The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-04-21
THE RUSSIAN -JANANESE WAR
Japan's Statement.

Washington, Special.-The Japanese
legation received the following cable
gram, dated Toxic, April 16:
Admiral Togo reports that the
combined fleet, as previously planned,
commenced on April 18th the eighth
attack On Port Arthur The fourth and
the fifth destroyer fiotilla and the
fourteenth torpedo fotilla and the
Koryomaru reached the mouth Of Port
Arthur at midnight of the 18th, and
effected the laying of mines at several
points outside the port, defying the
enemy's searchlights. The second de-
stroyer fctilla discovered at dawn OF
the 18th one Russian destroyer trying
to enter the harbor, and after ten min
utes' attack. sunk her. Another Rus
sian destroyer was discovered coming
from the direction Of Laotishan and
was attacked, but she managed to flee
into the ha-bor. On our side no casual
ties, except two seamen on the 1ka-
zuchi slightly wounded. There was no
time to rescue the enemy's drowning
crew as the Bayan approached. The
third feet reached outside Of Port Ar
thur at a. m, when the Bayan came
out and opened fire. Immediately af-
terward the Novik, Askold, Diana, Pet
ropavlovsk, Pobieda and Poltava came
out and made an offensive attack.
Our third fleet, hardly answering, en-
ticed the enemy fifteen miles south
east Of the port, when our first fleet,
informed through wireless telegraphy
flom the third feet, suddenly appeared
before the enemy and attacked them.
While the enemy was trying to regain
the port, battleship struck mines laid
by us the previous evening, and sunk
at 1922 a. m. Although the ship was
observed to be sinking, she finally man.
aged to regain the port. Our third
feet suffered no damage, and the enc
my's damage, besides that above men
toned, is probably slight also. Our
first feet did not reach firing distances.
Our fleets at l p. m, prepared for an
other attack. They re-sailed April IA
toward Port Arthur. The second, the
fourth and fifth destroyer fotillas
and the ninth torpedo flotilla also join
ed us at a. m, and at a. m. No
enemys ships were found outside OF
the port. Our first fleet arrived at the
port at 9 a. m, and discovered three
rlines laid by the enemy and Destroy
ers. The Kasagu and Nissin were dis
patched to the west of Laotishan, and
made, indirect bombardment for two
hours. it being their first action. The
new forts on Laotishan were finally
s;lenced. Our forces retired at 1:30
p. M"
PetropavIovsk Was Torpedoed.
London, By Cable.-No further news
from Japanese sources concerning the
Port Arthur disasters has reached Lon
don.
The Daily Nails Chez Foo corre-
spondent declares that advices from
both Russian and Japanese sources in
dicate that the battleship Petropa-
vlovsk was torpedoed. BY pretence
of an attack on the harbor by the
enemy, Admiral Makaroff, says the
correspondent, was enticed outside OF
the Japanese torpedo boats, which crept
behind him and awaited his return, and
dealt the blow as he was nearing the
harbor on the return.
Character of the Petropavlovsk.
st. Petersburg, BY Cable.-The Pc
tropavlovsk, which had twice previous
ly been reported damaged by Japanese
attacks on Port Arthur, was a first
class battleship Of 10,960 tons displace-
ment and 1923 indicated horsepower.
She was 267Ia feet long, had 50 feet
beam and her armored belt was of
about 16 inches of steel, with 10 inches
cf steel armor on her turrets. Her ar
n.ament consisted of 4 Pinch, II g.
itch. "a smaller guns and torpedo
tubes. The complement Of the Petro-
Iavlovsk, when fully manned, was 700
men. She was built at st. Petersburg
and was completed in 1898.