The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-14
Was More Disastrous to the Russian Stronghold Than
 Any Previous Attempt
VESSELS ALMOST TOUCH ;. DURING TIE FIERCE FIGHT
Many Acts of Heroism Performed by Members of the Crews-Togo
 Now Hero of the Hour h In Tokio.

Tokio March 1s.-Offcial and private reports both indicate that Admiral Togo's fourth attack on Port Arthur on the 10th inst, was the most effective since the first assault of month ago. One Rus sian torpedo boat destroyer was sunk and several Russian torpedo boat destroy CTS seriously damaged. The Notifications and city were subjected to a heavy bom- bardment lasting nearly four hours. The naval bombardments have been generally effective, yet the peculiar typographical condition of Port Arthur made immunity from serious loss from bombardment inn possible.
 Admiral Togo's torpedo fiotilla opened the action by boldly steaming in under the batteries, add sinking a number of mechanical mines at the mouth of the harbor. Following that, there was desperate bow to bow encounter between the torpedo boat destroyers in which the Japanese appear to have scored clear victory Then followed a long-range duel between the cruisers ending In the retire ment of the Novik and Bayan, the only Russians engaged.
 Bombardment of Inner Harbor.
 The closing action was the lombard ment of the inner harbor by the Japanese battleships The latter took a position southwest of Port Arthur and used only 12-inch guns. There were twenty-four 12- inch guns in the squadron of six bat tleships, and each gun was fired five ressaae n4akisr T tot;.l of 1z0 buaa p~o- jectlles that were fired at the city. The bombardment was deliberate and careful ly planned. In order to aid the firing, Admiral Togo stationed the cruisers in position due east of the entrance to tho harbor, and at a right angle to the bat tleships. The cruisers observed the range and effect of the firing. and signalled the results and suggestions by wireless tee- graphy. These observations and reports greatly aided the gunners in their effort to make every shot count.
 Capt Shojiro Asai, commanding the fotilla of torpedo boat destroyers which engaged the Russian destroyers, is the hero of the attack. He had only three destroyers but attacked the six Rus sian destroyers, ordering his craft to close in with the enemy. They kept so close to the destroyers that they almost touched bows and so desperate was the conflict that the Russians retired badly disabled.
 Engineer is Wounded.
 Engineer Minamsawa of the destroyer Kasumi received a small wound He par ticipated in the first torpedo attack on Port Arthur also in the attempt to bottle up the harbor by sinking commercial steamers, and was commended both times for his gallantry.
 The Japanese fotilla which sunk the mines at the mouth of the harbor, later engaged two Russian destroyers. This flotllla was commanded by Commander Tschiya.
 Admiral Togos object in sending cruis- CTS to Talien Wan bay was to encompass the destruction of signal station mine depot at Sam Shantoa This object was achieved, and the buildings were demol- ished.
 Rear Admirals Dewa and Uriu partici- pated in the operations under Admiral Togo, the details of whose operations be- came known in Japan only today, and the news created intense enthusiasm. Admiral Togo's report came last night, but it was withheld until shown to the emperor
 Admiral Togo is permanently numbered among the heroes of the empire
 The latest reports place the Japanese loss at nine killed, five seriously wounded and seven slightly hurt. The Japanese fleet was not damaged in the fighting
 Admiral Togo's report is as follows:
 Togos Official Report.
 Our sqadron as pre-arranged attacked the enemy at Port Arthur on March To- Two or three torpedo f1otilas reached the mouth of the harbor at Port Arthur at 0 o'clock on the mornig of the 1Oth Finding no enemy and awaiting until lawn, one f1otila engaged in sinking sev- sral mines in the harbor entrance. Not withstanding the enemys fire our flotilla succeeded in sinking the mines. The other 1otilla met the enemys torpedo hotilla. consisting of six boats. in the Liao Shan channel, south of Port Arthur at 4;30 o'clock. hot engagement occurred at close range for thirty minutes The enemy then took flight.
 Our fire greatly damaged the Russian ships, one of which badly crippled by a shot through the boilers and an- other was observed to be on fire. So close were the two iotillas to each other that our destroyers, the Asashio Karumi and Akatsuk, nearly touched the enemys ships, and our crews could even hear the cries of agony of the injured men on them. We sustained some damage and loss. The Akatsuki had a steam pipe broken and four stokers were killed there by. Our loss was seven killed and eight wounded. Among the latter is Chief En- yineer Minamsawa of Kasumi
 Hussian iorpedo Boats Coming.
 "Our other flotilla while leaving the harbor entrance, observed two Russian torpedo boats coming from the seaward and immediately engaged them the bat tie lasting one hour After causing them severe damage one of them effected it's escape, but our destroyer. the Sasanami. captured the other boat which proved to be the Stereguschitchi.
 Notwithstanding the land batteries pOurfnR a heavy fire on Our 6Oti1ia fhe captured vessel was taken in tow Owing to the high sea, the tow line soon parted and the Sasanami found it necessary to take the crew from the Russian boat and abandon the Stereguschitchi. which final ly sank at 10:30 o'clock
 'sThe enemy's cruisers, the Novik and the Bayan. steamed out of the entrance