UNKNOWN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7854, 21 June 1905, Page 2

UNKNOWN

A DEATH TRAP. Incessant Thunderciiis CamiftQade JAPANESE DETERIIKITIOK. The Japanese Torpedo Attacks, i STUPEFY THE ROSSIMS.

(HeOaived June 20, 0,25 p.m.) SYDNEY, Juno 'M. Tho Daily Telegraph's correspondent gives the following description of lho UiU.lu of Tsushima. : Tho day was foggy, hqavy mists hanging low over the watar. The Russian fleet divided into live divisions, making ten knots so hour. As they neared Tnusbdma the sea grow rough, and by the tiuic AUioi'-Hl Togo's command was in a position to engage the Russians, the Ma whs run ling nigh, making shooting dm>cult.

When the signal froin the flagship Mikasa, "Be ready to lc&ve," rwiched tho fleet at 5.30 o'clock to tho morning, the Japanese tacame Jubi- I lant and left their rendezvous Immediately. A wireless message anuouuced the approach ot Admiral Botehdp&tvensky. Owing to the rough weather the torpedo flotilla was unable to proceed with tho fleet, and took Aalter at a Tsushima; por€. The various divisions took up their positions* thq Kussian squadron steaming & a double lirvß of tremendous length. , At 2 o'clock in the afternoon the fighting flags of Japan were hoisted amiU cheers- Admiral Togo then signalled: "Hio late of the Empire hangs solely on this battle. All must use their best endeavours." The message was answered variously from all the ships, and the flest thereupon steamed t« battle. The mist now lifted,, and disclosed!

lo the Russians the terrliila death trap into which they had run. _ On their part they saw indistinctly iq| fho haze the first and second detachments of the Japanese flac-ti, whilst swinging round to starboard were the third and fourth.

Tins fleets steamed alongside one another for aorae time, and when oil OkJinashima tile Russians opened fire. Th|o( flrfet dipt from the Jasfu>ej*> bfattleafiipg -was flrod at 2.18 p.m. Soon an incessant thunderous cannonade waa proceeding. Tie markinonsja'ip of the Russians was inaccurate, but moat of the JapapteM gunners found their mprks and wrought great havoc on the opposing ships, smashing the iron and woodwork, and converting the decks into veritable shambles.

Tho first straight shwi from their guns struck iho conning tower of the battleships Oslabya and killed A& iniral Folkeraham and several of his staff* Other shots set the ship on fire.

In the meantime the Japanese dolAitoyw flotilla ( had token up/a Rosilion on the starboard of the main force, tho battleships and cruisers standing about five inilcs off* using their big guns. Slowly but surely they pressed t,he enemy towards the coast of Kyushu. Finding they were being thus driven the Russians quickly altered their cjtjurso to the eastward. No sooner had this move taken place tihan the Japanese changed their course to north, Iho battleriiip Mikasa. which up to that time had been leading, taking tho rear, whilst the cruiser

Kfesuga now headed the ajxiaiiron, r Both sides were carrying on a hoavy duel, 'out it soon became apparent that the JapaMesb haff the advantage-

The sight ot the Oslabya on 1 lira no doubt disctjqcened the Russians as much as it cheered the Ja pu nose, for shortly alter tho former changed course again, this time to tiro we.vt. The J a panose followed, their second division concentrating flro upon the vessel which was in flames, and on the various flagships. The KnJaz Suvaroff was particularly selected, and was heavily bombardcUv The first Japanese division steamed with all speed abreast of the enemy.

pouring in a severe Are while the second divis on steered round to 110 flank, thus almost completelv surrounding the 'armada. There" was little hope of escape on the part of tho Russians who. compelled to flgfiit, were attacked from all directions, torpedo boats dodging about is all quarters.

It was in tho middle of the afternoon that tho cjever tactical move was performed, and the position of the fleet remained about the same throughout the night. This continued concentration of fire on various ships appeared to be a pro-conceived arrangement, and terribly destructive.

One battletfiip was sunk in the first Ave minutes, and the cruiser Oleg flagship of Admiral Enqnist, was badly damaged. This rendered it necessary far tho Admiral to transfer his flag to tho cruiser Aurora, which m turn became the centro of a ter< nble cannonade.

Russian marksmanship did not improve. About 90 per cent, of tiia'r shots missed, and what did find the mark were practically harmless owing to the inferior make of shells. The Japawjse, on the othor hand, were placing the majority of shots with deadly precision, wrecking «ho guns, tearing gapiqg holes in the hulls, killing and wounding wholesale, until, consternation began to appear amongst the Russians, Several ships could bo seen desperately looking for loopholes of escape. Though the Japanese confined them Within the fighting lines during daylight, it was obvious that several would escape as soon as darknessdescended.

