The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-07-13
JAP TRANSPORTS SUNK
Russian Squadron Torpedoed Two
Crowded Troopships.
NINE HUNDRED MEN LOST
Raid in the Japan Sea by the Vladiro-
stok Warships-How the Japanese OH
Transport Hitachi Were Slaughtered
Many Officers Committed 8 uicide Rath-
err Than Be Captured.

Many Officers Committed Suicide Rath-
err Than b. Captured.
Toxic, Observation-Disclosures of the de-
struction of Japanese transports in the
Korea strait by vessels Of the Russian
Vladivostok squadron have been re-
ceived here. The Russian warships
were encountered near Okino Island,
directly in the course of any Japanese
vessel bound westward from Moi.
It was about 7 o'clock p. m. that the
transport Hitachi sighted the enemy's
vessels-two cruisers and two destroy
ers. A blank shot was fired by one OF
the Russian ships as a signal for the
Hitachi to stop. Instead Of obeyiDg
the order the transport put on full
speed and fed, with a Russian cruiser
in pursuit.
At 10 o'clock the Russians opened
fire on the Hitachi with their smaller
guns, their apparent object being not
to sink the vessel, but to kill the men
on board.
Afterward the Russians drew along
side and sent three broadsides into the
ship. The slaughter of men and horses
was terrible.
Colonel Suchi. the officer in command
of the soldiers on board. burned the
regimental cotors to prevent them fall
ing into the enemy's hands, and as the
ship was seen to be in a sinking condl-
ton he ordered his men to jump over
board AMI try to save themselves by
swimming. There was no time to
launch the boats. The Colonel had
scarcely given this order when he was
killed by a shell.
Most Of the officers on board com.
mitted suicide with their pistols or
swords. The skipper. an Englishman,
Of the name Of Campbell, jumped over
board. The water about the ship was
filled with men who had leaped from
the sinking vessel. The Russians
turned their %rapid-6re guns on these
swimmers, causing fearful destruction
Of life.
The last Russian broadside exploded
the Hitachi's boilers and she sank,
twenty-siX miles from the mainland,
between Okino and Shimi islands.
1t is now said that her survivors
number less than 100.
The transport Sado was overhauled
by the Russians eleven miles south of
Okino Island, and an order was given
by signals for her to stop. While the
signal was flying the Russians fired $50
shots, approaching, meanwhile, within
16O yards. The crew Of the Sado took
to the boats and rowed off in different
directions. So far as they could see
only two shots struck the transport.
but these did great damage. There
were about 200 survivors.
For some reason the Russian ships
withdrew early. They went to the
eastward past Oki Island.
Official reports confirm the accounts
of the destruction Of the Hitachi, add
ing that the upper deck was in flames
before she sunk. The Sado was ahead
of the Hitachi. The military officers
on the Sado were uninjured, the men
who had tried to escape returning
aboard. The killed are estimated at
some scores.
1t is said that the Russian attack re-
suited in a loss of about 900 Japanese
soldiers and sailors. besides many
horses and q large quantity of supplies.