!
178.
KOBE, 28th Feb., 7.00 p.m. A protocol ratifying an alliance between Japan and Corea was signed on the 23rd in
stant.
This convention apparently ranges Corea with Japan as a belligerent, and renders in- valid Corea's declaration of neutrality last January,
KOBE, 29th Feb., noon.
It is officially stated that Russian scouts some distance to the north of Pingyang en countered a body of Japanese Infantry yes- terday (Sunday) and were repulsed.
TIENTSIN, 1st March, 10. a.m.
In consequence of the denunciation in the China Times of Russian cruelties, the mili. tary authorities summoned Mr. John Cowen, editor of the paper, before them. He was ordered to give security for his behaviour, but refuses, and maintains his right to free 'dom of comment. His deportation is im- pending.
LONDON, 1st Mar., 10.55 a.m.
It is stated at S. Petersburg that the Japanese have announced their intention of bombarding Port Arthur to-day.
Admiral Stoessel in a speech at Port Arthur has declared that the place will
never surrender.
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TIENTSIN, 1st Mar., 10.33 p.m. Mr. E. S. Schwabe, British Vice-Consul, and all British subjects have been expelled from Vladivostock and arrived at Tientsin. They state that the Russo-Chinese Bank at Vladivostock has suspended operations, and that all provisions in the town are at famine prices.
TIENTSIN, 1st Mar., 10.33 p.m.
Port Arthur is being bombarded by the Japanese every alternate day, and the whole coast in Russian possession is effectively blockaded,
Desperate efforts have been made at Tientsin to transmit provisions to Port Arthur by the railway, but all have been ¡ fruitless.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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[March 7, 1904.
of these steamers all escaped in safety, and our Each ship opened fire as she came in front of destroyers and torpedo flotilla returned without the enemy's fleet. The Novik and three other This took place ships of the enemy's fleet fought well, the work having suffered any dam ge in the early morning of the 24th instant. of the first-mentioned being the most cre-litable, "On the same sight, our fleet.of destroyers Most of the enemy's fleet did not steam abut, wore despatched to Port Arthur. Talienwan but remained s'ationary, like so many floating Pay, and Pigeon Bay in search of the enemy's forts. The three damag d ships did not fire a ships, and au attack was made on the Russian single shot, and there seemed ground to believe vessels. On the morning of the 25th, our main that the damage done by the Japanese torpe- fleet opened fire at a long range on the enemyn doos on the previous night was fatal- The forts ships and forts at Port Arthur. The Norik opened fir4 on the Japanese when the 1 iter Askold, and Boyarin fled into the inner harbour approached within 12,000 metres of the shore. shortly after midday. From this it would seem | The Japanese ships - their fire until they that we have not yet succeeded in blocking up j got within 7,50 metres. Throughout the the entrance completely. After the Russian | actio », the Japanese fil et steamed at the rate fleet had retired our fleet adrane d and at ackedl the inner harbour. A bombardmout on the port and forts was kept up for fifteen minutes, and an expl sion in the town, created by our shells, was witnessed. Our boats then with drew.
"On the sime day our fleet attacked a Russian destroyer and succeded in disabling it wear Rootifgnzan. In these engagements no damages were incurred by our vesels and no officers or meu were injured Further details are expected shortly in Admiral Tog -'s report
་་
THE TORPEDO ATTACK ON PORT ARTHUR.
A Japanese unsal officer. has supplied the folowing account of the first attack at Port Arthur-The torpedo destroy rs parted with the squadrous under the command of Vice Admiral Togo on the night of the 8th, at sea. Some lifty miles this side of Port Arthur. The No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 flotillas proceeded to Port Arthur, and No. 4 and No. 3 flotillas to Daluy. The three flotillas soon arrived in the neighbourho of Port Arthur and commerced a search for the enemy's feet. The torpedo destroyers of the enemy were on picket duty, but the Japanese flotilles succeeded in passing them and getting inside their line, without exciting their suspicion. The Russian warships were stationed at almost the very spot where the Japanese flotillas were led to expect they would find them, The Japanese torpedo des- troyers fired two to pedoes each, the No. 1 flotila turning the left and the No. 2 aud No. 3 10 the right. The Japanese torpedo flotilla was deter- mined to get as near the enemy as possible and destroy the largest vessels. The torpedoes were therefore fired at the largest ships of the within 500 or 600 metres of the Russian ships enemy's fleet. The Japanese craft approached
and the officers were able to make out the mor-
ing figures on board the Russian ships. The torpedo discharged by the Inadzumu missed fire, aud she therefore turned round and re-fired
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of 15 knots and at one time went within 3,0,0 metres of the Russian ships. Only the part gans were used. After passing the fast, the sips turned and sent in a hot fire from their stoin guns, before steaming away. The exact loss to the enemy is unknowa; but a warship of the Poltava type was seen to have a hoary list to port, and a shot from on- 124nch gun is known to have hit the Bayan. Two other Russian ships were soon to be badly dimaged by the Japanese fire. The flagship Mikasa took the lead in the engagement, the Asahi coming next. The enem.'s firo was con. centrated on the Mik180. The Arahi escaped without any damage. The firing of the Japan- ese ships was accurate and almost every shot told. Thirteen shots were fired from the stern 12-inch guu of the Asahi, each one taking effect. The Iwate was hit by a 10-inch shot from the Norik, and the Fuji was hit on her forward funnel. Lieut. Miura of the Fuji was killed while on the bridge by a shot from one of the Russian ships. "Only a piece of his belt was left ou the bridge. The Japanese squadron formed in battle array at 9.50, and the Russians opened fire at 11.30. The J panese replied at 1209, the engagement las ing forty minutes,
RUSSIAN REFUGE 8 AT HONGKONG.
