Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1905-06-02
HOW THE JAPS
WON THE DAY
Admiral Togo's Fleet Com
pIetely Surrounded the
Russians
TORPEDO BOATS 6eGaN ACTION
Acted Under Cover Of Fog, But
When 1t Lifted Togo's sat,Ieships
and Cruisers finished the Awful
Slaughter.

Toxic, May &l-~Toso Victorious"
is the cry which is heard in every
quarter OF Japan II was a great
vtctory-comp.ete crushing. anniht.
laJins and intensely satisfactory 20 the
people Of Japan.
The conditions were ideal for the
Japanese when The Russian fleet was
sighted Saturday morning to the south
OF Tsu straits headed for the krUsen,
tern or eastern channel. The weather
WAS thick and ha1y with q good bit
OF a SEES running. At times the haze
deePeDed into heavy fog. Just the
weather for the operation OF torpedo
boats IL vas shortly after noon
when The Russian feet entered the
channel which separates the Tsu
Islands from Japan, and almost al
the same time the great battle began.
ttotilla Of torpedo beats crep, out
under cover Of the fog. and accord.
ing 10 the reports here. was within
500 yards of the big bettleship Eoro-
dino before the fog lifted and they
were discovered. A hail OF shot from
the rapid FIRE guns Of the Russians
beat down on the little japanese craft,
and several went down. but not until
they had fatally wounded their giant
enemy.
4 moment later one Of the big Rus
sian cruisers either struck E mine or
was torpedoed uy q submarine and
wenI down almost Immediately, car
-ytDg all her officers and crew with
her The Su6denneSS OF the attack
and SIS appalling success threw the
Russians into confusion ami i; was
some tinls before Admiral RojeStyen.
sky and his lieuEenautS succeeded In
restoring order sufficiently 10 permit
the fleet to proceed Then the fog
lifted and Admiral Togo's great fleet
Of hattieshigS AM a-nored cruisers
COX 3 hani IN the fight. They were
able to Keen a distance just within
range OF their great guns. slowly re-
firing as the Russians with desperate
v4iOr pushed on The Japanese gun
work WAS deadly. far superior 10 that
Of the Russians. Their fire was d.
rectei principally against the kniaz
Suya-u. which few the flag of Ro-
iescvensky at the mast head. the Sis
sol Tellky. Nebogatoif. with Admira,
Eoelhsrsaw in command, These YES,
I@-Iach proiec1iles.
In the meantime the japanese tor
reEo rioiilla was in action constantly
in groups of four or five. They would
make desperate saliies toward the
enemy seizing every favorable oppor.
snntty. driving in with an utter disre,
gard for death. They did wonderfully
effective work. not alone in the act.
nah damage done the enemy's ships
hut IN diverting their attention from
the heavy japanese fighting ships and
creating 1 condition which may have
accounted for the POOR Workmanship
u the Russian sunners.
AL the afternoon and into the night
he great tragedy was kept up. A,
intervals the boom Of the heavy guns
a-: the constant rattle of the quick
firing guns was punctuated by the
S9Flen roar OF a torpedo or mine
ans5 when this happened it meant the
death wound of a Russian fighting
.rskfc
A. nigh, the entire fore Of torpedo
hosts and destroyers in the Japanese
teSc were kept busy, and it Is said
there were almost hundred Of them
sent after the enemy. Some of them
were picked up by the searchlight, ant
il IS reported here that at least q
dozen were sent to the bottom. bu,
when Sunday morning came the Rus
SIAN commander found his fleet deci
mated. the SHIPS he had atloat Grip
Piled and the coveted entrance TO the
Japanese sea blocked by Togo's bat
tleships and eight big armored crui
sers practically uniniured. He had
lost. and the only question now was
10 make for neutral port with his
crippled ships.