The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1904-03-30

Japan and Russia. The eyewitness
was G. F. Curtis, an American attor-
ney. who escaped from the battered
Russian city on the steamer Flu Plng
and wrote the following account for
the San Francisco Examiner as soon
as he was landed at Shanghai:
There was revelry in Port Arthur
on the night of Feb. 8. No one In
dulged n thought of danger The
cafes. the theaters, the circus we're
open and agleam. Many naval officers
were ashore. Many officers from the
forts mingled in the revel. Men OF
the feet and of the Notifications were
on leave. There was feasting ana
dancing. The wine popped, women
dimpled, men laughed and made love-
Then, as upon the riot on the night
before Waterloo, heavy sound broke
in. There was pause and some asked
queer questions. Again and again
come the thunderous sound. All
knew It was the roaring of great guns.
But the revelry went on. Nobody
shifted battle. The guns were the
guns of the forts at the harbor mouth,
men said There was some practicing
going on-practicing against the re.
mote possibility of a night attack by
the Japanese in case of war. This
war would be averted by diplomacy
nothing to fear, nothing to fear
Admiral Stark had been in attend.
ance on a dinner. He had no word
that war had been declared, He
fingered over the wine and basked In
the smiles of the pretty women. IL
was 2 o'clock In the morning OF the
9th when the admirals ear caught The
first boom of gun. He recognized
the note as that of one of the disap-
pearing canon of the land batteries
1t disturbed him not. But by and by
his quick ear detected another note
the cry of his own guns. He
had ordered no firing at night, so he
began to take shrewder notice. Still
no thought of war seemed to fieck his
merrymaking.
But the first of the cool dawn, when
the later jewellers were seeking their
homes, showed the grim results Of the
daring night attack by the Japanese.
Two of Russia's greatest battleships,
the Cesarevitch and the Retvizan,
were ashore at the entrance to the
harbor, almost completely blockading
that narrow way. outside the harbor
a transport and a cruiser were on the
beach. Then everybody knew that
war had begun and the news of the
night was whispered from white lips
into startled ears.
That is how Japan caught Russia
off her guard and inflicted a Gripping
blow. The sounds Of the night ant
the sights OF the morning were com
mon to all of u.s. but now let me give
to you the story and experiences q;
! Capt. Gray of the Flu Ping as he gav'
them to me.
The Flu Ping is the property Of tht
Chinese Engineering and Mining COM
pany. Capt Gray saw at once tina
the harbor of Port Arthur WIS nj
place for his peaceful craft. He saw
too, that there was much QUlsLi II "a
To whether he could navigate Ter be
tween the two stranded Russian war
ships. the Cesarevitch having he
stern against the eastern rank ant
swinging her bow toward She othe
shore, while the stern Of the Retvi2a,
was on the western ledge and he
bow extending well over toward tina
of the Cesarevitch.
So Capt. Gray started out In eli
to ascertain the conditions at the han
Dor entrance. With him were FRS
Engineer Robertson, Second Enginee
Kay and Second Officer Duncan, wit
crew of four Chinese sailors. Tn
gig passed out between the battle
ships, where the harbor entrance
not over 1900 feet in width, and r.
connoitered the beached cruiser an
transport.
Suddenly a big shell fell into III
water not more than half dozen fee
from the gig: It exploded and sent
mass Of water to a great height, par
: ly filling the gig and drenching all
: the skin.
One of the Cinnamon was cut G
the head by a piece of shell. He bic
: profusely, and at once he and his Cf
nese comrades jumped overheard ar
: swan ashore. They at once scuttl'
away, leaving the officers OF the I
Ping to manage the gig as best tn.
might
Capt Gray saw that the shell can
= from the Japanese feet. 1t was hr,
at ll:l0 a. m. and was the openiI
= gun of the days battle. Capt CIR,
and his comrades were In the midd
y OF things. and they immediate
beached the gig and sought shelf
under a ledge Of rocks near the ha
Dor entrance. From there they had
= full view of what followed-an aw
l. inspiring sight
u The Japanese fleet steamed up Al
. down about three miles off the harb
mouth, and the Russians sent O
8 English Painters Unique Honor.