The Penn's Grove record., 1904-10-28
BRITISH VESSELS
ARE FIRED ON
Hull and Gamecock Fishing Boats
Struck by Russian Fleet.
ENGLAND DEMANDS PREPARATION
Home, Mediterranean and Channel
Squadrons Ready For Emergency.
WAR SEEMS NOT UNLIKELY

Two Sailors Slain and Many Wounded by
Shrapne1 - The Foreign Office Takes
Immediate Action - King Edward
Sends Note of Sympathy to Stricken
People-Public Feeling Runs High
The Gear Sends Note of Regret-All
Leaves of Absence in English Navy
Have Been Called OF.
London, England.-The Russian Bal
tic fleet has opened it's career as the
second Pacific squadron with an out
rage so amazing that but for q
tionable evidence it would be beyond
belief.
Part of the fleet, supposed 10 be the
battleship squadron, after it emerged
from the Danish straits, steered a
course for the English Channel. At
about midnight it came across the Hull
fishing fleet, which either in panic or
uncomfortable ignorance the Russians
must have mistaken for a Japanese
torpedo boat flotilla.
This is the only explanation at pres
ent that cal be offered for the terrible
fact that the Russian warships opened
fire OIL the defenceless fishermen with
shrapnel, maintaining their fusilade,
according to the fishermen who eS-
capped, for twenty minutes. sinking at
least trawler and scattering death
and wounds among the crews.
Not the least d~isgraceful feature of
the tragedy is the fact that the war
ships continued their course without
attempting to rescue the victims or
even to ascertain the extent of the
damage they had done. Tie only sug-
gestion that is offered i'll p%alliation Of
this inhumanity is that the Russians
were so overcome by panic that they
did their utmost to escape the mag
ired enemy.
The earliest news of the affair was
brought to Hull by the trawlers Mino
and Moulmein, both of which were Sc
riously damaged by shot. The Moul-
mein had sixteen holes in her hull.
Her skipper says that the fleet was
fishing about 200 miles east by north
of Spurn Head at 1 o'clock in the MORN
ing. The weather waS rather haZy,
when the outlines of several large YES
sells, apparently warships, sailing in a
line, were sighted.
While the fishermen were Interested
~ watching the vessels s"earchlights
were flashed on the trawlers, and those
on the Moulmein were enabled by the
light to see torpedo boats approaching.
1t seemed that they were going to
board the Moulmein, but they turned
and steamed away.
Within a short space one of the war;
ships opened fire, and the crews real
lied with horror that their boats were
being made targets of by warships.
First m and then another of the
eHawlerS was struck.
Most of the crews sought shelter be-
low, but fortunately for those OH the
Moulmein they did not. for the firing
had not lasted long before what seemed
to be a round shot struck her on the
port side and passed through the YES
sci where the men would have been
had they gone below.
The Mino, which was near the Moul-
mein, was struck several times. Hap
PLY each shot hit her above the water
line. None of her crew was hurt.
The firing continued for about twen-
ty minutes. when it ceased and the
warships steamed to inc southwark.
When the firing ceased the fleet
sailed away to the southwark, and
soon afterward rockets were sent up
from one of the other trawlers. The
Moulmein steamed in the direction Of
the spot indicated, and, getting near,
cries were heard, and it was found
that the trawler Crane, of the Game
cock fleet, had been so badly damaged
that she was sinking.
Another trawler of the Gamecock
feet had arrived and was taking off
the injured members of the Cranes
crew. They included the engineer,
who had a wound in the chest, sup
posed to be from a splinter, and an
other man who had his hand shot off.
These men and others were placed on
board the Great Northern mission YES
sci, where their injuries were attend
ed to, those of the engineer being stat
ed to be very serious.
These cases, however, were not the
worst, for on the deck of the Crane
were her skipper, George Smith, and
her second hand, both of whom had
had their heads shot away.
Great Britain sent 4 long and urgent
note to the Russian Government, Off
cially detailing the circumstances of
the attack.
Special stress was laid on the cal
l%ousness displayed by the Russians in
not going to the assistance of the fish
ermen.
The text of the note has not been
given out, but it is officially stated
from the Foreign Office that it contains
the significant announcement that the
situation is one which does not brook
TO Stimulate Our Sympathy.
Prince Fushima's visit to this coun-
try is believed to be due to a desire
to stimulate the waning p~ro-Japanese
car+in,oY4 II, ,porioo