The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-10-25
RUSSIANS FIRE
ON BRITISH SHIPS
Baltic Fleet Bonn barded Fishing
Vessels in North Sea.
sbNKTwo. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Z
mated at 10000.
| Hui Eng. oct PA. VI. Jackson
/ & Co. solicitors Tor the owners OF %
/ Hull fishing boats have notified the
/ foreign Office and admiralty OF an at
tack ON the Hull fishing fleet by the
/ Vussian second Pacific squadron tcom.
monty DESIGNATED a. the Baltic squad
ROM. The Official information Is thal
/ shortly after midnight Friday the Rus
/ sian SQUADRON feil in with the iuiI
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 some time. and little later
opened FIRE The steam trawler crane
was sunk and the decapitated bodies
of her skipper and mate have heeh
/ brought to Hull The boatswain and
other members ~ the crew. who are
understood 10 Dee seriously injured. are
on board a mission ship. The only
slightly injured member OF the cIe"
has arrived al Hull. Another trd"Ici
was also sunk. but the Moulm'in.
which brought the news to Hull has
no particulars as TO her fate
The steam trawlers Moulmein and
Mino have arrived at Hull seriously
damaged ~ shots the latter having
lG holes in her hull 1t is feared that
other damage was done TO trawlers
and that at least one more was lost
with all hands.
The news has created an intense
sensation and Indignation in Hull Tie
Moulmein arrived with her flag Al half
mast. Her skipper states that the
trawlers we're fishing about 900 miles
east by north OF Spurn Head al ]
O'Clock Saturday morning the weather
being hazy when the outlines OF sew
eral vessels apparently war ships sail
ing in line. were dimly seen. Whilst
the crew were watching the warshlpS,
searchHghts were flashed on them. IN
the glare OF which the Mulmein's crew
observed what they took to be torpedo
boats approaching apparently with the
intention OF boarding the MOulmcin.
They steamed away however and
soon the fishermen were Mortified 10
find they were being fired upon. First
one and then another tTawler Was
struck 10y flying shot. What seemed To-
be a round shot went through the
Monuments galley The Mino lying
nearby. was also struck by many
shots but fortunately the damage was
above her water line and none of her
crew were struck The bOmbarlment
lasted about 20 minutes. When 10 had
ceased the feet sailed southwark. and
some OF the trawlers sent up rockets
The Moulmein steered in the direction
of the rocket. Soon cries were heard.
and the Crane was found sinking. with
another trawler taking on some OF her
crew Those seriously injured We're
removed to a mission ship and the
bodies Of Skipper Smith and Leggott
we're placed aboard the Moulmein. The
other men with minor injuries were
put aboard the trawler Sea Gull. which
at late hour had not arrived at Hull
From interviews with members Of
the trawler crews. it appears that the
admiral of the fishing fleet burned
green flares 10 show that they were
harmless fishermen but these signals
were ignored
Eighteen injured men are here un-
der treatment
one trawler. the Wren. is missing.
and il is feared she has been sunk.
There were many distressing scenes
at Hull during the day and night. rela
tives inquiring after friends.
There is a rumor that the Great
Northern fishing feet" was also chased
by the Russians. This report has not
yet been confirmed
Captain Peake of the steam cutter
Maybe. belonging to the trawler
feet. SAYS. Friday night there were
about 80 vessels OF the GamecOck feet
fishing. It was a misty. drizzly night
We spread over an area of some miles.
Our admiral had just previously sig
nailed By rockets and colored lights
the fishing direction for the night
Whether that had anything to do with
what followed do not know; the
whole thing is a mystery.
presently through the mist there
appeared tie lights Of many vessels,
big and small Knowing that the Baltic
feet was 'en route. we naturally as
sumed that they we're Russians, but
cannot say so for certain. They were
sisnalling one another. and with pow
erful searchiights spied out every one
OF our fleet Suddenly some Of the
warships started firing al about 20
boats. which were nearest to them. We
at first supposed they were blank
shots. and the boatswain Of the Tomtii.
which was close in. held two big fish
out at arms length. Some say he was
offering them to the Russians in fun,
and others that he meant to acquaint
the Russians with the fact that We
were peaceful fishermen and not dis
guised enemies In any case. there was
no installing our occupation, for we
were close enough for the Russians to
see that our men were all engaged in
cutting fish When we realized that
the Russians were firing shot. and that
men were being wounded, all became
terror and confusion. Nets were cut
away. steam was gotten up. and the
trawlers hurried away as fast as pos
sible.
Judging by the rapidity of the
shots they were from Quick-fring
guns. have seen some Of the shots
embedded in boats. They were about
the diameter but not the length, of a
big cucumber, and with brass heads.
What with the darkness. the rain
and the glare of the searchlights. we
were unable to identify the warships.
After about half an hour the firing
.coooa opI tho naQf GO