Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-23
MAkAROFF'S DEATH.
Viceroy Alexieff Makes Official Report
to the Gar.

st. Petersburg. April 1.-The text of
| Nlceroy AleXi"nS report to the emperor
concerning the PetropaVlovsk disaster and
| the torpedo boat engagement which pre-
cede! it. reads as follows:
| Il respectfully submit to Your Majesty
| that on April II the whole effective squad
ron at Port Arthur sailed out six miles
to the southwark to maneuver ana to-
| wards evening returned to port. On April
L. tlotilIa of eight torpedo boat destroy
| erS went out to inspect the islands. hav.
| ing received orders to attack the enemy
| should he be encountered IN the course
OF the night
! owing to the darkness and heavy rain
| three of the destroyers becam" separated
from the hotila. two of which returned
| to Port Arthur at dawn. The third how
ever, the Strashni having, according to
| the evidence of her Seamcn, encountered
several japanese deStrOyers. took them in
the darkness for Russian ships and. giving
the signal Of recognition, Joined them at
dawn. She was recognized by the enemy
and there was Il fight at close quarters
in which her commander midShipman and
ed. Malieff. her lieutenant, although
wounded, continued firing on the enemy.
AT dawn IN April 49, the cruiser Bayan
went out. preceded by deStroy"rS, and
hurried to the rescue. About II miles
from Port Arthur the Bayan saw the
destroyer Strashni engaged with four Jap
ancst destroyerS. Shortly afterwards an
explosion occurred and the Strashni sank.
fire. the Bayan approached the scene of
he fight lowered her boats and had time
to save the remnant of the destIoyers
crew Unfortunately only five men were
swimming. Their lives We're saved.
The cruiser was obliged to fight on her
Stdrhoard side with six Japanese cruisers
which came up. Having picked up her
boats the Bayan regaincd the harbor. suf-
fering no damage or loss although covered
with fragments of shells.
THE cruiser Diana and five deStroyerS
haSteHed to her S'Iccor ana at the same
| time the other cruisers the battleships
PctropaVloVSk and PoltaVd. ANA some de
StroyerS came out from the rOddStCad and
the other battleShips loft the harhor. In
| column formation with the H&yan at the
head and the dcStroyerS on the flank
Vice Admiral Makaroff proceeded to TIN"
scene of the StraShni'S fight whittier NOR
Japanese dcstroycrs and cruisers Were
approaching.
| after q short fusiladc ut 20 cable
| lcntGhs distance 10000 yards the ships
| drew off.
IA squadron of nine japanese battle
ships appeared at so \. NJ. and our ships
| retired toward Port Arthur. In the road
| stead they were rcjoincd by the battle.
ships Pobicda. Peresvict and SevaStopol,
which were coming out through tn" chan
mel. The squadron was drawn up i'll the
following order: Askod, RaYan. Diana,
P"tropavlovsk. Pcrtsvict. Pobieda. Novik.
| five dcstroycrs and two torpedo cruisers.
| They turned toward the left. hut when
approaching the mouth Of the channel the
drstroycrS were Sgnallcd to return to the
harbor and the cruisers to proceed Ma :
| neuvering. with the P@tropavlovSk at
their head. the squadron turned to the
east making toward the enemy on their
right.
AT 943 A. NJ an explosion occurred at
the right side of the Pctropavlovsk: then
a second and more violent explosion under
her bridge. a thick column of Er""nish-
yellow smoke was seen to rise from the
battleship. her mast. funnel. hrldgc ana
turrct were thrown up and the hattlcship
hcclcd over on her Starboard side. Her
noon arose from the water. showing her
screw working in the air. The P"tropav-
lovsk was surrounded by flames and in
two minutes sank bow first.
Some of her crew escaped. The cruiser
(Gunhoat Gayda which was cabl"
length GOO YARDS away, lowered boats ana
succeeded in rcscuing Grand Duke Cyril
and AZ seamen. The deStroYerS and boats
from the Poltava and ASkold also picked
M some of the Petropavlovsk's crew.
| Altogether seven officers and al men We're
saved The Poltava, which was following
tho Petronavlovsk two cable lengths
nstcrn, stopped her engines and remained
on the scene of the disaster.
AT a signal from Rear Admiral Ouk-
| tomskv the other warships made for the
entrance of the harbor. maneuvcrinS to-
wards the Percsvict in line. a mine eN-
| pIodcd under the starboard side of the
pobicda She listed but proceeded and
entered the harbor with all the other
| ships astern Of her. The enemy remained
in sight until ) o'clock and then dis
appeared -,
| The night preceding the sortie. of the
su,ladron. lights and outlines of ships
were seen in tn" distance from the road
| stead and the commanders of the ilnot
| kcpt watch in person until dawn from the
| cruiser Diana. stationed in the outer ROAD
stead. He left here at i o. clock III the
! morning. 49,
I'm conclusion I take the liberty OF an
nouncing respectfully that despite the Ill
success that has followed the Pacinc meet
| the crews of the ships retain their morale
and are ready to perform all duties re.
| ,,uircd of them. The gracious words 81
Your Majesty addressed to the seamch at
| this painful hour of trial serve as con-
ISOLATION and a support to all the force IN
their efforts to overcome the enemy. 10
the glory of their beloved sovereign ana
| their country.