The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1904-04-21
ADMIRAL MAEAROEF AND
600 MEN PERISH.
BattIeship P6tTOpaVIOVsk De.
strOyed By Russian Mine
al Port Arthur.
Third Disaster of the Kind Since
War Began 0vertakes Big
Fighting Machine.

again proved herself her own most
dangerous enemy to-day, when the
sbattleship Petropavlovsk struck a
Russian mine in the outer harbor Mt
Port Arthur.
The great craft turned turtle and
Rear Admiral Makaroff and about
600 of his men persisted.
The Grand Duke Cyril, heir pre-
sumptive to the throne, who was on
the bridge, escaped, though severely
wounded. He WAS taken to hospi-
tai at Port Arthur,
Captain Jakovleff aid five other
officers and thirty-two men, all more
or less injured, managed to escape,
The death OF Admiral Makaroff
was surrounded by tragic and excit-
ing circumstances Though official
accounts are OF the most meager ma.
ture, it is clear that the Japanese
appeared off Port Arthur this morn
ing in greater force than on the oc
casion Of any previous attack Max
aroff, with his accustomed readiness
for fight, steamed out to meet the
enemy. To paciiy his friends, who
had urged him not to venture out in
the light cruisers which he liked, he
transferred his flag to the battleship,
type OF vessel for which he has al.
wlys shown marked aversion.
The squadron sailed out boldly,
but discovered that the Japanese
were in overwhelming force, and re-
turned to the outer harbor, where
the ships were ordered to form under
the guns OF the land batteries. While
the Petropavlovsky was maneuver
ing it encountered a mine on the
starboard side and Immediately be.
gan to heel.
Before the crew could I'll the port
compartments with water the big
craft turned turtle, just as the British
battleship Victoria did in 1898 when
rsmmed by the Camperdown. A
similar occurrence marked the Chino.
Japanese War, when a Chinese bat,
tleship turned over, many of the
crew remaining alive for days, ham.
mering desperately on the upturned
hull.
Just how the Grand Duke Cyril es.
capedis left a matter OF surmise here,
but il known that he was on the
bridge OF the battleship and, being
fine swimmer and trained athlete,
wa. able to save himself.
After .nis disaster, which was wit
messed by the Japanese. Admiral To-
go's ships withdrew behind the pro-
Inontory of Lao Thie-Shan.
The accident to the Petropavlovsk
il the third OF the kind to befall a
Russian warship since the present
war began. On March II the tor
pedo transport Yenisei blew up while
LAYING mines, and ninety-four men
persisted. The records OF mines al
ready placed by the vessel on that
day we're lost, and 1t may have been
one of these that the battleship
struck to-day.
On February Is the cruiser Boy
arm was blown up by one OF thu
mines and 1877 men were lost.
In addition, 1t was learned to day
that the battleship Poltava wal
rammed several weeks ago by tn
battleship Sebastopol while the lat
ter was maneuvering in the harbor.
DID MAKARoFF COMMIT SUICIDE.
Rome, April 1.-THE following
cable dispatch from Che Foo has beel
received by the Angenzia Liberia;
THE Russian and Japanese fleet
met on the morning Of April IL
eighteen miles off the harbor OF Por
Arthur.
admiral Makaroff, despite the az
vice Of his captains in council, sougf
battle with the enemy.
The Japanese completely SUI
rounded the Russians and the latt.
reiterated. In the disorder cons
ouent on entering the choked chat
mel two Russian warships collided.
The Petropsvlvosk was hit r
peatedly by japanese shells. Admit
al Mskaroff, discovering theimposs
bility Of saving his flagship, commi
ted suicide by shooting himself wit
q revolver"