The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-06-27
TOGO TELLS OF BATTLE.
Eight Desperate Attacks Made by
Japs on Russian Fleet.

ElSSnG desperate ACtackS MADE Dy
Japs ON Russian Fleet.
Toxic, June 26.-6 p.m.-(Delayed
in transmission -Admiral Togos de-
tailed report Of his effective attack on
Port Arthur last Thursday night
reached Toxic today.
The report confirms the reported
destruction of Russian battleship Of
the Peresviet type, the disabling of a
battleship Of the Sevastopol class and
Diana and the injuring of torpedo
destroyer, but throws no light on the
| Russian plan. M
| The entire Russian fleet steamed
! out to. sea in line Of battle. Suddenly
! when within $4,000 metres Of the Jap
anese fleet the Russian fleet refused
| battle and steamed back to an anchor
age outside the harbor, where, during
the night, the Japanese destroyers and
| torpedo boats made eight desperate
attacks upon it.
The Russian vessels re-entered the
harbor on Friday, since which time
they have failed to .reappear. In his
report Admiral Togo says:
THE exit of the Russian fleet from
Port Arthur harbor began early
| Thursday. The battleships Peresviet,
Poltava, Sevastopol, the armored
cruiser Bayan, the protected cruisers
Palada, Diana, Askold and Novik
| l.
clearing mines. A warning flashed by
wireless telegraph by the Japanese
patrol brought Admiral Togo's fleet at
full speed to a series Of pre-arranged
stations. Three hotillas3 Of Japanese
destroyersa and torpedo boats steamed
watched the Russian vessels. "a
AT II. O'Clock the Russian battle
ships Czarevitch, Retvizan and Po-
bieda Joined the other Russian ships
outside the harbor. Several steamers
were engaged in clearing and explod-
! ing mines in order to make a passage
seward.
4 Captain Asai, commanding the
Japanese torpedo f1otilla, attacked the
vessels engaged in clearing the mines
and hammered the work. At o'clock
several Russian destroyers appeared
and the Japanese vigorously attacked
them. One of the Russian destroyers
which was hit and set on fire retreated
to the harbor burning. The Novik at
tackled the Japanese who scurried
away.
The vessels engaged in clearing the
harbor finally made passage and the
Novik led the Russian fleet seaward.
''In the meantime Admiral Togo
concealed the positions of his ships
and at four o'clock sent the third
squadron out into vision Of the Rus
slams with the object of drawing them
1 StdWdtu. LIE IuSSldI 1l0eI SCOOu
southeastward and then southwark.
During this time Admiral Togo had
concealed his first squadron south Of
Gugan Rock.
"As the Russians approached Adj
miral Togo assembled his fleet and
prepared to attack. At 6:15 pm. the
Russians were in plain sight eight
miles northwest of Gugan Rock. The
i Czarevitch led and the nine others
followed in a single line. The Novik
and destroyers were placed at the
right of the line. Admiral Togo wait
ed with battlefiags flying from all the
tops. The japanese fleet formation
represented the first letter Of the Jap
anese alphabet inverted.
/ At 1880 pm. the Russians headed
for the Japanese and Admiral Togo
,veered slightly to the right In order to
Russian formation. At eight pm. the
Russians changed their course and
headed northward. Admiral Togo fol-
lowed In long single line headed by
torpedo boats to prepare for an attack
after shutdown. At 1922 pm. the
small fotilla swung around the rear
ward the Russians at full speed
AT $50 the fourteenth fotilla de-
livered the first attack on the Russian
fleet now in the rear Of a point five
miles outside the entrance to Port Ar
thur. Immediately afterwards the
t fifth fotilla delivered a second attack
was impossible for 1t to retreat quick
ly into the harbor on account of the
!, narrownass OF the channel and low
/ tide. At 1920 pm. the Russian feet
! anchored In a single line extending
, from the foot Of Wantsuching fort to
the base Of Chentachan.
t During the night the torpedo fotil-
las kept up constant attack on the
Russian fleet, going in eight times"
The most effective attack was that
Il Of the Sixteenth hotilla, which at 1890
pm. caught the Russians rounding
Shen-sIen.
''The first-class torpedo boat
; sent two torpedoes into a battleshiI
Of the Peresviet class She was seen
to sink in a volume of smoke and fire
Other effects Of the attacks were not
observed on account Of the heavy fir
ing, which cast volumes Of water over
the f1otiila, and the heavy cannonadine
, which rent the air, the searchlights
: from the ships and forts also binding
! the Japanese.
!. AT dawn Friday reconnaissance OF
the entrance was made by the fourth
and fifth fotillas, whose report con.
, f1rmed that of the patrol ships as tc
the Russian loss.''
Admiral Togo says the moonligh,
and the narrow line Of the enemy pre-.
vented his fleet from inf1icting greater
damage.
The japanese loss was Unexpectedly
small. The DESTROYER Shirakuma
3 was struck In the cabin and three o,
ed. The frst-class torpedoboa
! Chidori was struck in the engine.
, room; torpedoboats 81, Sc and So were
damaged. The others engaged wert