Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-11
DESCRIPTION OF BATTLE.
Member, OF British Crew Tells of At
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Che Foo. Feb, "a member of the crow
Of the Columbia tells this story of the
Nava! battle at Port Arthur:
'Thc Columbia was lying in the road
stead, surrounded by IA Russian battle
ships and cruisers. At 1l:30 O'Clock Mon
day night severe shock was felt on
board the Columbia. The Russians immc-
diately commenced to operate their
scarchlights and opened fire toward the
sea. The firing lasted only "A short time.
At one o'clock more shocks were felt and
the Russians again commenced firing
"The Japanese did not return the fire.
At two o'clock two Russian battloships
went in and We're hcached across the en-
trance Of the harbor. They were soon
followed by Il Russian cruiser, which also
was hcachcd None of the vessels were
| damaged above the water line More
shocks from torpedoos were felt during
the early morning and then all was quiet.
"ht ten o'clock Tuesday morning three
Japancsc cruisers passed Port Arthur IN
sight of the Russian fleet. The whole
Russian fleet Immediately weighed anchor
and went after them but returned III hall
an hour"
SECOND ATTACK BY JAPANESE.
The Russians left one cruiser outsid,
to watch for the Japanese ships. Tn.
cruiser was fired upon by the Japanes,
| ard the other Russian vessels took VI
| their anchors and cruised around the road
stead. The japanese fleet came up with
in three miles and "A battle commenced
The japanese fired on The ships and forts
which replied. Two Russian ships wer'
| struck by shells. but were only slight,
| damaged. The Russian fire fell shol /
The Columbia steamed away while TN
battle was in progress but later saw th
Japanese tleet leave. one Japanese crlIis
or with torpedo boats is reported north o
! che Foo.
The two battleships disabled are tho
IOltaya and the CzareVitCh. The dis
hbled armorcd cruiser Hoyarin and the
grounded battlcships block the entrance
4 to the harbor, preventing gunhoats from
getting out and battleships and cruiser;
from going in and getting coal. Besides
this Japan has tho Russian gunboa Is
Nariag and koratz caught at Chemulpo
They were bound for Nladvostock.
The Japanese fleet was under comma NJ
of ceAdmiral Togo and consisted o
four fast cruisers, the Chtose, Kasagi
Tagafaso and Yashima, which circled out
side, drawing the fire of the Russians
They then joined the main fleet and al
went in to attack the armOrcd cruisers
In the japanese fleet which consisted o
two divisions, We're the Mikasa, the flag
ship: the first-claSs battleships Ashi Full
Ona shima, Shkashima, lintsuse and thu
despatch boat Tatsuma The second di
vision Of the fleet under command OF Ad
miral Kamimura on the flagship Idsumo
consisted of the armored cruisers Yakima
/ Asama and lwatzc.
When seen by The steamer Foo Cho,
Tuesday morning, the fast cruisers wer
circling in a radius Of six miles No tor
pcdo boats were seen and it is probapl
that thcy left the vicinity after the tor
podo attack of Monday night. The Rus
sian fleet outside of the harbor consiste
Of the battleships Petropaulovsk, flag
ship; Peresviet, sub-hagship; Tobiodf
Poltava. Czarevitch, Rotvzan and SebaS