of the Paris edition Of the
New York Herald describes in dis.
patch the tranquil appearance Of Port
Arthur on Monday night when Rus:
sian official said he expected the Jap.
anese fleet in two or three days. The
weather was fine and the Russian sail
Crs impressively chanted their even
ing hymn. At o'clock the lighthouse
was lighted and the guiding lights
were burning. Only one Russian war
ship was using her searchlight, and
this in leisurely fashion. Three
torpedo boats were patrolling OF the
outskirts of the feet. All the others
were inside the BASIN BIB"
A deep silence settled down, but
this was broken at 1880 o'clock by
three muffled explosions, which made
the steamer Columbia vibrate violent
ly.. Instantly firing began and the
scarchlights were used, but without
much method.
II watched the operations" the
correspondent goes on, thinking they
were only r1laneuvers, until midnight,
when the firing almost ceased. 1t
stopped entirely at 3 o'clock in the
morning"
The correspondent then describes
the arrival and Bleaching OF the Rus
sian vessels, which were at first sup
posed to have been In collision. But
at twenty minutes Of the Russian
naval officers boarded the Columbia
in great state of excitement, saying
the viceroy had ordered the Columbia
net to- att attempt pit to leave This was
apparently done with the idea Of pre-.
venting the ship from acquainting
the Japanese with the extent OF the
Russian damage.
Daylight revealed two Japanese
cruisers watching on the horizon. At
ter daybreak a strange apathy seemed
to possess the Russians. The white
faced, gaping crews crowded forward
on the decks of the damaged vessels,
and none Of the Russian ships showed
q disposition to chase the enemy or
fire a single shot until the Japanese
had departed at twenty minutes past
eight, when the Russians started In
pursuit, going in shore toward Port
Dalny. They returned. however, at a
quarter past nine without having
fred.
London, Feb. 1.-THE text Of the
official dispatch received by Baron
Hayashi Is as follows:
"On Monday Japanese squadron,
escorting transports, met on the way
ia, Chemulpo, Corea, the Russian gun.
boat Koreitz, as the latter was coming
out of port. The Koreitz took up an
offensive attitude toward the Japan
csc vessels and fred on the Japanese
torpedo boats. The latter discharged
two torpedoes ineffectively, and then
the Koreitz returned to her anchorage
in port. Early in the morning Of
Tuesday, Admiral Urlk, commanding
the Japanese squadron, formally call
ed on the Russian warships to leave
Chemulpo before noon. The admiral
added that if his demand was not
complied with, he would be compelled
to attack them in the harbor. The
two Russian warskips left the port
at shout 1880 a. M, and battle
ensLad outside the POlynesian Islands.
After about All hours engagement, the
Russian cruiser Variag sank, and at
about a. M, to7iS. February 10,
the Koieita was reported to have
also sunk, having been blown up. The
officers and men " the two sunken
vessels sought refuge on the French
cruiser Pascal. There were no cas-
ualities on the Japanese side