Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-25
TRIED HOBSON'S PLAN
Assault on Port Arthur
Planned for a Coup.
TRY TO BLOCK HARBOR
JAPS MADE DESPERATE STRUG-
GLE WITH TORPEDO BOATS.
Four Merchant Steamers Sent Into
Entrance of Harbor-Furious Bonn
bardment Sinks the Vessels.
Try TO BLOCK HARB0R


p.m.-No further details were available this
morning of the unsuccessful attempt of the
Japanese to bottle up the Russian fleet at
Port Arthur by sinking big merchantmen
at the mouth of the harbor. The brief de-
tails contained in the official dispatches in
dicate that the coup was planned, according
to the usual Japanese tactics, to take place
during the night that 1t was desperately
pushed and backed by eight torpedo boats,
which continued fighting until daylight, but
that it failed completely.
Praise for the Retvizan.
Great praise is given to the Russian bat
tie ship RetviZan. which lay outside the
harbor entrance, for her gallant work in
beating off the enemy. Her part in the ac-
ton shows that the reports of the injuries
which she is said to have sustained in the
attack of February s were grossly exag
gerated.
The official dispatches do not make clear
the exact number of ships sent in for the
purpose of blocking the throat of the har
bor or whether the four vessels destroyed
were beached by the fire from the shore
batteries or by the fire of the Retvizan.
Consequently all the unknown additional
details are expected from Viceroy Aexieff
in the course of the day.
mander at Port Arthur first goes to him
and thence is forwarded to the car. The
report that after daylight floating torpedoes
were seen in the roadstead causes anxiety.
Jap Fleet Visible.
According to the latest advices the Japa-
nese feet yesterday was still visible on the
horizon
The news of the Japanese repulse 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 Russian arms
was prominently display Not one of the
newspapers here has yet received special
dispatches giving news of the Japanese re-
pulse.
Report From Port Arthur.
PORT ARTHUR. February 25.-At about
I O'Clock yesterday morning the Japanese
made desperate attempt to block the en-
trance of the inner harbor and dock With
this object four merchant steamers, ac-
companied by torpedo vessels, We're sent
from two sides toward the entrance of the
channel
The movement was perceived by the Ret
vizan, which was lying in the channel, and
which opened fire Immediately At the
same time the guns of the forts on the IL
ger peninsula, Golden Hill and Electric
Clin were turned upon the enemy and fu-
r1ous cannonade ensued lasting until 8 in
the morning. Then the firing slackened and
became desultory.
The japanese had failed to effect their
purpose.
Four Steamers Sunk.
All four of the steamers were sunk
They are lying in the following positions:
One behind Golden Hill. one near the
Retvizan, two between the entrance of the
channel and the -Thie-Shan peninsuIs
Two or the vessels are still burning
Inc cruisers Bayan and Novik pursued
the Japanese torpedo fotilla It is said
that one or the torpedo boats was sunk
Fleet Steamed Away.
AT about in the morning, February "a,
Japanese squadron of considerable size
approached Port Arthur. and the Bayan
and Novik were ordered to face the Jap-
anese ships. which. however. did not omen
fire, and afterward steamed away in The
direction of Port Dalny.
The cruiser Pallada has entered the dock
here.
Torpedo Boats Uninjured.
LONDON. February 25-6.O5 p.m.-The
Briush foreign Office has received an official
dispatch saying that not one of the jap
anese torpedo boats was injured in the at
tack on Port Arthur of Wednesday. Feb
ruary "a.
Additional Details via Paris.
PARIS. February 2J.-Additional details
or the Japanese attempt to close the en-
trance of the harbor of Port Arthur have
been received from most authoritative
quarters. These say that the japanese sent
five or six old transport hulks convoyed bv
torpedo boats, to Port Arthur. with the evil
dent purpose Of sinking the hulks at the
entrance of the harbor.
The batueship Retv.zan discovered their
approach and her fire on them was strongly
seconded by that OF the shore battery north
of Port Arthur.
The report adds that two Japanese ships
were wrecked and lie in Tiger bay that
along the shore another japanese ship was
burned. and that fourth hes wrecked on
the shore outside Tiger bay.
1t Is believed that these wrecks are not
warshjps: but. hulks Dc signed to be sunk
at the entrance of the harbor The wrecks
are said to be at considerable distances
from the harbor entrance, which remains
open.
This report gives no information concern
ing the japanese fleet, which Is said to
have supported the operations against
Arth