The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-08-14

ST. Petersburg August IA. $40 a. m.-
Not since the beginning of the war be-
tween Japan and Russia has anything so
obviously affected Russian spirit as the
gradual apprehensions of the Port Ar
thur squadron's reverse.
Reports of Rear Admiral Withofts
fatal sortie are not known to the public
even at this hour, though the report oil
cantain Matoutsvitch. Admiral Withofts $
chief of staff aide, to the emperor, gen
erallv permeated official circles during
the day. and the captains statement was
issued late tonight in the form OF an Of
fetal report.
cantain Matoutsvutch makes it clear
mat the Port Arthur squadron fought
what was probably the greatest battle Of
iron-clads siaes. -steel replaced "ooo III
naval construction.
The efforts of the Russians to light their
way through the Japanese would have
been successful had it not been for the
disaster to the battleship CzareVlteh
which compelled the squadron to fight
a second battle, ending in the dispersal
of the Russian fleet in tho darkness
Russian account of the battle
indicates that the Japanese torpedo boats
sustained their previous reputation for
daring by making a daylight attack upon
a SQUADRON in battle formation, and ad-
mits the effectiveness of these frail' oar.
ing craft which seriously impeded the
movements of the Russian fleet
The wording of the official report that
the battleship Czarevitch turned to try
- go into the direction of ,Vladivostoek'
arouses some comment here. Assuming
as the report seems to Indicate that pc
! battle was off the Shang Tung peninsula,
the turning of the Czarevitch to go To-
wards vladivostock would most probably
indicate that the remainder of the squad
ron was going back in the direction OF
Port Arthur.
siohted off Shanghai.
A. tho same time the report that the
dav after the battle four Russian battle
ships were sighted off Shanghai makes II
possible that the battle occurred further
south in the yellow Sea than the report OF
CAPTAIN Matousevitch indictaes' and that
when the Czarevitch lost sight of the re-
mainder of the squadron" as the Russian
fleet was actually proceeding. This opens
an interesting question as to the ultimate
destination of the remaining battleships.
The fact that the crushing nature OF
the blow to the Russian fleet was large
lv due to the feeling of comradeship
which prompted the squadron to matt LOT
the purpose of protesting the disabled
uzareyitch. is viewed here with grim sat
sfaction and regret is mingled with ad-
miration for the brother officers VINO
threw away their only chance OF escape
rather than desert the crippled hasshlp'
Bitter Resentment Heightened.
The distress caused by the squadron
failure to get away has heightened II pos
sible the bitter resentment felt over the
conduct of the Japanese in the Ryeshitelhl
affair, and the Mikado's orders to allow
non-combatants to leave Port Arthur
merely deepens the painful impression
indicating as 1t does, the belief OF the
highest Japanese authorities in the imml-
nence of the fall of Port Arthur.
The humane motives behind this move
of the Mikado are largely discounted here
by the anger caused by the Japanese at
tack upon the disabled torpedo boat de-
stroyer at Che Foo.