Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 54, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1904 — STORM SAVES FLEET. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

STORM SAVES FLEET.

JAP DESTROYER FLOTILLA DlVIDEO BY A BLIZZARD. Rus.ia’i Port Arthur Squadron Thus Eacorsu Ruaalan Be-Enforcement. Movinf Rapidly to the Yalu River— Alexieff Appeals to His Troops.

A heavy storm spared the Russians from a desperate torpedo attack at Port Arthur on the morning of Sunday, Feb.

14. During the preceding night the vessels of the Japanese flotilla of torpedo craft were parted by the force of the blinding snowstorm so that only two of the larger destroyers succeeded in forcing their way through the tierce gale to Port Arthur. When they arrived there they attacked separ-

ately and the officers of one of them are confident that they succeeded in torpedoing a Russian warship. The destroyer Asargiri, in charge of Lieutenant Commander Ishiknwa, arrived off Port Arthur about 3 o’clock in the • morning and was met jvxth a sharp fire from the fortress and Russian ships acting as scouts. The Asargiri discharged several torpedoes at a big, warship, but the result is unknown. Japan Embarks Three Division*. An official dispatch received from Tokio announces that one of the most important movements of Japanese troops yet made occurred Wednesday. One (ft the main branches of tbe army, consisting of three divisions and including a division of guards, went on board transports. Previous landings of Japanese forces in Korea and elsewhere are said to have been small compared with this simultaneous sailing of three divisions, aggregating approximately an army of 30,000 to 50,000 men. The Japanese authorities, It is stated, had taken every precaution to prevent information from going out concerning the embarkation and the destination of this army. It is believed that the destination of this force is a point near the mouth of the Yalu river, or a spot on the Liaotung peninsula, flanking Port Arthur.

MARQUIS ITO.