BATTLE OF TSUSHIMA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1487, 22 June 1905, Page 1

BATTLE OF TSUSHIMA.

THE DESCRIPTION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney,'June 21. The Daily Telegraph’s correspondent’s narrative of the Battle of Tsushima Lc° n “ tinued from yesterday] states that the lighting gradually dwindled until it resolved itself into the killing of lame ducks, and detachments of Japanese were cruising about looking any Russians that they might devour. The cruiser Chitose sank a torpedodestroyer, and a second one was forced aground by the cruiser Nitaka. The destroyes Murakama, converted cruisers Yawatu Maru (an old Australian liner), Shinano Maru, Taman Maru, and Sadu Maru were also cruising in company when they discovered the battleship Sissoi Veliky aud cruisers Admiral Makhimoff and Vladimir Monomaku noar Tsushima, all cripplod and in a sinking condition, being badly damaged in the torpedo engagement of the previous night. Before the Japanese could get to them to effect a capture the whole of the Russians sank, about 915 men being rescued. In another quarter the Russian cruiser Svietiaua sunk. One or two torpedo boats were destroyed whilst firing on a ship. The Kamschatka was driven ashore, badly damaged by shot, and the special service ship Irmish put iuto Todomura, severely crippled, sinking on the 29th at her moorings. Throughout the night of the 28fch the search continued. On the morning of the 29tb the Dmitri Donskoi was found near Eshiung Island by a flotilla of torpedoboots. Sho would nob allow berßelf to bo taken, however, and on the approach of the enemy opened her Kingston valve and sank, the crow being rescued by natives on the shore or by tbs torpedo-boats. Some of the survivors of this vessel declared they saw two or throe torpedo-de3troyors Btnk on the 27th, one of which broke in halves during the fighting. The theory put forward that submarines wore engaged is in no way borne out by various accounts or by the reports of Admiral Togo. No doubt the victory must bo attributed to the admirable seamanship and tactics of Admiral Togo, the excellence of the Japanese gunnery, the skill and daring of the torpedo craff, which seemed to even exceed the exploits at Port Arthur. Possibly also the rosults achieved are explicable to some extent by the low morale of the Russian crews, heavy seas, bad ammunition, and the faultinoss of tho two-line formation in which Admiral Reshdestvensky advanced io attack. A lieutenant on beard the Aurora declared that the success of the Japaueso was due in no small way to the practical invisibility of their ship?, whilst with the Russians the drab block-topped funnels were plainly visible. He declared that the Japanese torpedo boats were uncountable. They were darting hither and thither, rendering it necessary for the Russian ships to steam in circles to avoid them. It was in this way fchas the Oleg, Aurors, and Jomehung worked their way out of the fighting line after dark, and found themselves in the southern entrance of Tsushima Strait. They fled southwards.

With the knowledge that a great naval battle was imminent the Japanese nation waited calmly, but with suppressed excitement for tho coming conflict. They .received the news of the victory with the remarkable control which has characterised them throughout. Passengers by the Eastern who were in Yokohama when tho victory was announced were surprised at the quietness with which the people heard tbe news. They bad gone through the national crisis quietly, and set about preparations for celebrating the success, but anything approaching the enthusiasm shown by Britons over Mafeking was absent. Eastern files show that prior to the battle remarkable ignorance existed as to the whereabouts of both fleets,