Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-26
FOUR OLD HULKS.
japanese Lost When in Port
Arthur Attack.
Failure Of Crafty Attempt to Fol.
the Russians.
Report That Port Arthur Has Been
Bombarded.

st. Petersburg. Feb. 25.-No further
details were available. this morning, OF
the unsuccessful attempt of the Jap
anese to bottle up the Russian fleet at
Port Arthur by sinking big merchant
men at the mouth of the harbor. The
brief descriptions of the official dis
patches indicate that the coup was
planned, according to the usual Japa-,
nese tactics, to take place during the
night: that it was desperately pushed
and backed by eight torpedo boats,
which continued fighting until day.
light, but that it failed completely.
Praise is given to the Russian battle
ship Retvizan, which lay outside the
harbor entrance. for her gallant work
in beating off the enemy. Her part in
the action shows that the reports OF
the injuries which she is said to have
sustained in the attack of Feb. 8 were
grossly exaggerated.
The official dispatches do not make
clear the exact number of ships sent
in for the purpose of blocking the
throat Of the harbor, or whether the
four vessels described were beached by
the fire of the Retvizan. The report
that after daylight floating torpedoes
were seen in the roadstead caused anx-
iety. According to the latest advices,
the japanese fleet, yesterday was still
visible on the horizon.
The news of Japanese repulse was
received here with great rejoicing and
was looked upon as partially wiping
out the score against the enemy.
The official bulletins were given out
too late for editorial comment but the
news of the initial success Of the Rus
sian arms was promptly displayed.
Not one of the newspapers here has
yet received special dispatches giving
the news OF the Japanese repulse.
St Petersburg. Feb. 25-According to
information received by well informed
military men, the Russian army which
is intended to operate in Corea will
consist OF an advance vanguard OF two
regiments of Siberian sharpshooters, a
vanguard of I6 regiments of Infantry.
with SO quickfiring guns. three bate
RIGS OF mountain guns and cOrrc-
spending force OF cavalry. The main
body will consist of 40 regiments, in
Guiding Cossack cavalry. with three
hundred guns.
1t is added that no important mill
tary operations will be possible before
the melting of the ice and that the
present opera tons will be confined to
necessary preparations.
st. Petersburg. Feb. 25.-The battle
ships Retvizan and Czarevitch will be
temporarily employed at Port Arthur
as guardships, in which capacity it has
been decided that formidable guns can
be utilized to good advantage 1t has
hat hn tr-
to these ships can only be fully made
in the dock at vladivostock. SO the
vessels will be temporarily patched up
and remain at Port Arthur until cir
cumstances will permit Of their being
sent to VladiI ostock.
The rumors that the savings bank
will not meet the demands of the repay
| ment of deposits. in consequence of the
war. are emphatically denied by the
Official Messenger.
Seoul. Feb o5.--Russian Videttes ad.
vanced south Of Iniu have cut the tell
egraph between ANU and Ping Yang.
ST. Petersburg. Feb. 25.-The Gear
has teiegraphed warm congratulations
TO Viceroy Alexieff and the entire Rus
sian squadron at Port Arthur on the
able manner in which they repulsed
the latest attack OF the Japanese.
San Francisco. Feb. 25.-Following
Fleming d. Cheshire. the newly ap-
pointed United States consul TO Muk-
den. one of the American representa-
tives named for Manchurian ports un-
der the provisions Of the treaty Of last
October. has arrived here en- route to
the Orient. Regarding the recent an
nouncenent that Russia will object to
the new consuls assuming their func-
tons in Manchuria Consul Cheshire
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