Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-14
Drowning Of Russian Fighting Admiral
Eight Hundred Men Lose Lives
---be|ieved Mine DHfed
Out Of Position.

st. Petersburg. April 13.-Thc awful
disaster. today to the battleship Petro-
rayIoysk at Port Arthur with the loss
Of almost her entire crew of over boo
men and the death of Vice Admiral
Makaroff, has been Il terrific blow III
would have fallen less heavily II the
shin and commanders in chief OF the
fleet had been lost in battle, but to be
the result of another accident. follow
ing upon the heels of Il succession of
tragedies of which the Port Arthur fleet
has been the victim. ii has created
something like considerations.
"Reycrscs We can endure" said a
prominent Russian. but to have the
PctropavIovsk meet the fate of the
Ycncsci and the Boyarin is heartrend-
ing
II has just become known that tn"
battlcship Poltava several weeks ago
had a hole rammed in her by the bat
tlcshp Scvastopol while the latter was
mancuvering in the harbor of Port Ar
thur.
The day has been one Of intense eN-
element in st. Petersburg. The first
inkling of the catastrophe leaked out
on the receipt of Il telegram by Grand
Duke Vladimir from his son, Grand
Duke Boris, announcing the loss of the
Petropavlovsk and the wounding of
Grand Duke Cyril. who was first ofii-
GER The Grand Duchess Vladimir WAS
almost frantic on the receipt of the
telegram. being convinced that the
message was only precursor of worse
news, as ii was signed by Grand Duke
nf Nv hn aldo n Grand
Duke Cyril. Lieut.. Won Kubc. The rea-
son why the telegram was so signed
afterwards became apparent. as Lieut..
Won Kubc had gone down with the ship.
The youngest son of the Grand Duke
Vladimir. Grand Duke Andrew. a dash
ing young guardsman. rapidly drove to
the Winter Palace. the admiralty and
elsewhere seeking confirmation of the
news. which came two hours later in
message to the Emperor from Rear
Admiral Grigcrovitch, the commandant
at Port Arthur. A religious servic"
was Immediately held ut Grand Duke
Vladimir's palace. in which thanks
were returned to the Almighty for the
sparing of the life of Grand Duke cyril.
but the Emperor was 50 overwhelmed
with grief at the death Of Vice Admiral
Makaroff that neither he nor the En-
press attended the service. The En-
peror sent Il member Of his personal
staff to break the sad news to Vice Ad-
mral Makarotf's widow. who is living
in st. Petersburg. MeantimeAthe city
was filed with the widest rurhors. but
the official dispatches were so meagrc
and private dispatches so conflicting
regarding what had occurred that the
public was kept in suspense for six
hours.
Then. although the report was in
complete. dispatches were posted on
the war bulletin boards. The grief of
the crowds whose fears We're thus Off
cially confirmed. was touching. The
minister of marine was soon surround
ed by thousands eagerly asking for
more details Relatives of those who
were on board the Petropavlovsk anx-
fously inquired as to the fate of their
loved ones.
What occurred prior to the blowing
up Of the flagship was only vaguely
known. except that Vice Admiral Max
aroft with his flag flying on the doomed
vessel sailed out to engage the enemy
until his achievements appeared
1t is thought possible that Vice Ad-
miral Togo planned an ambuscade by
sending in a small squadron in the hone
of drawing out the Russian commander
to the open and then cutting him off
The Associated Press learns that the
location of six of the mines planted by
the Yenesei were unknown. the charts
having been lost when the vessel went
down. Probably it is one of these
mines that the Petropavlovsk encoun-
tered.
Vice Admiral MakarQff's death is
really greater loss than would be that
Of several battleships. He was the
pride of the navy and enjoyed the i'm
plicit confidence of his sovereign as
well as of the officers and men of the