Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-11

Seoul dated February 10, both refer. ring to the naval engagements of Chemuipo on the Sth and 9th. The minister in his first dispatch reports the arrival of q Japanese naval yes sells at Chemulpo on the afternoon of the 9th. Two Russian naval vessels the variag and Koreitz were in Che snulpo harbor and attempted to pre- vent the landing of Japanese forces but with no success. The foreign na, val vessels. the minister says. were generally leaving the harbor. There was a report that the Japanese naval vessels had captured Russian trans ports off Makpo on the 9th.
 The second dispatch says: "A run ming naval engagement took place in Chemulpo harbor beginning about noon. The Variag and the Koreitz again attempted to escape but failed. The yariag was injured. On their re turn the Japanese naval vessels an- nounced officially that they would at tack the place at 4 o'clock p. m. At the latter hour the Koreltz blew up and sank. She was a slow vessel which made it difficult for her to es- cape
 The Japanese naval vessels attack ed the Variag from the outside har- Dor until she sank Twenty-Five hun dred Japanese troops are in Seoul.''
 London, Feb 11.-A dispatch to Reuters Telegraph Co from Tokio, dated 7:10 p. m. yesterday. says an un- official report was current here that the Russian fleet was destroyed. Four battleships and three cruisers were sunk and two Japanese warships were damaged in an engagement yesterday of Port Arthur. The Japanese took a position between the Russians and the entrance of the harbor before the light started
 London. Fsb. i1.--A special des. patch from Port Arthur says the Jap anese fleet attempted Wednesday to land men in several bays in the neigh borhood of Port Arthur under the pro tection of the guns of the cruisers. It is asserted, however, that all the at atempts were unsuccessful
 New York, Feb. 11.--s'About all that 20 ', eaid ,,oxx, ;s @I,a + xvvI,iIo +ho Tcy~ anese have won the first battles it does not settle anything remarked Capt Alfred T. Mahan, in discussing the usefulness of the torpedo boat in warfare, as shown by the news from Port Arthur.
 "Thera is no absolute defence against attacks of the torpedo boat. Great vigilance--in fact, constant state of siege, the use of torpedo net tings and other appliances, may mini 1nize the danger to fleet but it has always to expect that unexpected lunge that has 10 parry for.
 @As to the engagements of Port Ar thur they do not settle anything. Neither side, in the light of the pres ent Information, has been sufficiently Damaged to venture the statement lthat it has been weakened"
 Tokio. Wednesday, Feb. 1o.-The variag and the gunboat Koreitz at DChemulpo on Tuesday is officially con- firmed but the details are lacking. Admiral Uriu, commanding the Jap- Ianese squadron, sent g cablegram to the navy department saying that the two Russian vessels weighed anchor at noon, steamed down the bay and encountered the Japanese fleet while rounding an island nine miles from .Chenuipo,
 It is not known who first opened Ire but the exchange lasted 34 min- utss. The Russion ships withdrew to Chemulpo.
 The Koreitz exploded about 4.3o o'clock. It is not clear how the yariag was destroyed.
 The loss of life and the effect of the shells on the Russians were unknown. It is possible that the Russian crews aided in the destriction of their ves- sells to avoid capture and annihilation. The Japanese did not lose a man and their ships were not injured. The names of the Japanese ships are with- held for strategical reasons. The Russian crews, 1t is reported, surren- dered to the Japanese at Chempulo. Japan is elated by its success ill the engagement.
 Paris, Feb 11.--Advices received by the foreign office are to the effect that the damage sustained by the Russian battleshfp Cesarevitch, beached at Port Arthur on the night of February 8 after having been torpedoed by the TapaneEe is not serious and that she