The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-02-13
JAPAN STRIKES
A HEAVY BLOW
Victorious in Two Naval Engage.
ments OF Port Arthur.
RUSSIA'S SQUADRON SUFFERS
Five of Her Vessels Are Disabled by
MikadO's Flect-Czar Informed
That Ten Men Are Ii illed and
FOrty-SiX Wounded,

M1kAuO's Flect-CZar Informed
That Ten Men Are Is illed and
Forty-Six Wounded,
st. Petersburg, Feb. 10.-An official
dispatch received here says that Jap
anese torpedo boats have attacked the
Russian squadron in the outer roads
at Port Arthur, and that three Russian
SHIPS were damaged.
In addition TO tcrpeGoing the Russian
battleships at Port Arthur, the Japanese
have destroyed TWO others of the cars
ships, one Of these being the American
built Variag.
Excitement in st. Petersburg.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 10-St. Peters,
burg is at1ame with the excitement of
war. Vast crowds Of cheering people
fill the streets. while the vast plaza in
front OF the winter palace has for hours
surged with excited throngs, shouting
and cheering for Russia and the car.
In the crowds are soldiers, students,
court pages, laborers, Jews, Moujiks,
merchants, and few society folks. The
vast concourse watched keenly for an
hour and half the windows of the i'm
perial residence where the emperor had
called his highest officials and members
Of his court to pray for the success of
Russian arms in the war which is thus
considered declared.
Otiicinl Report of Attack.
Admiral AleXieff's official report of
the attack by the japanese is as fol-
lows:
81 most respectfully inform your ma
jesty that at or about midnight of Febru-
airy SO Japanese torpedo boats made a
sudden attack by means of mines upon
the Russian squadron in the outer roads
Of the fortress of Port Arthur, in
which the battleships Retvizian and
Cesarevitch and the cruiser Pallada
were damaged. An inspection is being
made to ascertain the character of the
damage. Details are following for
your majesty"
Vessels Not Sunk.
Admiral Alexieff, simplifying his first
telegram to the car on the torpedo boat
action, now telegraphs as follows: II
most humbly report to your imperial
majesty that the three injured vessels
were not sunk, nor were their boilers or
engines damaged. The Czarevitch re-
ceived a hole in her steering department
and her rudder was damaged; the Ret
vizan was damaged in her pumping ap-
paratus under the waterline and the
Pallada was injured amidship not far
from her engines. After the explosions
the cruisers FASTENED Immediately TO
their assistance and in spite of the dark
night, measures were taken to bring the
damaged vessels to the harbor. We had
no loss in officers. Two marines we're
killed, five were drowned and eight were
wounded. The enemy's torpedo boats
received heavy fire. Two unexploded
torpedoes were found after the attack"
The Russian Losses.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 1O.-The follow
ing official bulletin has just been issued
in the form Of telegram from Maj. Gen.
Flug, Viceroy Alexieff's chief of staff,
dated February 9: "By order of the
viceroy l beg to report that this day at
about II o'clock in the morning, Japa-
nese squadron consisting of about Is bat
tleships and cruisers approached Port
Arthur and opened fire. The enemy was
received with a cannonade from the
shore batteries and the guns of our
squadron, which also participated in the
engagement. At about midday the Japa-
nese squadron ceased its fire and left.
proceeding south. Our losses in the fleet
were two officers wounded, nine men
killed and Al men wounded. On the shore
batteries one man was killed and three
were wounded. The battleship Poltava
and the cruiser Novik each had a hole
knocked in her side below the water
line. The forts were slightly dam
aged"
Further Details.
Chefoo, Feb. 10.-The steamer Column
bia has arrived from Port Arthur with
additional news Of the attack by the
japanese fleet upon the Russian fleet in
the roads outside of the harbor of Port
Arthur. The Columbia was in the roads
at the time and felt the shock Of tor
pedo explosion at II o'clock on Monday
night. The attack continued all night
and at daylight Tuesday morning two
Russian battleships and one f1rst-class
Russian cruiser were seen to have been
disabled and beached at the entrance of
the harbor. The cruiser was badly list
ed to one side.
Russian Fire Falls Short,
The Russians left one cruiser outside
to watch for the Japanese ships. The
cruiser was fired upon by the Japan
ese and the other Russian vessels took
up their anchors and cruised around the
roadstead. The Japanese fleet came up
within three miles and a battle COM
menced. The Japanese fired on the ships
and forts, which replied. Two Russian
ships were struck by shells, but were
Date II Changed.