I J hen followed tho capture of Admiral Kozhdestvlensky, details of which have already been cabled. His flaigship was suaiJ afjtt tho fight conChi"? 1 ,vilhout Coimuand«r-in-

Ships wcro now bursting Into a " leH ' and aa t'hc running light proceeded the Hussions wcro,slowly but surely annihilated. Towards sunwt tho auxiliary cruiser Ural was mxa running away. A chase ensued, in whfch sho was sunk - , shells exploding her boilers. The craw. escaped in thu boats and landed in Japan. As evening drew on tho area of thu battle extended considerably, and that, combined with tho heavy pall of siuoko caused by the guns and the burning shipe, led to Admiral Ttoiro Si?® > o ' 0,0 vt units, rho Oslatnya was, with tho an. proach ot evening, still burning vis--OTdT Was <&• j~® {J' 1 * destroyer flotilla to sink her. She shelled the boats as they approached, mud damaged the 8h ranuki, one shell striking the fore di*. chargo tube, whilst another dimming it "♦£ P i H of the Wof tto. other destroyers wcro hurt, and «*V succeeded in sinking the Z* 1 U " ssiun3 wero evidently a t „ loss to know what thoir manoeuvre should be, and darkness, brimrinJ the n'VTT* 1 duter,n inuUon on the. port of tho Japaneso to destroy It was for a timo iinnossihlr. £STtrX .rrijsi."'* l "''" l -Japanese sh'ips wore in %kt(i«g trim, many of tin, Hustons wero hors ije combat Tin 21 wit " dw,, ' l s ami fl™tW " ° ,'°r "»'«» around, and but lit He T anV °. T" 1 1)0 nt ' n( 'crod the,,; When the fighting was at Its hiriv Pst a signal was received bv one of the torpedo flotillas thlut a Mack obJ<*t liko a submarine was amongst R ~ vess< ' lK ' and th ° flotilla was ondcrod to attack it. fl o . tiUa set out on its uiSssion, and the

Firing from the big TapalHW ships ww suspended a" aunast, but torpedo attack* «m made Airing the night, the flotillas fonntag two sections. Ths enemy'* irarohlijrht* fwweitt«d tha success of the two initial attack*, but tho third expedition cod-. cd in the hattlewhlp Orel being puw out oi tho fighting line, tho battleship Navurin being sank, and other* badly damaged. Ilia lluiNians never attempted to send out their iorpedoers under cow of the darkncM. 1 His Orel, having two big holes ia her starboard guarler and hd- engine room wrecked, ran into I(alzuru naval port, «ari Was there Mri» od by tho authorities aad her icfwa made prinoncr*. In the darkness Admiral Enqulst monuged lo flee from the fighting line with tho cruiaers 0)«g. Aujrora, and Jemtchung. Pulling ug t)* torl>edo nets, and stacking the coal aft, l-.e escaped Immediately the opportunity prenatal Use!'., aril ran down to Manila. When at dayt>reak ths remaining ruins attempted to steer a course to '.he northward, tho Japaasaa praaaed ■ ird aheafl, being, determined tha* aot a single ship should escape. t-'iithtiiig was resumed at nine o'clock , and firing continued on and k off throughout the day, the battla ' now being continued'to the nomfe ot 'ikinoshima, in m mist wttah pt» . Wed any sighting further than fivs miles.

Nsar th» Liu eoast, a group ot strips, consisting ot Admiral DiebogmtoTs flagship Imperator NkooUi, the coaat defence .ahips Admiral 8»niavic. Admiral Apraxin, and Dm destroyer bumrua, were cucourtawtt bv a J a panose squadron. During the initial fighting the Izumrud fled, and tha remainder hauled down their flag*, Admiral IHebogatoo himself surrendering them to to the Japanese main fleet. WMlsfc the surroder was bdng acoepted by the Japanese, tha pursuit of the ra> « matador of the Bussiaa* was * porarily suspended. 4 Tha coast defence skip Admiral Ifoshakofl was espied ia a aokUhkMp ern direction, and tha JapMNae cruisers Ival and Yakumo tuaiisMmiy act out and sank her, as Mbe nhwtf surrender. Ths fourth' division of the Japan* ese second torpedo flotilla also cspM the Dmitri Donskoi endeavouring 'to < escape towards the northwest, and pursued bar until altar nightfall, Doing unable to lint her, though they used both torpedoes and guns,