TRUE TO FORM

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 291, 9 December 1941, Page 6

TRUE TO FORM

ATTACK ON RUSSIA JAPAN'S TREACHERY PORT ARTHUR ENGAGEMENT On a dark night in February. 1904. the world was blasted out of its calm observation of developments in the Far East when the detonations of Admiral Togo's torpedoes declared war between Japan and Russia. The Japanese had run true" t9 form and, as they were to do again 38 years later, sprang a treacherous surprise upon a Power with whom they were at peace. In this momentous vear of 1904 the Russians were deluding themselves with the fancy that a severance of diplomatic relations did not necessarily mean war. But the Japanese commander-in-chief was vested with the invaluable secret that in this case it did. Togo's plan was to swoop down upon Port Arthur and deliver a crushing blow to the Russian squadron lying in the outer roads, if it still remained in that exposed position. Like Pins In Bowling Alley Proceeding gingerly in the darkness, Japanese destroyers scarcely could believe their eyes as they beheld the big Russian ships, lights ablaze, in neat array outside the harbour, set up like pins in a bowling alley. Had there been treason, the Russian disposition hardly could have been improved upon from the enemy's standpoint—but the sole treason was tnat of long-standing ignorance and neglect. Some of the Russian searchlights were extinguished, and as the moon soon was due, it was deemed timely to launch the attack. The strategy of those days was crude. It was a case of each captain pretty much for himself. As the ten Japanese ships moved in to sting the dozing Leviathans, they encountered two Russian destroyers on sentry duty. The guard boats did not fire, and when the Russian battleships and cruisers discerned the Japanese,.they were mistaken for those Russian patrols.

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The attack was delivered with courage and determination, but the inevitable excitement and confusion, intensified when finally the inftnded victims began to whirl their searchlights and fire their secondary batteries threw the Japanese off their calculations. They released the torpedoes at average ranges of nearly attached" 1 With net cullers Only Three Torpedoes Hit The Russian ships did have torpedo nets out along their waists, but the bows and sterns were unguarded. JHie net-cutters fouled the runs and, besides, failed to penetrate the nets. PJJi, Redoes, three struck and exploded on two battleships and a light cruiser. They were all damaged seriously but did not sink. it was a thunderous declaration of war that Togo had emitted, and it galvanised his united compatriots into ecstasy. Considering, however the opportunity that the Russians' had obligingly presented to him. the S^mung.' 13 must * con^red . The Port Arthur squadron could have been wiped out or nearly so that night haa both flotillas rushed E J^ r l ed , at lhe first glimmer of r^ vn . • y l T h e long-range batteries of g , Ja P? nese battleships and armoured cruisers. As it was. the morale of the entire war was cast in favour of Japan bv offensive. As it might have been, the control of the sea virtually would have been won before the war had started. The P £ ace could have be en dictated months earlier at a savinc expense" UveS and enormoui , Fatal Delay A^^° r i di S. g to schedule RearAdmiral Dewa arrived at davlight He fni I fnl qU tl? ro, Tj of ,ight cru >sers. *?und .? e Russian squadron locked outside the harbour bv the three torpedoed ships that had run fJw? un . d - ,n the "arrow entrance while trying to hobble through. . He sent a message to Togp that the Was < for an ™™5l iate major assault. This was ™T!L a^curate than he knew because u sudd en midin&TLJS- ld , had thrown the place into confusion. A few hours were to see order reasserting itself the tterle s ready for action and the defences stiffened generally- It cotfnted! occasion when minutes

although Togo was onlv an 11 „ was 11 hours after the firing of those firct treacherous torpedoes when he led into action. The situation then was entirely different. The defences were ready a 1116 Russian ships though they acted without plan or system, were able to make an at Thl Pt T» at def ending themselves. rtiH nn » R^ an warships, however. ™«J£?L3?°£ er T°*° the forts convinced him that they were not to be treated with contempt. After W i£ h produced an engageST&f'KSt S hour ' 11,6 hi Ji? y® B unwilling to risk tht «L a J5! ships that constituted FJ® sea power of his country. He loss of tb°se irretrievable hours of the morninc Prove costly The Russian 1# Si. a . s a ™ a uled and mangled 12! —J^ 88 ! 18 hen Japan. ? h r*nk away, but despite inj urie s to pe rKOnne j and i structure, none was put out of commission permanently, '