Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-10-24
Russia's Baltic Fleet Sink
British Trawlers.
RAKED BY WHOLE FLEET.
Steamer Crane Sunk, Two of Her
Crews Heads Being Blown on.
Eighteen Fishermen
Wounded.

" OF an ATTACK on the Hull nSnlnS
fleet by the Russian second Pacific
squadron, commonly designated as the
Baltic squadron. The official infor-
nation is that shortly after midnight
the Russian squadron fell in with the
| Hull fishing fleet in the North sea. The
first portion of the fishing feet passed
| safely. Then the Russian ships turned
| their searchlights on the British yes
sells for sorue time and a little later
opened fire.
The steam trawler Crane was sunk,
and the decapitated bodies Of her skip
per. and mate have been brought to
Hull. The boatswain and other mem
bers of the crew who are understood
to be injured are on board a mission
ship. The only slightly injured mem
Der of the crew has arrived at Hull.
The steam trawlers Moulmeln and
| Nina have arrived at Hull seriously
| damaged by shots, the latter having
| sixteen holes in her hull. 1t is feared
that other damage was done to traWl-
ers and that at least one more trawler
was lost with all hands.
According to other reports, the affair
| occurred 200 miles off Spurn head. The
Russian ships were steaming in line.
The leading ships passed without Incl
dent, though most Of the vessels turned
| searchlights on the ~traNvlers long
| enough to prevent any mistake as to
identity.
After the bulk of the squadron had
passed it opened fire, nearly all partic-
| ipating in the firing. The Crane was
| struck below the water line and raked
| above deck. Skipper Smith and Third
| Hand Leggott had their heads carried
| clean away by a shot, many OF the
crew being seriously wounded. An
| other trawler also was sunk, but the
| Sea Gull, which brought the news to
Hull, has no particulars as to her fate.
The news has created an intense SEN
| sation and Indignation in Hull. The
| Moulmein arrived with her flag at half
mast. Her skipper states that the
trawlers were fishing about 200 miles
| east by north of Spurn head at l
| O'Clock in the morning, the weather
| being hazy, when the outlines of sew
| eral vessels, apparently warships sail
ing in a line, were dimly seen.
While the crew We're watching the
warships searchlights were flashed
upon them, in the glare of which the
Moulmein's crew observed what they
took to be torpedo boats approaching,
apparently with the intention of board
ing the Moulmein. They steamed away,
however, and soon the fishermen were
Mortified to find they were being fired
upon. First one and then another
Itrawler was struck by flying shot.
| What seemed to be a round shot went
through the Moulmein's galley. The
| Mino, laying near by, also was struck
| with many shots, but fortunately the
damage was above her waterline, and
none Of her crew was struck.
The bombardment lasted about TWEEN
ty minutes. When it had ceased the
| fleet sailed southwark, and some of the
| trawlers sent up rockets. The Moul-
mein steered in the direction of the
| rockets. Soon cries were heard, and
| the Crane was found sinking, with an
| other trawler taking off some of hel
crew. Those seriously injured were
removed to a mission ship, and the
bodies of Smith and Leggott were
| placed aboard the Moulmein. The 9th
err men with minor injuries were put
aboard the trawler Seagull, which al
a late hour had not arrived at Hull.
No motive can be assigned for the
extraordinary procedure of the Russian
warships.
The only survivor of. the Crane who
has vet reached here is J. A. Smith
son of the deceased skipper, and who
with the captains of the Moulmein AMI
Mino, is going to London to consult
with the authorities. Young Smitl
was alseep in his bunk when the firing
aroused him. Just as he was gettins
up a shot struck the starboard ant
penetrated to the forccastle, smashing
n lamp near which he Yves standing
He rushed on deck, where the search
lights revealed the horrible sight O.
his father and Leggott lying headles'
and the deck strewn with the injured
1t was soon found that the vessel wa
sinking, and signals for assistanc,
were sent up.
From interviews with members o
trawler crews it appears that the adj
miral of the fishing fleet burned greer
flares to show that they We're harmless
fishermen, but these signals were ig
nored.
Eighteen injured men are here unde
treatment.
One trawier, the Wren, is missing
and it is feared she has been sunk.
The London Times editorially eS
presses the belief that immediate apo
ogy and PREPARATION will be made b
Russia for the deed committed by tn
Baltic fleet.
1t surmises that the Russians wer
victims of a d~isgraceful panic throug
installing the feet of British steaf
trawlers quietly pursuing their usIit
business for a lotilla of Japanese to-
pedo boats and destroyers.
"It is harder stiil,' the Times say