The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-02-24
STORY OF A BATTLE.
The Whole Truth About the First
Fight at Port Arthur.
JAPs LOST THREE WAR VESSELS.
What an English Correspondent Says
About the Losses Of the Rus
slams and the Japanse
War Ships.


War Ships.
There has been a great deal written
about the first battle between the
japanese and Russians at Port Arthur.
1t was claimed that the Russians lost
three vessels, while the japanese loss
was nothing. These dispatches came
from japanese sources, as was censor
ed to suit them. 1t now appears that
the japanese lost more than the Rus
slams. The correspondent of the Lon
don Morning Post, which paper is op-
posed to the Russians and in favor of
the japanese, cabling from Manchuria
to his paper on Wednesday says:
II have just reached here by special
train from Port Arthur, and, to save
time, have written my account while
travelling on locomotive. About
midnight on Monday. Feb. 9th, the
town was reused by the firing Of big
guns. I hastened to hill battery
and saw that six japanese torpedo
boats had approached within half a
mile OF the Russian fleet and were
showing lights, tunnels and signals
just like those Of the Russians. The
japanese torpedo boats crept quite
close to the Russian ships before they
were discovered.
Each of the japanese boats dis
charged torpedoes, three of which
took effect, striking the battleships
Tsareyitch and Retzivan and the
cruiser Pallada. The three damaged
ships returned to the harbor to avoid
sinking.
Notwithstanding the continuous fire
from the ships and forts, four Of the
japanese torpedo boats escaped. One,
however, was sunk, and another.
which was in a sinking condition, was
deserted by her crew and was after
wards captured by the Russians.
The action ceased at 3 a. m. The
loss on the Russian ships was eight
killed and twenty wounded. Apart
from the disablement of three Russian
ships, the damage done to the fleet
and forts was not very great. There
were many Russian torpedo boat de-
stroyers in the harbor, but they were
not ready to resist the attack. The
japanese, in fact, created great deal
of surprise, not only by their unex
pected onslaught, but by the prompt
ness and bravery with which they
acted.
On Tuesday morning, Feb. 9. news
arrived from Dalny that the japanese
fleet was steering westward, in attack
formation. 1t came in sight about II
a. m. There were in all fifteen ships,
two lines of battle-six battleships
six frst-class cruisers and three Sec
ond class; cruisers. The Russians had
outside thirteen large vessels, under
Admiral Stark, on the flagship Petro-
pavlovak, and Rear Admiral Prince
Moktompsky, on the flagship Peres-
Wet, excluding the Pallada and the
Tsarevitch, the latter the flagship OF
Rear Admiral Mollas. and the Retvi-
san, which was lying aground across
the inner harbor entrance. 1t was
low water.
The action was commenced by the
big guns of the land battery. The
morning was dull, with light wind,
and the heavy smoke rendered it diff
cult to observe the details Of the ac-
tion, but I witnessed all that was pos
sible from Beacon Hill, opposite the
entrance to the harbor, in line OF the
fire. Two shells fell near US and
about twenty others fell in the old
town and the western hari:or where
many steamers flying neutral flags
were anchored. After the commence
ment of the action all Of the people
fled toward a hill outside the town,
under protection.
A little while after the first shell
was fired big 12-inch one exploded,
smashing the Office fronts Of the Suen-
berg's Yalu Concessions Company,
and the Russo-C Chinese bank. The
streets were then entirely deserted
but the local police kept splendid
order. There was no looting; women
and children we're very brave. On
both sides I encountered over 800
shells, few CT which reached the mark.
Others did not explode. During the
action several merchant steamers out
side the roads moved their position,
but none was allowed to leave its an
chorage in the harbor.
Regiments from the adjoining bar
racks and camps came pouring through
the town to take up defensive posi-.
tions in the event Of the japanese
landing. The japanese warships
steamed slowly past, in line Of battle,
to the westward and about four miles
off, each vessel beginning to fire when
opposite the Russian ships, which were
two miles off shore. The action be-
came general. There was no maneu-
vering, simply heavy and fast firing.
The firing ceased at noon, the ia
panese ships withdrawing to the
southwark, having lost one battleship
and one large cruiser put out Of action.
One small boat was chased and
sunk by the Novik (Russian), which
afterward received a shell at the wa
ter line, but reached port all right,
Admiral Stark signalling We'll done"
while all the rest Of the feet cheered
her arrival.
Even the three Russian ships
aground fired during the action.
Afterward the Tsarevitch got off at
high water and was towed into
large basin, where she is now being
repaired The Pallada effected her
own repairs and rejoined the fleet.
The Retvisan was still aground when
left. The casualties on the Russians
side were twenty-five killed and sixty
four wounded. Nearly half of the
casualties occurred on the Pallada and
the Noyik.
The japanese fleet sailed southwark