The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-07-02
REPORT FROM RUSSIA.
Tells of Movements of Port Arthur
Fleet.

Fleet
St. Petersburg. July 1.-Czar Nicholas
has received the following dispatch
from VicerOy AIexieff, dated June 30
"A report received today from the
acting commander Of the Port Arthur
squadron (Rear Admiral WithOefD
states that on the night of June %
eight torpedo boats were dispatched 10
guard the roadstead seven miles out to
sea
The torpedo boats repuIsed the enc-
my's torpedo boats. which had ap-
preached During this action Conn
mander F1lIisSein. Lieutenant SmirnOm
and two blueiaCkets were wounded All
the torpedo boats returned toward
morning.
AT s O'Clock the Nofk, Diana. As
kold. Sevastopol. PoitaVa- Czarevitch.
PObieda. PeTesviet. RetviZan. Bayan
and PaIIada steamed out into the road
stead in line ahead and anchored Two
floating japanese mines having been
perceived in the rOadstead, the squad =
ron remained at anchor.
Cleared Road of Mines.
Meanwhile several small boats
which had been searching for mines
discovered and exploded ten on the
eastern side Of the rOsdstead. An eX-
animation showed that the mines were
probshl laid during the night by two
Of the enemy's torpedo boats which
had approached Port Arthur
at y. N. the squadron. preceded
BY a fotilla of mine dredEers. torpedo
boats and the Novik, steamed in line
ahead toward the open sea. having
emerged from the roads without mis-
hap. The squadron shaped its course
southwark and the dredgers were sent
A. escorted FV~c =
picket boats. Two japanese scouts.
with q detachment of torpedo boats,
were keeping our squadron in sight all
the while
Sighted Jap Squadron.
Twenty miles from shore a Japan
csc squadron was sighted. steaming in
divisions line ahead, which, on drawing
closer. was found to be composed OF
one second-class and four frst-class
battIeships. four armored first-class
cruisers. seven secoud-class cruisers
FIVE third-class cruisers, one scout boat.
one steamer and thirty torpedo boats,
in two divisions
As they approached. the japanese
were seen TO be preparing to place =
division Of cruisers and torpedo boats
between the shore and our squadron,
in order that during the night they
tllAEAt AUA u ttF EE- st-N-AAN vi RVNaO O.
tacks some Of our ships to break the
formation and in the morning engage
us with all their ships
Taking into consideration the fact
that the enemy's force was greatly su-
periOr to ours. and in view also of the
large number of Japanese torpedo
boats. I decided to return to Port Ar
thur in order to act according to cir
cumstancesc considering that this plan
Of action laid US open to less risk Of
loss
Return to Port Arthur.
at .. m. our squadron started on
its return to Port Arthur. a proceeding
which the enemy did not attempt TO
prevent, nor did he attempt to ap-
preach.
at 10 O'Clock the squadron reached
the roadstead. where it cast anchor.
At the same time our rear-mOst war
ships successfully repulsed two Japan
csc torpedo attacks. I.
Notwithstanding the bright moon
light. the enemy continued to make
torpedo attacks in the rOadstead until
daybreak. but the attacks we're always
successfully Fepulsed.
.In the morning there were found
along the coast near our warships
twelve whitehead toFpedoes. which had
been launched by the enemy on long
range. the torpedo boats not being al
lowed 70 approach nearer than twelve
cable lengths.
The torpedo boats attacked IN
groups, and at least two of them were
sunk.
I'm the morning the bodies Of a Jap
anese officer and two sailors were
washed on the beach.
The successful repulse of the tor
pedo boat attacks, in which several
batteries took part, was facilitated by
the searchlights on shore
In the morning all our vessels en-
tered port at high tide"