Bisbee daily review., 1904-04-21
A THRILLING FIGHT IT
 WAS
STORY OF AN EYE WITNESS OF THE SINKING OF THE
 PETRoPAvoLovsk. MAS DESPERATE FIGHT
Russian Torpedo Boat Made a Fierce Resistance Against Four Japanese Vessels Before She Sunk.-Japan- ese Boats Cling to Their Enemies Like Hounds in a Chase.

Lao Yang, April 20.-The Asso slated Press correspondent, believing that the Japanese would repeat thu attempt to block the entrance to Por Arthur with five ships. Easter eve went form Liao Yang to Port Arthur a week ago yesterday. He writes:
 -Four nights ago l watched witt the sentries on Golden Hill. Three nights passed quietly T tuesday night, April 12, Vice-Admiral Meka ron took to sea with his entire squad ron, including fourteen torpedo boats The next night, April 13, in the teetf of a gale, eight torpedo boats were sent out to reconnoiter. FroH Golden Hill. on which was standing through the blackness the search lights of the fortification flashed over the inky waters of the roadstead and far out to the hay horizon.
 At II o'clock, heard firing at sea and counted seven shots, but could see nothing. At daybreak, I made out through the light haze to tIe southward, about five miles from the shore, six boats strung out in a line firing. In the lead, and outstripping the others, was a boat at full speed directly for the entrance of the har' bor. The last in the line was be clouded in steam, and tagging. She had evidently been hit. It was diff fcult to distinguish the boats, but finally, through my glasses, saw that the leader and the larger were Russian, and that the four others were Japanese The flash of the guns and the splash of the proiectiles as they struck the water showed the intensity of the conflict.
 The torpedo from which the steam steam was escaping was firing vici- ously. The four center craft drew to- gether, concentrating their fire upon her, but the crippled boat poured out and was successfully keeping of her assailants. The signals then flashed the news to the men at the batteries that the vessel was the Strashni. (Bezstrashni?)
 The unequal combat was observ- Cd with breathless interest, hut the net drew close around the doomed beat The fonr Japanese vess Is SA1ASu d anu pOuBSd III a deadly fire. The steam from the Strashni grew denser, covering her like a white pail Still she fought like a desperately wounded animal brought to bay, Running straight for the adversary, barring her way 10 safety, she passed the Japanese astern and fired at them.
 At this stage Vice-Admiral Maka. ron, who had been observing the pro- gress of the conflict through a .tele- scope, signaled to the cruiser Bayan, lying in the inner harbor, to weigh Anchor and go to the rescue.
 The Japanese boats clung to their enemies like hounds in a chase They had become separated, but again resumed their formation, Smaller jets of flame and smoke were squirting from the little rapid frers, varied by denser clouda as torpedoes were discharged agains, the Strashni. It was the end. The stricken boat loosed a final round, but it was as if a volley had been fired over her own grave, for she dis appeared beneath the waves only a little cloud of steam marking the place where she went down.
 Satisfied with what they had ac complished, the Japanese torpedo boats turned and made of at full speed, followed by the Bayan. Tc their support came six of the enc nly's cruisers. Still the Bayan went on, seemingly inviting certain de struction. She soon ported her helm to bring a broadside to bear on the foe, which was advancing in line of battle. She opened some of them, and turned quickly and stood into the hail of the enemy's broad. sides. The Japanese steamed at a right angle, enabling all her guns to bear, and projectiles rained around the Bayan, raising columns of water as they burst, but none struck home.
 '"To the eastward suddenly appear ed five more of our torpedo boats returning to the harbor under forced draft. Two of the Japanese cruis- CTS were immediately detached to cut them of, but the Bayan, noticing the movement, checked it by turning a hot fire upon them The move ment was effective. The Japanese cruisers slowed down and the torpedo boats slipped through into the har- bor
 Meanwhile, in accordance with Vice-Admiral Makaroff's order, the battleships and cruisers in the inner harbor slipped anchor. Majestical- ly, the Petropavlovsk, flying the Ad- mirars flag, steamed through the en- trance. On her appearance, the for mfdable array of Japanese cruisers turned and fled. The Admiral sig naled the Bayan to return. Then a stream of yhri-cploned signal flags fiuttered out Brave Bayan"
 By this time the entire Russian squadron was in the outer harbor. Besides the Petropavlosk, I saw the bsttleships Peresvit, Poltava, Pobieda and Sevastopol; he cruisers No vik. Diana and Askold and the torpe- do boats. The flags announcing the