The Italian cruiser Elba arrived at Hongkong about p.m. on the 24th ult., having left Che- nilpo on the 25th, experiencing a fine passage
down the coast. It will be remembered that the Elba was one of the foreign warships that picked up some of the Russian sailors that blew
up their vessels during the fight off Chemulpo between & Russian cruiser and gun-boat and a Japanese The Elba has now 174 escorting squadrou. of the former and one of the latter wore slightly Russian sailors an i seven officers on board. Four wounded. The officers are all from the gauboat Varyay, Midshipman Gutsune having received a wound in the right leg. The names of the otters are: Lient Robert Berling, Chief Engi- Deer Leikoff, Eugiueer Soldatoff, and Mid- shipmen Laheda, Schilling, and Eyler. The
KOBE, 4th March, 12.80 p.m. On Wednesday night, the 2nd instant, some bombs were thrown into the residences of the Foreign Minister aud of the Coun-it. The Russian ships were panic-stricken us cillor of the Foreign Department at Seoul. The bombs, however, were weak, and their only effect was to damage the furniture Japanese boats. The firing of the torpedoes / Government wilt dispose of the men.
slightly in the houses attacked. The out- rage is attributed to the Peddlers' Guild, which opposed the siguing of the Protocol between Japan and Corea.
JAPANESE OFFICIAL REPORT ON
FORT ARTHUR,
Mr. Masauichi Nomi. Japanese Cousul in Honghong, on the th ult. forwarded to us copies of the following official telegrams, which he received that day :-
"Tokyo, 26th February, 4.20 p.m.-Shortly before daybreak on the 24th iustaut, our torpedo flotilla escorted three or four old merchaut Vessels to Port Arthur, where they w re to be Funk for the purpose of blocking all ingress. The ressel wer successfully scutiled and I foundered in the pass.
All the (fficers and crews were brought back safely. Although no fficial confirmation has been received from Admiral Togo, it is certain that our fleet sustained no damage."
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Tokyo, 27th February, 155 a.m.-Accord ing to a report received on the 26th instant from Vice Admiral Kamin ura, who is in com- mand of a detached squadron, ur torpedo flotilla, which accompanied the old steamers sent to block the pass at Port Arthur, reports that the lokohumaru was sunk just under the lighthouse to the left of the entrance of the port; the Bushu-manus tiled down just outside of her. The Tenshin-maru, Buyo-maru and Jinsen- maru were sank in like manner to the eastward of Laolinshan and at the entrance.
The crews
soon as the Japanese torpedoes were fired and opened a terrific fire on the destroyers with the aid of their search-lights, No shot struck the
close at 2 o'clock and the flotilles beaded for the open sea. The enemy's torpedo destrogeis were sighted on the way back, and the Japanese boats opened fire on them. They made no reply and the Japades destro ers got away unuiolested, jo ning the fleet at the same place where they parted from it several hours before. The forts seem to have opened fire' on the Japanese destrogeis, but if so they did no damage. Capta u Asai was in caramand of No,
I flotilla, Lieutenaut Ishii of No. 2 and Lieutenant Tsuchiya of No. 3 fotilla. The flotillas, which were sent to i alay, failed to discover any signs of the
enemy
there.
THE ACTIÚN OUTSIDE PORT ARTHUR Another naval officer describes the action as foliows:-
Tho torpedo flotilla crept up close to the Russian fleet, successfully evading the Russian torpedo boats, and discharged their torpedoes ut a short distance. Three torpedoes took effect, three Russian ships being struck. The ships, however, did not sink entirely. On the follow- ing morning the Japanese squadron steamed up to the attack. The Chilaya, Tatsuta, and others went close in, trying to entice the enemy's ships into the open sea. The Russians showed no wish to comply with the invitation. Failing to draw the enemy outside, the Chitose (flagship of Rear-Admiral Dewa) telegraphed to Vice Admiral Togo (by wireless telegraphy) that the time was ripe for a general attack, The squadron thereupon passed out to the sea. leaving Round Island on the right, and pro- ceeded in a single line towards Port Arthur.
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officers of the Elha do not know how the Italian
JAPANESE OFFICIAL, NEWS,
on
the 2th ult.
The Japanese Consul informed us that he had rec ived the following
two official telegrams:-
was
"Tokyo, 28th February, 12.10 a.m --Admiral Togo, commander-in-chief of the main squadron, has forwarded the following official report with regard to the recont a trek ou Port Arthur:- Five merchant vessels were despatched with iustructions to their crews to scuttle them in the entrance to the Russian port. On reaching the southeru poiut of Laotisliau, on the 24th inst. atta.m., the first of these vessels, tho Tenshin- maru, turned to the left and, after running for three miles under a violent fire from the enemy's forts, which inflicted serious damage, it found necessary to beach ber. The further vessels steered off to the north- east. They were di covered by the enemy's search lights and subjected to a violent cross- fire from the shore batteries. The engines of the Bushu-maru were put out of gear by a shell, and she was eventually scuttled near the Tenshin-muru. The Buyo-maru was riddled by shells and sunk b fore reaching the entrance. The Hoko-maru and Jinsen-maru proceded at full speed into the entrance. The former sunk near Remorizan Point, and the latter on the opposite side of the passage. These vessels were blowu up with explosives that had been prepared on board, their crews cheering as they witnessed them founder from the boats. These rowed away towards the Japanese torpedo flotilla, but, being discovered by the Russians thanks to the search-lights which