The Irish standard., 1904-03-26
SHOT AND SHELL
FOR PORT ARTHUR
City-The Bombardment Continues
for Several Hours.

st. Petersburg, March 23.-The en-
peror has received the following tele-
gram from Viceroy Alexieff: Lieut..
Gen. Stoessel reports that at midnight
of March 81 Japanese torpedo boats
were discovered by our searchlights.
Our guard ships and fort batteries
opened fire upon them, the firing last
ing for 20 minutes. At four o'clock in
the morning the attack was renewed.
At $3.50 O'Clock in the morning four
OF the enemy's ships appeared from the
south, followed by the whole squad
fon OF IL ships and eight torpedo boats.
Our squadron left the roadsted to meet
the enemy. At nine o'clock the enemy's
battleships opened fire on Liaotishin,
after which they took up position be-
hind the rocky eminence of Liaotishin
and bombarded Port Arthur"
Five Killed.
A later dispatch from the viceroy to
the emperor says: According to sup
Elementary report from Lieut.. Gen.
Stoessel, the enemy's fleet consisted of
six battleships and - cruisers. About
nine O'Clock in the morning the fleet
divided, the battleships and torpedo
boats taking up position between Lao
tlshin and Golubinaia bay pigeon bay),
while the cruisers formed up in two d.
visions to the south and southeast of
Port Arthur. At $3.50 the battleship
Retvizan opened fire over the crest of
Llaotishin against the enemy's battle
ships, which replied by firing on the town.
Meanwhile our fleet formed up in line
In the outer roadsted. About II o'clock
N the morning the cannonade slack
ened, and the japanese fleet re-
uniting, drew off slowly to the
southeast, and, at 1890, had disap-
peared. During the bombardment five
soldiers were killed and nine were
wounded. One soldier on the shore was
bruised"
Makaroff's Report.
Another telegram from Viceroy
Alexieff to the emperor gives Vice Ad
miral Makaroff's report as follows:
cat midnight of March 21 two of the enc
my's torpedo boats approached the outer
roadsted, but were discovered by the
searchlights of the batteries and fired
upon by the forts and by the gunboats
Bobr and Otvazuy. They were obliged
to retire. A second attack was made at
four o'clock in the morning by three tor
pedo boats, which also were repulsed.
AT daybreak three detachments of the
enemy's fleet, consisting of six battle
ships, six armored cruisers, six second
and third class cruisers and eight tor
pedo boats, approached from all sides.
At seven o'clock our squadron COM
menced to leave the inner harbor, the
cruisers leading with the Askold flying
my flag, at their head, and the battle
ships following. The enemy's battle
ships approached Liaotishin and fired
100 shells from their 12-inch guns at
Port Arthur and 108 shells at the en-
virons of the town. Our shells, fired at
a range Of 80 cables, were we'll placed.
About ten O'Clock a Japanese battleship
was struck by she'll and retired. We
lost no men during the bombardment.
which ceased at II o'clock, when the enc
my's ships reassembled and after pass
ing along the outer roadsted drew off
without attacking our feet"
To Crush Japanese.
London, March 21.-Japan, 1t is re-
dcially announced that the mobilization
of Russia's army in Manchuria will be
complete by May rs, and that on that
date Gen. Kouropatkin will have field
force OF $4,000 infantry, cavalry and ar
tillery at his disposal 1t is stated fur
Their, and by official sanction, that Russia
will not begin the serious land campaign
until June, and that decisive battle
need not be expected before August.
Not since the Turko- Russian war of
1889 has any European power sent SO