The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-06-01
IAPAN'S NAVAL HERO.
Whole Land Rings With Praise
Of Captain Hirose.
BIS POEMS REoITED EVERYWHERE

Details OF the Life Of the Gallant
Commander Who Was KilIed In
che second Attempt 90 block Up
Fort Arthur-Toved Russian Girl,
but Would not Wed Defeated
Three Russian Giants At wrestling.
Edwin Emerson, Jrs star CORE
spondent Of tile New York World at
Tokyo, Japan, sends TO hls paper the
following sketch Of Japan's naval he.
70 Of the present war
All Japan rings today with the fame
Of Taxed Hirose, the first great naval
hero Of Japanese Russian war The
mikado has conferred posthumous hon-
ors on him and his name; life pension
has been granted to his family. The
poets Of Japan are singing his praises
In stirring ballads His own poems,
breathing pnrest patriotism. are being
reeited everywhere
Pictures Of TIirose adorn all the book
stalls; highly colored prints immortal
izing his exploits are hawked about by
gogai men and vendors on the streets.
The Navy Club Of Japan started
movement to erect a bronze statue to
Hirose in Heblya park at Tokyo, aud
within week after the her0's death
enough money was subscribed 10 III
sure the erection Of the statue. Alukai
Katsuyagi the great sculptor Of the
japanese nation. has promised to com
pIete the statue within two months.
and has refused to accept money for
his labor Of love
For it was Takeo Hirose who was
killed in Admiral Togo's second at-
tempt TO block up Port Arthur on March
27: who was leader 81 the forlorn hope.
who set out to sink themselves and
their ships IN the harbor's mouth: who
was literally blown to pieces by a pro
Jectile from q Russian quick firing gun
while seeking to save the life Of his
friend and companion and subordinate,
Petty Officer Sngino
II was Hirose who led the first at
tack at Port Arthur on the night of
March %. and for his remarkable gall
iantry then the mikado promoted and
doubly decorated him, honors which
reached him only day before his Ia
mented death
Hirose IN bis poetic temperament as
well as IN his dauntless spirit. truly
represented tie old warrior class Of
Japan, the samurai He was a scion
of the family OF Kiku Chi, one Of the
ancient lighting clan Of Japan. Born
at Oltaken, near Takeda, Ia the first
year of the Meiji era t1s6s), he grew
up in the country and received his
early training in a country school
Entering the naval academy at the
| age Of nineteen, lie distinguished him
SELF III nowise except ~ his passionate
fondness for sw0rdsmanship, as taught
with the cutlass by an English fencing
master, and by his prowess as q
| wrestler.
Hirose FIRST proved his bravery In the
war with China Then he first met
sngino. d common sailor, who diyed
overheard after a live torpedo, which
had been thrown into the water, that
he might diseonnect the fuse and 80
render 1t harmless TO the other 3apa-
nese torpedo boats After the war
| with China Lieutenant Hirose, who
spoke Russian and French well. was
sent as naval attache to the Japanese
i legation at st. Petersburg. lie came
into prominence there through Q
wager
at o banquet Russian officer de-
clared that japanese. SO small Of stat
IRE. could not, as individuals hold
! their own III any war Hirose smilingly
dehed- any three Russians to overcome
him ut wrestling Roars Of laughter
greeted the challenge, for Hirosei
nrowess was little suspected In IN
Japanese art Of self defense, jiu iitsu
At last. for the fun Of it, the Russial
officer sent for three large and sturd'
: soldiers. One after another the iittl
! Japanese threw the giants.
The story spread quickly through u
2 military and naval clubs II reaehe
: the cars ears. When Hirose next q
: tended a court function the car aske
him to give a private exhibition q i
Z iitsu by wrestling with man famon
for his skill and strength. Again ~
small Japanese proved himself the pc
ter man.
Blrose remained In ST. Petersbur
I three years The daughter "a 2 ku'
i sian naval officer who y now q fea
g admiral fell IN love with the gailar
s Young japanese Her father wh
= greatly admired Hirose, let It be eoi
weed to him that he would not be q