Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1904-03-24
SAW PORT ARTHUR BATTLE
Eyewitness Sends Graphic Account Of the First
Naval Fight of the Russo-JaPanese War--Czar' 8
Officers Taken by Surprise

eyewitness of the great Port Arthur
battle which opened the war between
Japan and Russia. The eyewitness
was @. F.. Curtis, an American attor-
ney. who escaped from the battered
Russian city on the steamer Flu Ping
and wrote the following account for
the San Francisco Examiner as soon
as he was landed at Shanghai:
There was revelry in Port Arthur
on the night OF Feb. 8. No one in
dulged a thought OF danger. The
cafes. the theaters, the circus were
open and agleam. Many naval officers
were ashore Many officers from the
forts mingled in the revel. Men of
the feet and of the Notifications were
on leave. There was feasting and
dancing. The wine popped, women
dimpled, men laughed and made love.
Then, as upon the riot on the night
before Waterloo, heavy sound broke
in. There was a pause and some asked
queer questions. Again and again
come the thunderous sound. All
knew it was the roaring of great guns.
But the revelry went on. Nobody
shifted battle. The guns were the
guns of the forts at the harbor mouth,
men said. There was some practicing
going on--practicing against the re-
mote possibility of a night attack by
the Japanese in case of war. This
war would be averted by diplomacy
nothing to fear; nothing to fear.
Admiral Stark had been in attend
ance on a dinner. He had no word
that war had been declared. He
fingered over the wine and basked in
the smiles CT the pretty women. 1t
was 2 o'clock in the morning of the
9th when the admiral's ear caught the
first boom of a gun. He recognized
the note as that of one of the disap-
pearing canon of the land batteries.
1t disturbed him not But by and by
his quick ear detected another note
the cry of his own guns. He
had ordered no firing at night, so he
began to take shrewder notice. Still
no thought of war seemed to fieck his
merrymaking.
But the first Of the cool dawn, when
the later jewellers we're seeking their
homes, showed the grim results of the
daring night attack by the Japanese.
Two of Russia's greatest battleships,
the Cesarevitch and the Retylzan,
were ashore at the entrance to the
harboT, almost completely blockading
that narrow way. Outside the harbor
a transport and a cruiser were on the
beach. Then everybody knew that
war had begun and the news of the
night was whispered from white lips
into startled ears.
That is how Japan caught Russia
off her guard and inflicted a Gripping
blow. The sounds of the night and
the sights of the morning were com
mon to all of us; but now let me give
to you the story and experiences of
Capt Gray Of the Flu Ping as he gave
them to me.
The Flu Ping is the property of the
Chinese Engineering and Mining com
pany. Capt. Gray saw at once that
the harbor Of Port Arthur was no
place for his peaceful craft. He saw,
too, that there was much question as
to whether he could navigate her be-
tween the two stranded Russian war
ships, the Cesarevitch having her
stern against the eastern bank and
swinging her bow toward the other
shore, while the stern of the Retvizan
was on the western ledge and her
bow extending we'll over toward that
of the Cesarevitch.
So Capt. Gray started out in a gig
to ascertain the conditions at the har-
Dor entrance. With him were First
Engineer Robertson, Second Engineer
Kay and Second Ohicer Duncan, with
a crew of four Chinese sailors. The
gig passed out between the battle
ships, where the harbor entrance is
not over 1900 feet in width, and re-
connoitered the beached cruiser and
transport.
Suddenly a big shell fell into the
water not more than half dozen feet
from the gig; 1t exploded and sent a
mass of water to great height, part
ly filling the gig and drenching all to
the skin.
One of the Cinnamon was cut on
the head by piece OF shell. He bled
profusely, and at once he and his Chi
nese comrades jumped overheard and
swan ashore. They at once scuttled
away, leaving the officers of the Bu
Ping to manage the gig as best they
might.
Cant GRAY saw that the she'll came
from the Japanese feet. It was fred
at 1910 g. m. and was the opening
gun of the days battle. Capt. Gray
and his comrades were IN the middle
OF things. and they Immediately
beached the gig and sought shelter
under a ledge Of rocks near the har-
Dor entrance. From there they had q
full view Of what followed-an awe
inspiring sight.
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