THE SINKING OF THE "HATSUSE."

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 251, 16 April 1910, Page 5

THE SINKING OF THE "HATSUSE."

'AN INCIDENT IN THE RUSSOJAPANESE WAR. Sunday, May 14, 1904, was a latal day for the Japanese in their war with Russia. Early in that month the Japanese ni a de their final "boltling-up " attempt at Port Arthur, and reported it as being completely successful ;• but as a matter of fact, it was an entire failure, owing to MakharofTs .sunken .ships be-ing-in the way ; and the fact that no Russian ships issued forth for a long time was due to Captain Wiivn. He believed that, if Togo thought them shut in, he would grow careless and this would be the Russian's opportunity ;■ so for a time no ships went out, while inside the Russians wore working day and night to repair the damaged vessels. Then Captain Wiren struck his great blow.. Obtaining command of the destroyer flotil la. which 1 was reduced to sixteen boats, he put into execution his favourite theory that destroyers must act by day and not by night. Convinced that he had "corked" Porl Arthur, Togo, as was anticipated grew earless a»d unsuspecting, am" cruised inshore, playing at long-ran." bombardments, until, on May 11. In was caught in a fog. The Russia destroyers sighted him .when he wa ten miles south-east of Port Arthur and the explosion of a torpedo a gainst . the battleship "jiafsuse ' was the first intimation Togo had o' the Russians' proximity.. It struclher amidships, and she at once begat to fill with water. Before the le a > could be stopped, a second torpedo hit and sank her, with a loss of 450 of her crew. Not until she was sinking were'the destroyers located, and even then little harm was done to- them. It was a complete surprise. A' third torpedo struck tin fast cruiser "Voshino," rendering, her helpless ; and, as she l a v thus the "Kasuga " crashed into her. and she went down like a stone. About the same time the "Yashima " struck a mine off the eastern defence* and had, to be towed nwny. When within twenty miles of Sassebo. her fore bullhead gave way. and she sank in fifteen fathoms of water, whence some day she may be raised. Other losses were sustained dui-inc that fatal week ; but then the Japanese Navy rose to its full height ol deserving sincere admiration. It kept a bold front before Port Arthur The news of the loss of the "Yashima "was sunm-essed and with such thoroughness that her n-w crew wenput to write letters home fromimafnery cruising-eronwß and the ship's movements were officially chronicled. Thus the Russians never learned the full tale of the loss; and for that matter, it may not lie known even to-dav.