The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-05
CAPTURE OF ROGSTVENSKY,
ADMIRAL HALF CONSCIOUSWHEN
FOUND ny JAPANESE.


Resohed-Seas High During the Battle,
spsda, cao,e Dsspatch to THE SUN.
LONDON, juno 6-The Teleeraths cor.
| respondent at Sssebo has collected from
officers part icipating In the battle Of the
Sea OF Japan int eresting details OF the great
tight. Officers Of the Sazanami describe
how In searching for remnants Of the enemy
they soon disco vered two Of the enemy'e
destroyers outing through the water for all
they were worth.
As the Sazanami neared them she opened
OF the boats forged ahead, and IL was i'm
possible to catch her md she escaped.
Tho second boat did not change her
course and did not return the Japanese
fire. The enemy was watched carefully
for some moments. Then there was a
sudden movement aboard. To the top Of
the mast ran a white flag, while astern
duttered the Red Cross.
She was signaled asking her condition,
and after few moments delay she eignaled:
we are damaged. We have been shot
through the engine room. We have Ad-
miral Rojestvensky aboard. We are short
Of fresh water
Examining officers were told of. They,
With drawn swords, and their escorts with
bayonets fixed. went to the Russian de-
stroyer. Besides Admiral Rojestvensky
they found his chief OF staff and eight
other OF his officers. The Japanese were
amazed
They were about to take the necessary
steps to attend to the wounded, when a
throng Of Russian officers around Admiral
Rojeetvensky clasped hands as il in prayer.
and exclaimed: please be mercful The
wounds OF Admiral Rojestvensky are
serious. II you remove him to a Japa-
nese ship his wounds may be broken and
he may fall into dangerous state. Please.
We pray, leave him az he lie now!"
Admiral Rojestvensky was lying at the
bottom Of the destroyer in pool OF fresh
blood In semi-conscious state. After a
short consultation II was decided to grant
the request Of the Russians. Four Of the
principal Russian staff o fflers were taken
on board the Sazanami. The Japanese
examining officers were left behind. A
tow line was passed to the destroyer and
she was taken to the nearest island along
the Corean coast.
The commander Of Japanese torpedo
boat describes the waves as being exceed
ingly high during the battle. Thousands
of shells we're fred by both fleets. They
presented a spectacle as though many
cataracts Of FIRE we're flying hundreds OF
meters in the air.
The crews Of all the ships were deluged
with sea water. The brine got into their
eyes, almost binding them. This con-
tinued for fully twelve hours. but with
pieces Of rag the men wiped their faces
and resumed serving the guns. Many
men had the skin taken of their noses
and cheeks and around the eyes.
How miserable and inhuman it all looked.
INCREASINGLY. hour after hour, the roar OF
cannon went on. BY chewing biscuits. some
OF which had been soaked In brine and
others bespattered with blood tn at had
spurted from warm wounds the men stayed
their hunger.
On the Russian shiIe, It Is said. men fell
down, not because OF wounds, but owing
to the Inconsistencies that comes from
the horrors OF hunger and thirst and the
presence Of a great and violent scene Of
death.
On the stern and port side Of the Nicolsl
l.. Admiral Niebogaton's flagship. there
are many traces OF shells and shots from
quick firing guns. The forward funnel
has hole in 1t six or seven feet long. Near
the water line there Is gap twenty inches
wide. Part Of an anchor was carried
away. All the vital parts OF the ship are
moro or less damaged.
A despatch from Moji says that the Cap
tain Of the Admiral Nakhimotf was one
Of Admiral Rojeetvensky's staff. He took
part in all the councils Of war. which dis
cussed plans and operations. He gave the
following definite statement:
From the beginning we believed our
fleet superior to the Japanese. When we
departed from the coast OF Anam it was
divided into three squadrons. The second
and third were left behind to take indie
pendent action. The main strength alone
was ordered to steam north.
AT the last council OF war Admiral Ro-
jestvensky stated that 1t was his belief that
the Japanese deet had been separated into
three divisions and that Tsu Shina Straits
held only small force OF weak cruisers.
He Furthermore held that IL we deter
mined to reach vladivostok, the shortest
out, which Was through Tsu Shima Straits,
must be chosen. He added that there was
the convenience OF Chinese neutral ports
close at hand.
'On May ~ small Japa nese cruisers were
sighted near tho straits. Admiral Rojest-
vensky was convinced that the theory
had been proved correct and he accord
ingly entered the waters OF Tsu Shima
Straits. Think ng that as he passed through
he would sink some Of the enemy's cruisers.
AT this time he hoisted his one signal
Of battle; We must have not only trium-
plant entry into Vladivostok. but must
sink part Of the Japa nese feet on the way.
When the battle was only half over each
Russian warship was following it's own
frantic initiative. quite independent Of any
general scheme.
Each shipwent where and did as it pleased.
This fact. I unhesitatingly say az respon-
sible staff officer, was due mainly to the
indecision and uncertainty Of Admiral
Rojestvensky, and to the utter loss Of com.
munication between each Of our ships
There can be no possible doubt about the
truth Of that
A despatch to the Times from Toxic
says that the Russian cruiser variag, which
was sunk at Chemulpo, has been hoate ed.
BOTTLE TWO YEARS AFLOAT.
Its Finder Gets Modern Rine for Picking
Up Message At Sea.