The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-02

ir society and at court. Her crew I
served, during the winter time, as a
regiment of the guard, of which the
dowager empress was honorary COM
mander.
JAPs' STORY OF FIGHT
Togo signalled EVERY Man Is Ex-
pected to Do His utmost
Toxic, June "A Japanese officer
who has returned to Sassebo gives the
following account Of the sea fight off
the Tsu islands:
At $50 Saturday morning a wireless
message reading 1.-The ene,nys squadron
is sighted" reached the naval base This
message was transmitted to all our ships
by the flagship. with Instructions to get
ready for action. Our squadron left their
rendezvous and headed for the eastern
channel Of Tsushima. Our men seemed to
be filed with new inspiration and were
eager for the long delayed fight to begin.
When Tsushima was sighted to the
southwest the sea was rough and the tor
pedo boats were forced to run for the
shelter Of the island Our third fighting
squadron with the Takashiho to port, re-
connoitered the Russian course, and at
l1:3O am. Informed the main squadron by
wireless telegraph that the Russian ships
were passing into the east channel, where
upon our squadron. changing it's course
somewhat to the southwark, came in sight
of Ok1nshima at o'clock In the afternoon
The third division arrived later and Joined
the main squadron. The first and second
divisions, accompanied by the destroyer
flotllla, changed to westerly course,
while the third division and the fourth
DESTROYER fotilla headed slightly eastward.
During the maneuver the Russian flag
ship appeared to the southwark at 1:45
o'clock. The Russians steamed in double
column The fleet was numerous, but no
living being was visible. The Russian
ships seemed to be in good order.
Empires Destiny at Stake.
Our ship hoisted the flag Of action. the
Mikasa signaling, 1.-THE destiny Of our en-
pire depends upon this action. You are all
| expected to do your utmost"
Our men seemed silently to weigh the
| Significance Of this signal. >r
Our first and second divisions turned to
the Russians starboard, while the third
division kept in close touch with the pre-
ceding two divisions. With the Japanese
ships proceeding in this order, it was 2:13
o'clock when the Russians opened fire
| The first two shots fell short Of our line
and 1t was some minutes later before we
| commenced firing. Then the battle was
on with firing from both sides.
Our destroyers kept on the port side of
the main squadron, and in this formation
we pressed the Russians against the
coast Of Kiushu and they were obliged to
change their course to the east. Wo also
Unanswered our ships so as to have their
| bows paralleled to the north side Of the
Russian line. So the Mikasa of our first
division, which had been leading, changed
| to the rear of the line while the Kasuga
! headed the line. 49,,
Engagement Became Fierce.
The engagement now became fierce. The
| BOrOdino was seen to be on fire.
| A little later the Russians headed west
| and we changed our course accordingly.
| Five ships Of our second division concen-
| trated their fire on the Borodino. Our
first division now began firing vigorously,
proceeding parallel with the Russian line,
and as we began to press against the
head Of the Russian line, our third divi-
sion veered to the Russian rear, thus en-
veloping their ships. The engagement
proceeded hotly. Our second division fol-
lowed a course parallel with the northern
| side Of the Russians. sand, this movement
completed the development. The Russian
sf1ps were seen trying to break thru and
our destroyer fotila intercepted their
new course. : This state Of development
continued until the following day, with
| lHS'+ SHIPS al Varying ulS ldHCSS -.
Thus enclosed on all sides the Russians
were helpless and powerless to escape the
circle. Previous instructions had beer
given the destroyers and torpedo boats tc
attack the Russian ships
Last Thrust at Foe. s~s
Following instruction, the fifth de-
stroyer flotilla advanced against Rus
sian ship, upon which the second division
had been concentrating it's fire, signal
ling: eve are going to give the las
, thrust at them.'' :-.- .-.. p.
, I, The Russian ship continued to fight
and seeing the approaching torpedo
boats, directed it's fire on them. I'm
daunted, our destroyers pressed forward
the Chitose meantime continuing its fire
, The torpedo fotilla arrived within 20
meters of the Russian ship and the Shi
ranus fired the first shot. Two other tor
, pedo boats fired one each. The Shiranus
received two shells but the other boat
! were not damaged. The Russian shi]
was completely sunk.
= Shutdown saw the battle raging furious
ly. Our shells were evidently telling OF
!. the Russians, who showed signs Of con
, fusion. Our fifth torpedo f1otilla, after de
= stroying the Borodino. followed in tn
wake of our second division, the sigma
reading: Something like the Russian
submarines have been sighted. Attacl
! them ~. " ae t. ,s. ..,
, The f1otilla followed and located tn
, object which proved to be a sinking shil
f with it's overturned bottom showing
> Thirty survivors chung to the ,wrecl
:, crying for assistance. Firing ceased wit
a the approach of darkness.
9 The Torpedo Attack.
, According to orders previously give1
for torpedo attack after dark, all tn
:, destroyer f1otlla,. dividing into two squad
y rons, proceeded to attack the Russian
:, :, during the whole night. The Russian
3 frustrated the first and second attack
: with searchights. third attempt wa
=, carefully made and the Yugirt sank shi
of the Borodino type and also hit others
! During the night the Russians continue
to move and we preserved our envelopin
movement some distance from the Russia
: position. The Russian ships headed north
y east after daybreak hoping TO reac
Il Vladivostok. Our officers and men wei
!. determined that not a ship should escap
= and resolved not to relax their efforts >un
;. til they had succeeded in either sinkin
y or capturing every Russian ship.
Our ships always kept ahead Of tn
: Russians. The battle was resumed at
e o'clock Sunday morning, twelve miles cas-
- of Chiyupyon bay, and lasted all da.
Here the Russians suffered their heavies
9 losses. They, seemed unprepared to rept
> night attacks During our first night at
= tack, the Russians showed nine search
lights and frustrated the attacks bu
/. clearly gave us the location of the fee