Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-03-30
THEHARB0R IS STILL CLEAR

/ IllGuG CCdSGu. flCS Aululi al H1dAAAi y. -
at once proceeded in a steam launch
to inspect the enen1y's sunken steam
ers. The enemy's torpedo boats re-
appearcd ut ) o'clock this morning.
/ They were sighted south ct Port Ar
thur, and the batteries re.opened on
them. Toward G o'clock the enemy's
squadron appeared on the horizon, and
ours steamed out to meet it. At S:30
the batteries opened fire. The ships
batteries soon ceased. the Japanese
drawing off to the southeast, evidently
declining an engagement. At 10
O'Clock they disappeared below the
horizon"
A further telegram to the Emperor
from Vice Admiral Makaroif says:
81 respectfully report that the enc
my having withdrawn returned 70
the hdrbor with the fleet.
"The torpedo hoat destroyer Stilni,
which stranded on the reef in conse-
oGsnhH of damage caused 10 her ell
gines by Die OF the eneny's Shells.
was floated during Che course OF the
night and entered the harber, thanks
to the energies Of her crew. Her cnni-
nlander, Lieut.. Krinizki, who was
slightly wounded in the arm, did not
G;hit his post.
ION the .iteships were Internal ma
chimes, the wires connecting with
which were cut by Lieut.. ksdrcf ana
Ensign Pilsoudsky of the irfeSRiars
whom | dispatched On the tack. Ihey
boarded one OF the steamers as soon
as it stopped, cut the electric wire and
extinguished the fire which would
have lit up the entrance OF the harbor
to the enemy in the roadstead.
"In the morning q floating mine was
found bearing an Internal machine,
bGt the latter was successfully rcmov-
eG.
Tho inspection made showed that
the steamers utilized as fire ships
werl ifnt old. They were each of about
1000 tons ana they were armed with
light calibre guns.
The japanese practically fepeated
the tactics CT February %, b. sending
in four FIRE ships. preceded by a tor
nedo boat hoti'a, with the exception
that the fire ships tEie time were arm
ed with Hotchkiss guns f6r the pur-
pose of keeping off the Russian tor
pedo beat destroyers.
The enemy's attempt was discover
ed by means Of the shore searchlights
and heavy fire was opened from the
batteries and from two gunboats
which were guarding the entrance to
the iiabor. The Russian torpedo boat
destroyer S!ini was outside on scout
ing duty, and to the dash and nerve
CT her commander, Lieut.. krinizki,
is chiefly due the complete defeat OF
the plans CT the japanese. He at
once made straight for the oncoming
ships under a hail of fire from the
HctchEiss guns, and torpedoed the
leading Ship. which sheered Off, fol-
lowed by the others, three of them
being piled UP on the shore under
.ae5sae,;zJIsill :e5sae s7sl and one under the light.
SIX torpedoa boats ofethe enem., COM
ing out from terrific fight, with sew
en- killed and her commander and
twelve Of her complement wounded,
but on the Japanese side only one
boats crew were saved. In addition,
according to unofficial reports, it is
believed that the Japanese lost two
torpedo boats.
The japanese cruisers which sup
ported the attacl, exchanged shots
with the batteries and then drew of,
after which Vice Admiral Makaroff
took IA steam launch and examined
the fire ships An hour later the Jap
anese torpedo Aotilla, followed By
Vice Admiral Toso's fleet, sailed out
to engage the enemy, but after the
ships and batteries had fired few
long-distance shots. Vice Admiral To-
go decided to decline the issue, and
disappeared to the southwark
The conviction continues to grow
hero that the Japanese may have con
Guided that ii would be inadylsable
10 make a direct frontal attack on
Manchuria from Korea against the
whole Russian army, and that it will
be necessary to land fianking column
in the Gulf of Lao Tung to divide
tine attention cf the Russians, and II
possible to seize the railroad and cut
off Port Arthur. The ground above
New Chwang is perfectly familiar
10 tho japanese who occupied it for
q wear during the Chno-Japanese war