The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-02-26
ROJESTVENSK)
CAPT0R IS
HERE

Among the visiting officers of the
Japanese squadron now in the harbor
is the captor of Admiral Rojestvensky,
| the commander of the great Baltic
fleet which was crumbled by Admiral
Togo in the battle of the Sea of Japan.
The young officer to whom the Rus
sian commander surrendered his sword
is Lieutenant Tsukamoto, who
wears a special medal, pinned on his
breast by his Emperor, in honor of his
| achievement Lieutenant Tsukamoto
was the center Of an admiring group
at the reception in the Japanese Con-
| sulate-General last night and modest
ly related the circumstances of the
capture, after having been urged to
do so. Left to himself he would not
have told anyone in Honolulu of the
exploit which won for him renown
among his own countrymen.
Lieutenant Tsukamoto was one Of
the officers of the torpedo boat de-
stroyer Satoma in the great naval en-
gagement which sealed the fate Of the
Russian arms in the Orient. After the
great guns OF the Japanese battleships
had silenced the Russians and the in
vading fleet had been sunk or scatter
ed, the remnants fleeing each for it's
own safety, the Satoma took up the
pursuit of the Russian torpedo boat
destroyer Bedovi, firing as she follow
ed. Finding flight useless the Rus
slams struck their colors and ran up
white flag as token of surrender.
AS 1t was learned later this flag of
defeat was white tablecloth, now
carefully preserved as a relic in the
naval deDartment at Toxic
1t was not known to the jubilant
crew of the Satoma that among their
prisoners aboard the prize was the
great admiral, for whose coming the
thousands in the Russian armies in
the field had been hoping and watch
Ing, and Lieutenant Tsukamoto was
sent in charge of prize crew to re-
ceive the formal surrender of the ves-
sci. The young officer was rowed to
the Bedovi and called upon the officer
in command to hand over his sword.
The order was given in English, which
proved to be unintelligible to the Rus
SLAMS 1t was repeated in German,
which was understood and the de-
stroyer turned over to him.
On board the prize the lieutenant
gave the necessary orders to his men
and went below to make an inspec-
tion. Here, in the saloon, he found a
wounded officer. his uniform showing
him to be of high rank. Inquiries of
those in attendance on the stricken
man brought the information that the
officer before him was Rojestvensky,
who had been wounded while fighting
his flagship and who had been, when
1t was seen that all was lost, taken on
| board the Bedovi and orders issued to
| proceed to the nearest port of safety
under a full head OF steam, orders
| which the superior speed and shoot
ing qualities of the Satoma had rem
dered futile.
Upon Rojestvensky formal demand
of surrender was made by the Japa-
| nese lieutenant and the sword OF the
| admiral was silently handed to him.
| Then he saw that everything possible
| for the wounded officer was done, in
the meanwhile signalling to his en-
vying comrades on the Satoma his
wonderful news.
The short dirk side arm worn by
Lieutenant Tsukamoto at the recep-
tion last night was the weapon worn
| by him when he called upon the COM
mander OF the Baltic fleet to surren-
der.