Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-03-25
JAPANESE RENEW
COMMANDMENT
Port Arthur Is Again Sub
iected to a Rain Of
Shells.
RUSSIAN REPLY IS VIGOROUS
One Japanese Battieship Is Forced
to Draw OF Japanese Fleet Con-
sisted of Six Battleships and Twelve
Cruisers - Russian Losses Slight

London, March ga correspond
ent Of the Times at Toxic under yes
,erday's date cables that it is rumor'
ed that the Japanese have succeeueo
IN blockadinc the entrance to Port
Arthur.
st. Petersburg, March 23.--Another
attack by the Japanese fleet on for'
Arthur, beginning with operations py
torpedo boats and ending with pom
bardment by battleships and cruisers
took place after midnight on MONDAY.
The dispatches to the emperor from
Viceroy Alexeff and private lnfofma'
ton shows that the Russians suffered
no serious damage, having put n'e
killed and ten wounded.
Vice Admiral Makaroff claims that
one of the Japanese vessels was
struck by she'll.
The emperor received the first mes
sage regarding the attack late yester'
day afternoon, but nothing was al
,wed to reach the public until ~
o'clock last night.
All information which has reached
st. Petersburg shows that the deteno'
ers of Port Arthur had taken serious
ly to heart the coup of the Japanese
war, and were now maintaining
sharp lookout.
The Japanese torpedo boats were
twice discovered sneaking towards
the harbOr entrance under cover or
darkness, but both times they were
detected far out at sea and were
driven off by the hot fire opened on
them. The breaking of day necessar-
lily prevented further torpedo boat
operations, but Admiral Togo brought
up his battleships and cruisers. The
division of his fleet was for the pur-
pose of making a cross fire upon the
harbor in the hope of destroying the
town and of damaging the Russian
ships lying in the basin or at least
u demoraliZing the personnel OF the
defending force.
The bombardment Of March 9
showed to the Russians the advant-
age to the enemy of the position Off
-Liaotishin which Vice Admiral Togo's
ships took up this morning, and Vice
Admiral Makaroff sought to minimize
his advantage by SO stationing the
battleship Retvisan that her shells
could reach the Japanese battleships.
The fact that the Retvisan was used
Tor this purpose proves the falsity of
he report that her great guns had
oeen removed and installed as bat
:ery at Pigeon bay, and that it has
given rise to the impression that
IL ;r 1co Cf ut
Arthur, as otherwise the battery
would have been effective to protect
The town at the only point which Ad.
niral Togo seems to regard as vul.
lerable from the sea.
When the first omcial dispatches
we're received the belief gained
ground that Vice Admiral Makarof
aad put to sea and that naval fight
aad taken place. While this would
De in keeping witt III character as
an officer, which is further indicated
oy his use of cruiser as his flagship.
It was not in accord with the plans OF
he Russian authorities.
Later advises established the fact
that the admiral had simply gone
with the unchanged portion Of his
fleet to the outer roads where he
could more effectively support the
batteries and at the same time take
advantage of any weakness which
might develop in the enemy's attack.
London, March ga dispatch to
Reuters Telegram company from st.
Petersburg says:
Japanese torpedo boats appeared
off Port Arthur at midnight Of the
night OF March 21-22 and the shore
batteries and guardships shelled for
tWenty-minutes.
"The Japanese retreated but reap
peared four hours later, when they
met with the same reception, when
they retired again.
''At a. n. a Japanese squadron Of
two divisions composed CT four and
eleven ships and accompanied by
eight torpedo boats, appeared and the
Russian squadron sailed out from the
outer roadstead to meet them.
ono further details regarding the
action are obtainable.
'At a. m. the japanese battle
ships having fired several shots at
Liaotishin and sheltered behind the
promortory commenced lombard.