Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1904 — TWO WARSHIPS SUNK [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TWO WARSHIPS SUNK

JAP CRUISER ANq BATTLESHIP GO DOWN. Cruiser Yoshina Sinks in Collision Off Port Arthur—-Battleship Hatsuse Hits Russian Mine—Over Nine Hundred Japs Are Reported Lost. Vice Admiral Togo of the Japanese navy gives out a report from Rear Admiral Dewa saying that the cruisers Kasaga aud Yoshino collided during a fog off Port Arthur bn Maj- 15. The Yoshino sank, onlj- ninety of her crew being saved. On the same day the battleship Hatsuse struck a Russian mine and sank. The Ilatsuse was one of the old-model ships in the Japanese fleet, having bten built in 1860. Her displacement was 15,000 tons and her complement 741 men. The Ilatsuse had a length of 400 feet and a speed of 19 knots an hour. She was equipped with four 12-inch guns, fourteen G-iuch guns and thirtytwo small guns. The Yoshina has a displacement of 4,150 tons, a length of 350 feet tfnd a speed of 23 knots an hour. She was built in 1892 and her complement consisted of 300 men. Her equipment comprised four 6-inch guns, eight 4-incb guns and 23 small guns. This is the most serious loss sustained by the Japanese navy during the war. The Russians are highly elated over the disaster and telegrams from St. Peters-

burg announce the fact that there is great rejoicing in the Muscovite capital over what the Czar’s subjects see as the beginning of Russian successes. The report of Rear Admiral Togo, who should not be confounded with tho vice admiral of that name, and who commands the Japanese fleet sent to attack Kaichou on. the west coast of the Liaotung peninsula, south of Newchwang, says he reached Port Arthur soon after the Japanese battleship Hatsuse was

blown up and assisted in saving her crew and driving back the Russian torpedo boat flotilla, which came out that evening. The loss of life incurred by the sinking of the cruiser Yoshino included Capt. Sayeki, Commander Hirowaterio, three first lieutenants, five second lieutenants, five midshipmen, paymaster, surgeon, three engineer cadets and eight boatswain mates. Of the crew the number of those lost is unknown. Those who went down with the battleship Hatsuse when she foundered were Commander Tsukamoto, Commander Viscount Nire, Commander Arimori, five second lieutenants, five subengineers two surgeons, six midshipmen, four cadet engineers and ten non-commissioned officers. It is not known yet in this case how many of the men perished. The

Hatsuse was surely sunk by coming iu contact with a submerged mine and not by the attack of a submarine boat. | The report that the battleship Shikishirna was damaged and the battleship Fuji sunk is denied here.

JAPANESE HOSPITAL BUILDINGS AT CHEMULPO.

GENERAL KUROKI.

THE JAPANESE BATTLESHIP HATSUSE.