The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-07-07
TOGO'S VICTORY DESCRIBED
DETAILS OF RUSSIAN FLEETS DESTRUCTION.

JestEensky Fell lnto-fieEce AtA"cA
 Made by Japanese-A Scene of Gram
 deur.
 Tokio, June 1.-Here is 2. translation 9s one of the first and most accurate accounts given in the Japanese press of the great naval battle at Tsu Shima, as seen by an officer who took part in it. The account leaves much to be desired iii the way Of ompra1eusiveness, as would necessarily be the case with any report, save one prepared by the com manders in chief; but at the same time it adds some details to the plain report of Admiral Togo. The account says:
 When we received the report that the Russian fleet had arrived off Shang- hai, we immediately conjectured that they intended to force their way through the Tsu Shima channel. We accordingly sent squadron of our fastest ships to reconnoiter and to re- port to our flagship from time to time the course and doings of the enemy's fleet.
 At about five o'clock in the morning of May 27 the van of the Russian fleet appeared off Quelpart Island to the southeast and headed eastward. Our flagship thereupon hoisted the signal to give battle, and We concentrated our forces at a certain point and made preparations for the fight.
 At about six o'clock we all started from our rendezvous, some hiding be- hind the island and others taking up their positions in various other quar- ters.
 The enemy appeared not to know where we were stationed and seemed to think he would himself escape detec- ton. His vessels stood on a northeast erly course, with the battleship Alexan- der III. at the head of the line, followed by the Navarin, the flagship Kniaz Su- varoff and the other battleships, eight in all; by the armored cruisers Admiral Nachimoff, the Dmitri Donskoi and seven others; and by the coast defense ships, gunboats and destroyers, making a fleet of thirty fighting ships.
 Besides these, there were the Kam- chatka and other special service vessels and transports, making total of tblr- ty-nine. They were divided into two detachments, apparently a main squad ron and a flying squadron, with twen- ty-four vessels in the former and six in the latter.
 The Russian squadron first turned northward by east and then to the west until at about 10:S0 they came to with in about ten miles southeast of Kami- zaki, at the southern end of Tsu Shi- ma Up to that time the formation of the Russian vessels was most regular and orderly, and they presented a mag nifcent spectacle, quite. worthy of the skill of Admiral Rojestvensl<y.
 Our reconnoitering force always kept s,lt of their sight and came on ncrth-
 fn constant touch with their
 sraenss When they arrived off Kamizki, Tsu sf1fuaa, the Russians ap- peared to begin to anticipate danger ana. sent five of their comparatively old ships on ahead by the Eastern Channel. The rest of the fleet followed slowly af- ter them.
 Their intention seems to have been to sacrifice these vessels in order to dis- cover the whereabouts of our mann force. We knew quite we'll, however, what the Russian plan was, and &C., cordingly held our fire, allowing the de- tachrnent of five old ships to pass qut- Atly on their way through the Eastern Channel.
 rhis was the way the battle was be- gun. The Russians had no idea that our main force was in that direction, hut came on rapidly up the channel with their battleships, cruisers and oth- CT vessels as before in fine style.
 Al this moment one of our squadrons narne from the northwest and another sauadron came from the south like O. dash and took up their positions to the westward of the Russian feet A num- Der of destroyers gathered round them, So that at last the enemy was headed off and completely encircled.
 am not at liberty to state how many sfips we had, but it would not be far wrong to suppose that we had the whole of our available force there. The Russians now began to realize that they had been entrapped by our strate- gy.
 As soon as our ships made their ap- nearance the Russians changed their Formation into a single column and opened fire. We surrounded them as we had planned, and opened fire upon them simultaneously from all the ships in our squadron. It seemed as if heav- en and earth were being shaken, and smoke covered the sea until it was as black as night
 The flashes of the guns shone nearly to the bottom of the seas and the sound of the rushing waves was like the roar of mountain thunder. A mist hung over the sea, and it grew dark er and darker. The grandeur of the whole had to be seen to be realized.
 It was a few minutes past two in the afternoon when the firing began. The enemy's formation became more and more confused, while we succeeded in preserving ours in good order.
 We continued the exchange of fire for several hours, the pursuers and the pursued. A cloud of white steam rose from one of the Russian vessels, per- haps caused by one of our shots strik- ing her engine room. At the same time two or three other shots landed on her deck and set her afire.
 She soon sank. It was probably the Borodino. Our officers and crews