Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-09-16
TOGO'S SHIP LOST.
Famous Japanese Battleship,
the Mikasa, Blows Up.
NEARLY SIX HUNDRED LIVES LOST
Magazine ExplodeS on Vessel which
Led In Fight with RofestyensISy.
Cause Is Unknown-Many
Iandsmen Die.

NaSEN y" AhhhDff b-5kEAhs
Landsmen Die.
TOKYO, Sept 13.Ihe Japanese bat
tleship Mikasa, the flagship of Vice Al
miral Togo during the battle Of the sea
of Japan, caught fire and sank.
The loss Of life by the sinking Of the
battleship totals 800 officers and men.
including detachments from other war.
ships which went to the rescue of the
vessel.
The battleship caught fire from an
unknown cause at midnight Sept 10
and before the fire could be subdued
the flames reached the after magazine,
which exploded, blowing a hole in fhe
port side of the Alikasa below the wa
ter line and causing her to sink.
The cause of the fire is under inves-
tigation.
At the battle Of the sea of Japan Adj.
miral Togo, as the engagement was
about to open, flew the following sig.
nal:
THE destiny Of our empire depends
upon this action. You are all expected
to do your utmost"
In that battle the AIikasa was the
heaviest loser of all the Japanese ships,
having siXty-three killed and wounded.
She approached nearer to the Russians
than any other battleship. According
to one report of the engagement in Il
coming turret q lieutenant at Admiral
Togo's side was wounded with splin-
ter from shell, and Togo went to his
knees and cared for the young officer.
After the battle when he arrived at
Sasebo Togo allowed no one to land
and himself did not leave his ship till
he visited the captive Russian com
mander, Admiral Ro1estvensky.
The Mikasa was also the flagship of
Admiral Togo during the great naval
battle fought off Port Arthur on Aug
10, 1904, on which occasion the Mkasa
also suffered the most damage, but
continued in the fighting line. In that
battle the Mikasa had four officers and
twentyRine men killed, six officers and
Twenty-Five men severely wounded and
four officers and twenty-nine nen
slightly wounded
ship of 1920 tons displacement. She
was built in England and was launched
in 1902. She was 400 feet long, &c feet
in breadth and drew PA feet of water.
She had 1G,431 indicated horsepower,
giving her a speed of more than eight
cen knots. The Mikasa carried a crew
of 935 officers and men. Her armored
holt fnIIr RI ninn fnf.hnS fI,inly Ea1s
deck was protected by three inches of
armor. she had six inches of steel on
her sides above the belt. and her bulk
heads were protected by twelve inches
of steel. She had fourteen inches of
steel armor over her heavy gun posi-
tons and six inches of steel over her
secondary battery gun positions.
The disaster to the battleship Mikasa
has east gloom everywhere. The Mi
kasa was Togo's flagship and was en-
deared to the hearts of the people. The
ship was at anchor in Sasebo harbor
when the fire started at the base of
the mainmast at midnight. 1t spread
with great rapidity, exploding the after
magazine an hour after the fire had
been discovered. The Mikasa sank in
shallow water, and it is believed the
ship can be repaired. Rescung parties
were sent from the various warships
in the harbor, and there was heavy
casualties among them.
Various conjectuPeS are current as to
the cause of the fire. Some attribute 1t
to an overcharge of electricity. Great
relief was felt throughout Japan when
it was learned that Admiral Togo was
not on board the ship ut the time of the
fire.