The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1904-06-22
ATTACK TRANSPORTS.
ONE OF THEM SUNK BY THE
RUSSIAN FLEET.
Explosion Adds to Horror on Ship
Sent Down-Russian Officers
Refuse Quarter-.Crew Pre-
ferred Death to Being
Captured.

Toxic, June 1S.-Further de-
tails have been received sas to the
attack on four Japanese transports
in the Corean Straits on Wednesday
by part, or the whole, of the Sibe-
rian squadron. That there were
four, and not three, transports, as
was at first reported, now seems
quite certain. The four transports
attacked were the Hitachi Mafu,
the Kagato, the Sado Maru and the
Izumi Maru, the first of which was
snnk by the Russian feet. The
second and third are safe, while the
fate of the fourth is uncertain, all
that is known of her being she is
overdue at Moi.
The Hitachi in attempting to es-
cape from the Russian squadron.
was fred upon by machine guns
from three of the Russian craisers.
Her boiler burst and fire broke out
Immediately afterward on the trans
port. Numbers of her men were
killed, while nearly all her officers
committed suicide with their swords
or pistols. A lieutenant colonel
burned his regimental colors. call
ing upon the men to witness the
act. Directly afterwards he was
struck by shell and killed.
There was no time to lower boats
from the transport, and many Of the
men on board jumped into the sea.
Chirty-seven OF these were saved by
a fishing boat. 1t is believed that
some thirty others, who jumped, al.
so escaped with their lives, but
their ultimate fate is unknown.
The total number on board the
Hitachi Maru is not yet known.
The Sado Maru, although safe, is
disabled. 1t is stated that the yes.
sells of the Russian squadron. which
attacked the transports, fired about
$50 shells at the Sado Maru. two Of
which, lodging in the transports
machinery, badly crippled her. The
Russians then ordered the crew to
leave the ship, but only the non
combatants on board obey ed. These
latter, together with some of those
saved, after they jumped overheard
from the Hitachi Maru, conveyed
the news to points where it could
. be sent to the Japanese capital.
The Sado Maru, although, disabled
; continued to float, and all who re-
mained on board were saved.
{ A survivor reports to Vice-Ad.
miral Tsunoda that the Hitachi was
hit so times and caught fire. A
boat from the Sado was sent to the
Russians for the purpose of parley
J The Russians agreed to give the Sa.
. do 40 minutes to clear the ship
and said they would take the non
: combatants on board. The Rus.
siaps, later, 1t is declared, refused
to receive the noncombatants ex
cept an Engiishman, the chic
mate, and before the 40 minutes
had expired the Russians, it is fur
ther said, torpedoed the boat or
both, sides.
The greater number of those OF
board the Hitachi were annihilated
The Russian ships were sightst
at Z o'clock in the morning, and il
;. response to a signal the Hitschi wa
stopped, but at 10 o'clock got unde
way again and attempted to escape
The Russians followed and openet
a heavy fire directed about the wa
ter line, with the evident intention
of destroying the troops On board
The fire was terrific, and in a fey
minutes the decks were covere'
with corpses and washed with blood
One shell, which struck the engin
room, killed 200 men. The shi
began to fill, and sank gradual
by the stern. At 6 o'clock in tn
evening she was completely sui
merged.
Captain Campbell, the Englis
, master of the transport, jumped oy
erboard at 2 o'clock in the aftel
noon, and Is numbered among th
missing. The chief engineer wa
I killed on the bridge.