Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-05-31
STORY OF THE BATTLE.

Dispatches from Toxic giving descrip-
tions of the greatest sea fight the world
has known state that it is not at an
end. Tog0's fleet of ships are still
on the sea pursuing the vessels of
the Baltic SOU adron which escaped
the fire Of his battleships and cruis-
ers and the attacks of his torpedo
fotilla on Saturday night southeast of
the Tsu straits. What the Japant Sc
navy is doing in its pursuit of the Rus
SLAMS will remain unknown until the
Toxic government chooses to tell' The
results so far made public, however, by
the Imperial Naval Board, show that
The Russian fleet has been destroyed for
all practical purposes Of war, that the
Japanese navy won stupendous victory
in battle that ragged for two days and
one night. and that nothing in the his
tory of naval warfare can compare with
what was achieved by Togo and his men.
Twenty two waysbips were either sunk
or captured in the historic engagement
which began at II O'Clock on Saturday
morning, when l2-inch grp of the
bsttleship Mikasa sent one of its giant
shells against the coast-defense ship Adj
miral Oushako. The last returns last
night have caused the naval officials to
say that in addition to the l9 vessels
accounted for, including special service
ships, semi-official reports from the
squadron lead to the belief that the bat
tleship Sssoi Veliky, the protected cruis'
er Izumrud and an auxiliary war ves-
sci were sunk on Sunday night about 8
miles northeast of Nagasaki.
More than 1000 men of all grades in
the naval service Of Russia we're either
killed or drowned in the main engage
ment, which lasted 36 hours. The pris-
,ers number in excess of 2, 500, includ-
ing two admirals nine fleet captains and
more than 40 officers OF the general naval
staff. The bsttleships Ore land Nicholas
| were forced toward the rocks 80 miles
north of Nagasaki, and, with the coast
defense vessels Admiral Seniavau and
Admiral Aprexine, were forced to strike
their cOlOrs. From these ironclads ! 100
prisoners have been taken, including
Rear Admiral Nebogatoh, and probably
Rear Admiral Enquist. The dead on
these four fighting machines ave tele.
graphed to exceed 700 and the wounded
400, which plainly illustrates the severity
OF the battle.
But these captures, great as they are
in the figures of the naval battle, are over
shadowed by the destruction of two bat
tle-ships, all tbcarmored cruisers, one
protected cruiser, at least one destroyer
and several auxiliary ships.
With unerring judgment the japanese
paid attention during the day and in the
night 10 the heavily armored vessels, des-
troying the frst-class battleships BorO-
dino and Alexander III, the frst-class
armored cruisers Admiral Nakhimof and
Dimitri Donskoi, the coast-defence iron
clad Admiral Usakoiia iand thegreat fight
ing cruiser SvietiaBa. With these out
of the way, the battle on Sunday morning
was a pursuit, still continuing, and it is
confidently expected that The final report
will prove that RWestvensky has not es-
capped with single ship of the line.
On Saturday morning Captain Nagai,
commander OF torpedo boat Aotilla No.
4, Just at sunrise signaled IL miles south
of Oki Island that tue Russian fleet was
approaching through channel No. 2,
and 20 minutes later the commander ol
the torpedo-boat destroyer fotilla No.
signaled Admiral Kaminura, of the
second fleet, the direction of the Russian
batteships.
The japanese feet in FIVE divisions,
one for the baltleships, two for The
armored cruisers and two for the un
armored ships, with II fotillas of tor
pedo boats and destroyers, Immediately
upon receipt of the report we're signaleC
to start for attack. At 8 o'clock in thu
morning the Japanese fleet was within
nine miles of the Russian squadron ant
about q miles east of the mainland
The Russians were bound northwest, il
the hope of going between Tsu lslan'
and the Korean coat.
! The westerly division of the enemy in
cluded the three coast ironclads, witt
the armored and unprotected cruisers
|, Admiral Togo's instructions were to at
tack.
At o'clock in the afternoon of Satur
: day the first report came from the battl
announcing that the Russians were bein
driven southwest and that the Japanes
armored cruisers on one side, toward tn
mainland, and the battleships to th
west were centering their fire on Roles
. yensky's armOred ships.
I The second report at O'Clock on Sa
urday evening, announced the sinking
The Dimitri Donskoi and two Russia
torpedo-boa destroyers, and at 9 o'cloc
on Saturday night came the wireless dl
patch to Nsgasaki, relsyed to Toxic
g that the entire Russian battle fleet WI
being attacked by the japanese destro.
ers and torpedo boats under command