Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-08-19
TELLS STORY
Of BATTLE
A|exief Gives Full Details Of
Disaster to V|adivostok
Fleet.
FROM OFFICER IN COM MAND
Report is in Words Of Rear Admiral
Jesson-lt Was a Running Fight
Describes Sinking of Rurik and the
MracuIoue Escape of Other Ships

st. Petersburg, Aug. 19.--Czar
Nicholas has received dispatch
from Viceroy Alexeff, dated at Vlad-
ivostok, August II, saying that the
cruisers Rossia and Gromboi of the
Vladvostok squadron returned to.
Vladivostok on August l6, and COM
municating the following report made
by Rear Admiral lesson, commander
of the squadron:
"At dawn on August IA. the Rossia,
the Gromoboi and the RuriK arrived
forty-two miles from and parallel
with Fusan and thirty miles from the
northern lighthouse of Tsu island
when to the westward, I saw
Japasese squadron of armored cruis-
ers six miles to the north, travelling
parallel with our course. This
squadron consisted Of four vessels OF
the lwate type, and was putting on
full speed.
81 took course to the northward,
with a view of attaining the open sea.
but the enemy, who was OF superlos
speed, turned Immediately and took
the same course.
Il was then obliged to engage in
battle, which commenced at o'clock
in the morning, with distance OF
sixty cables (about seven iniles) be-
tween the two squadrons.
I'm the straits to the south we saw
a. secosd class cruiser of the Nanlwa
type coming to join the enemy.
AT convenient opportunity we
rapidly turned to the right, intending
to approach the Korean coast, and by
increasing our speed to- seventeen
knots we seemed to have an oppor-
tunity to succeed but the enemy now
observed our intention and directed
his course towards us for the pur-
pose of hindering our design.
Hardly five minutes passed before
the Rurik left the ranks and signallad
that her steering gear was disabled.
replied, Steer with the engines,
and continued on my former course.
Seeing that all of the Japanese
cruisers were concentrating their
fire on the Rurik, all my subsequent
maneuvering was exclusively with
the object of enabling the Rurik to
repair her damaged rudder. l at.
tracted to myself the enemy's fire in
order to cover the Rurik. (Admiral
lesson was on the flagship ROssia.)
"At this time, l saw two warships,
one second and the other third
class cruiser, coming to join the
enemy.
"The Rurik hoisted the signal can
not steer Some maneuvering in the
front line gave the Rurik chance
of going in the direction OF the KO-
rean gulf, and at 8 o'clock the signal
vas hoisted, go east The Rurik
answered the signal and took the re-
quisite course a.fnll speed, as could
be seen from the wave from her
bows. "a
Eventually the Rossia and the1
a distance of forty-two cables. The
Rurik kept a course approximately
southeast of us at distance of three
miles. I
"The battle continued for two
hours in this manner.
I'VE suffered considerable damage{
On the kossia three tunnels were
pierced, which prevented her from
keeping up good steam and three of
her boilers were rendered useless.
AT $50 the Rurik began to lag besl
hind considerably and again turned
her bows toward the shore, at thd
same time fighting against the atwd
second class cruiser which h iaft
joined the enemy's squadron. u he.
Rurik soon afterward began to8 ct
out of sight .# TX
Vice Admiral Kamimura with
armored cruisers kept steadfastly z Y.
gaging us in such manner as to ke
us from assisting the Rurik #4$
While the Rurik continued fig
ing, we continued our efforts toF;
tract the enemy further south, in q
hope that the Rurik would manage Sa'
dispose Of her two comparatively
weaker opponents and that after IA
pairing the damage to her rudder
would be able to reach VladiyosttW
Independently.
Shortly before 10 o'clock. the enc
my's fire was the most terrific of thd
battle, but to our general astonishR.
ment the whole Japanese squadron
left us after the most deadly fight
which had lasted five hours.
THE ROssia had sustained elevers
holes at her water line and the Gromf
obOi had six. Both cruisers lostS
more than half their officers, and the1
losses among the men totalled 25 per
cent.
1T appeared impossible to renew
the battle or to return to the Rurik,
which was now thirty miles to the
south.
Taking advantage of the calm, we
stopped our engines and quickly COM
menced to repair the breaches in our
vessels SO as to enable us to proceed
to Vladivostok.
Captain Berinsky of the Rossia
was killed and several Of his officers
were wounded. On board the Gromo.
Dol two lieutenants were killed and
others officers Were wounded, Both
cruisers lost 1875 men killed and ~
wounded. Captain Belinsky was
buried of