The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1904-03-04
STORIES FROM
The SEAT OF WAR
Russo Japanese Conflict as Seen
by Correspondents.
INCIDENTS OF OHEMULP0 FIGHT.

Graphic Account Of the Battle lin
Which Russians Went to Death
Singing - Lieutenant Nalkamura
Tells How Japanese Torpedo BOats
Dashed In Over Mine Fields and
Attacked the Russian IrOnclads at
Port Arthur-viceroy AlexeteR Said
to Have Killed Young Omcer For
the City's Defeat-Enect Of the Ter
rife Bombardment. ..> @ @
F. A. Mckenzie, the special CORE
spondent Of the New York World
writing of the Russo-Japanese war
describes the engagement at ChemuF
po, Korea. as follows: u.
"Russia's warships, the variag and
Korietz, were caught In hopeless
trap.
"The captain Of the Variag held a
conference with the British, French
and italian captains on board the Tai
bot, asking for protection from the
foreign warships while he was leaving
the harbor. The request was refused.
| The Russian captain then returned to
his ship. @&
1.-THE Variag and Korictz promptly
jettisoned their woodwork and all in,
cumbrances. The crews assembled,
and the Russian national anthem was
sung as the ships moved forward, with
the men all cheering. The Japanese
fleet, commanded by Rear Admiral s.
Uriu, lay out six and three-quarter
miles from the foreign ships. At 11:5O
the Japanese armored cruiser Asama
fred on the approaching Russians with
an eight inch gun, and after the third
shot, seven minutes later, the Russians
/ replied. The range was 5000 yards.
The Japanese feet formed In line OF
battle, and at noon the full feet was
4 engaged. The Japanese fire was heavy
land unceasing and was mainly direct
ed against the Varing. .}..'.
i '.The Russians maneuvered rapidly
to avoid the fire, but Ave shells struck
the Variag In rapid succession, while
the Japanese shrapnel are swept the
:. crews repeatedly from the guns. a
single shelf killed Or disabled all save
one man at the forecastle gun. One
shell struck near the water line, ex-
| ploding, and sheet Of fame shot up as
high as the after fighting top. Anoth-
er shell demolished the fore bridge and
sst fre to debris, compelling the Variag
to cease firing for nearly five minutes.
while the crew was called to the fire
stations. Two shells penetrated at the
water line, one amidships, while an
other pierced the upper deck just aft
the foremast. Both bridges were wreck
ed, and one funnel was shattered.
''The absence of gun shields left the
crews exposed to the rapid fire guns
and the shrapnel. The conclusion was
stupefying and the noise deafening
but, dazed and benumbed, the Russians
kept ON working their guns. One Rus
sian lieutenant says:
"'There was blood, blood, blood ev
y erywhere; severed limbs and tori
bodies. 1t was horrible
'The Korietz was little hurt and hel
crew apparently uninjured. She f1ret
her eight inch guns alternately, being
handled very skillfully, while the Va
RAG attempted to use an island as pro
lection. A shell, however, disabled tn
variags steering gear, and her captain
then resolved to attempt to run ashor
on his return to the harbor 80 as t.
avoid capture and destruction.
"The variag, however, was hampere'
In her attempt to escape by the neces
sity of remaining near her slower cor
sort. Both ships returned to the hal
Dor. The cruiser anchored 800 yard