The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-04-22
WAR NOTES.
Official Report of the Sinking OF the
Russian Batteship.

Press has obtained what is probably
the official version of the sinking OF
the battleship Petropavlovsk. This
version follows:
Retiring before the advance or a
superior Japanese feet, while not fight
ing its progress, the Russian squad
ron approached the entrance to the
harbor. 1t was shortly after CLOCK
in the morning and most of the officers
and crew were at breakfast on the flag
ship. Vice Admiral Makaroff was eat
ing breakfast in his cabin, and the
forward room was crowded with Off
GERS surrounding the tables. On the
bridge Grand Duke Cyril, his friends
Lientenants Won Kobe, Captain Jak-
ovleff, commanding the vessel, and two
other officers were on watch, examin-
ing the narrow entrance preparatory
to entering it. At about $3.50 there
was a terrible explosion of the boilers,
followed a few seconds later by de-
tonation from the well stored maya
zines.
Huge gaps were torn in the hull OF
the ship and the water rushed in. The
center of gravity having gone, the
ship rolled on her side and sank.
All information tends to prove that
mine was responsible for the destruc-
ton of the Petropavlovsk.
Rear Admiral Oufftomsky wires from
Port Arthur that the Bezstrashni, one
of the Russian torpedo boat destroy
ers sent out during the night to re-
connoiter, became separated from the
rest of the fleet owing to bad weather
prevailing, was surrounded by Japan
csc torpedo boat destroyers and sunk
in the fight. Five men were saved
1t has been definitely decided that
Vice Admiral Skrydloff, commander of
the Black Sea fleet, will succeed the
late Admiral Makaroff as commander
in chief Of the Russian naval forces In
the far east.
A Chinese officer says that the Chi
nese northern army consists Of 100, 900
men, perfectly equipped and COM
manded by numerous officers, among
whom are 100 disguised Japanese. Half
of the troops are along the Manchu-
rian frontier and the other half in the
province of Pechili."
At Kobe, Japan, it is asserted in ma
val circles that the Japanese arrang-
ed to lay 80 mines at the entrance to
Port Arthur and then entice the Rus
SLAMS out. The mines were placed in
position and Port Arthur bombarded
April 10. Several Russian ships, be-
sides the Petropavlovsk were damaged.
1t is reported that a Japanese army
of 10000 men, attempting to land from
ships, were attacked by Russians and
driven back, with heavy loss, to the
ships.
Admiral Togo's squadron again bonn
barded Port Arthur, but did no mate
rial damage to the town or Russian
squadron Seven Chinese on land were
killed and four soldiers and several
Chinese wounded.
The Russians are now trying to fig
ure out that the sinking OF the Pet
ropavlovsk was due to torpedo or
mine placed in the channel by jap
anese torpedo boat that slipped in
under cover of darkness.
Russia has again called out the re-
serves and will send four more army
corps to the seat of war. General Kou-
ropatkin will remain on the defensive
until he is certain he can crush the
Japanese.
The imperial palace at Seoul was
burned recently. The fire began in
the evening and lasted throughout the
night. Only the ruins of the palace
remain. The emperor and his suite
seeded in escaping to a nearby ref
uge
Whether the battleship Petropav-
lovsk was sunk by a Japanese or a
Russian mine continues to be mucn
discussed topic, but official Russia
denies that the Japanese laid mines
in the roadstead at Port Arthur.
Admiral Togo gives his official re-
port of the latest attack at Port Ar
thur in which he says the Japanese
laid mines, blew up a battleship and
sank torpedo boat of the enemy, be-
sides bombarding the town.
Viceroy Alexieff has taken over the
command of the RUSSIAN fleet at Port
Arthur and raised his flag on board
the battleship Sevastopol.
There are now only two unchanged
battleships-the Peresviet and the Sc
vastopol-in the harbor at Port Ar
thur, but some of the damaged vessels
have been repaired although their ex-
act number and condition are not
known.