The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-02-12

admiral ordered the squadron through
the Kaiser WILHELM canal.
/ A late dispatch from St Petersburg
says the czar has received a telegram
from Vlceroy Alexeleff describing the
during the bombardment by the Japa-
nese fleet at Port Arthur. 1t says:
THE Cesarcvitch and Pallada have
been brought into the harbor. The Ret
viZan Is making temporary repairs to
a hole. Repairs TO the battleships are
so complicated that II is difficult to say
when they will be ready. The Pallada
and Novik will be docked in turn, and
| expect them TO be ready in a fort
night. All the other vessels injured in
the fight are now repairing and coaling
in the harGOr. expect them to be
ready in three days.
The wounded officers, Lieutenant
Colonel Zaiontchkovslly of the artillery
corps and Lieutenant Petrol. are doing
well. -Four Of the wounded have died
A majority of the injured belonged TO
the cruiser pallada, and their injuries
are due TO gases from the explosion of
a melinite torpedo. 4 careful search by
cruisers and torpedo boats day and
night has not revealed the presence OF
the enemy
Statements Of all kinds concerning
the Port Arthur fight are heard here
According to the Daily Mail the lack
If preparation on the part of the Rus
slams at Port Arthur was due TO the
fact that all the naval and military Of
fcers were. attending circus per.
formance.
Tokyo advices give an entirely new
account Of the Port Arthur engage
ment Whey say Admiral Togo's feet
arrived on Monday night and found
Ele Russian squadron drawn up in bat
he formation outside the harbor and
under the shadow of the forts. the de-
stroyers being spread out in front over
a distance Of five miles. Admiral Togo
decided on a night attack and opened
FIRE at II o'clock.
While the canionading was hottest
Japanese torpedo boats crept along
close inshore at the foot of the cliff
and succeeded in the darkness in get
ting between the Russian shirs and
the land. Here they lay unnoticed un-
I'll the Russians began to give way be-
fore the Japanese lire and sought to re-
enter tile harbor.
The Japanese torpedo boats then
opened ire at comparatively close
range AMI sank two battleships and
one cruiser close to the entrance OF
the harbor. The effect of this was the I
retreat Of the remainder of the squad
ron into the harbor.
All was safe on board dhe japanese
ships n the end of the engagement.
At the japanese legation no great
importance was attached to the report
that the Russian Baltic squadron is
going to the far east. 1t was explain |
ed that even were the report true the
feet would not reach the scene of Op-
erations for six weeks.
A Chefu dispatch says that three out !
OF the four torpedo boats that attacked |
the Russian squadron were sunk, with |
great loss of life. The fourth boat |
made its escape
The existence of state of war with |
Russia has been formally announced |
by an imperial proclamation at To-
kyo.
Following is the text of the imperial
rescript:
1--WE, by the grace of heaven, en-
peror of Japan, seated on the throne |
occupied by the same dynasty since
time immemorial hereby make proc
lamation to all our loyal and brave (
subjects as follows:
1--WE hereby declalre war against
Russia and we command our army
and navy to carry on hOstilities
against her in obedience to their duty
with all their strength, and we also
command all our competent authori-
ties to make every effort in pursuance
of their duties to attain the national
aim with nil the means within the linn I
its OF the law of nations,
"We do not in the least admit Rus
sia had from the first any serious or
genuine desire for peace. She reject
ed the proposals of our government
The safety of Korea was in danger,
and the interests of our empire were
menaced. The guarantees for the fu-
ture which we failed to secure by |
peaceful negotiations can now only be
obtained by an appeal to arms.
1T Is our earnest wish that by the |
loyalty and valor of our faithful sub
jects peace may soon be permanently
restored and the glory Of our empire
preserved"
st. Petersburg advices say Secretary !
Hays note to the powers has attract /
ed much attention in diplomatic cir !
cles there. Any movement having for !
its purpose the limiting Of the scene |
of hostilities is received with sympa-
thy, but in certain quarters the prac- .
ticability Of the action suggested Is