The Port Arthur Attack.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 6206, 29 February 1904, Page 2

The Port Arthur Attack.

Conflicting Accounts*

British Staamer Fired On.

United Press Association—Ry Kleotric Telegraph—Copyrigh fc. Sitdnky, Feb 27 The Japanese Consul here baa received the following official cabin:—" With a view to blocking the hirbour entrance at Port Arthur, three or four old Japanese vesslea were despatched, under an escort of torpedo boats. They dashed to the port entrance at dawn on February 24, and were successfully sunk, all the officers and men returning safely. As to our squadron, no official report has yet been received from the Commander-in-Chief, but there is no reason to be anxiou3 about its welfare."

London, Feb. 27

While passing through the Bed Sea on Monday, ft Russian torpedo destroyer, after firing twice across her bows, stopped and boarded the British-India Company's steamer Monibas3a, on her voyage : to Calcutta, and examined her papers.

An official message from St. Petersburg states that Thursday's attack on Port Arthur was a renewed attempt to block the harbour, and lasted three hours.

The Russians declare that of the four Japanese vessels sunk, the one nearest to the harbour mouth was ablaze for some time. Electric batteries and wires were apparently connected with the infernal machines discovered on board. According to the. Japanese accounts the vessels were laden with stones and painted to imitate warships. Each carried a captain, an engineer, and three seamen. Ten of the latter were drowned.

Admiral Alexeiff reports that the land batteries sank a Japanese torpedo boat on Thursday.

A correspondent at Port Arthur states that the Japanese squadron arrived off the harbour on Friday, apparently convoying transports. A forty ruiuute artillery engagement followed, but it proved resultless.

New York, Feb. 27.

The New York " Herald " correspondent reports that the Japanese on Thursday silenced five of the Port Arthur fort guns. The town was seriously damaged and a shell struck the anchorage where the junks, were moored. Many were destroyed. The> shells fell close to the arsenal, and several guards were killed.