Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-09-13
TOGO'S SHIP LOST.
Famous Japanese Battleship,
 the Mikasa, Blows Up.
NEARLY SIX HUNDRED LIVES LOST
Magazine ExpIodes on Vessel Which Led Tn Fight With Roiestvensky. Cause Is Unknown-Many
 Landsmen Die.

TOKYO. Sept 13.-The Japanese bat tleship Mikasa. the flagship of Vice Ad. 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 599 officers and men. including attachments 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 hole in the port side of the Mikasa 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 Ad- 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 Mikasa 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 q coming turret lieutenant at Admiral Toeo's side was wounded with a splin- ter from a shell, and Togo went to his knees and cared for the young officer. After the battle when be arrived at Easebo Togo allowed no one to land and himself did not leave his ship till he visited the captive Russian com mander, Admiral Rojestvensky.
 The Mikasa was also the flagship of Admiral Togo during the great naval battle fought of Port Arthur on Aug. 10. 1904. on which occasion the Afikasa also suffered the most damage. but continued in the fighting line In that battle the MIkasa had four officers and twenty-nine men killed, six officers and twenty-nine men severely wounded and four officers and twenty-nine men slightly wounded.
 The MIkasa was a first class battle ship of 15.200 tons displacement She was built in England and was launched in 1902 She was 400 fee. long. T6 feet in breadth snd drew 27l. feet of water. She had 10.431 indicated horsepower. giving her a speed of more than eight cen knots. The Mikasa carried a crew of 935 officers and men. Her armored belt was four to nine inches thick. her 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 arTnor 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- hasa was Togo's flagship and was en- deared to the hearts of the people. The ship vas at anchor in Sasebo harb0r when the fire started af fhe base Of the mainmast at midnight It spread with great rzpldity. exploding the after magazine an hour after the fire had been discovered The Mfkasa sank in shaIlow water. and ft Is believed the shlp can be repaired Rese1ing parties were sent frpm the various wsrships h the harbor. and there was heavy czsuslfiss among them-
 Fsrsoas corjeetures are current as to fhe cause of fhe Hre Sire atfTibzts it fs an oFerrkarzs of sIec1rs<iry. Great rslIsf wzs fe4 taruaxhsuf Japan wien n was iszrned tkzf Admiral Tozs was