NOTES ON THE WAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 63, 26 March 1904, Page 2

NOTES ON THE WAR.

THE FIGHT AT CHEMULPnO. A FURTHEB ACCOUNT. The " Kobe Chronicle " of the 10th of February states,that tho Japanese squadron, accompanied by a number of torpedo boats) arrived at Chemulpho at nine o'clock on Monday morning, and they convoyed a number of vessels carrying troops, which landocl in duo course, and it is euphemistically stated that Chemulpho and the capital Seoul have become very animated in consequence. The war ships in the harbour .it Chemulpho at the time were the British battleship Talbot, the United States erunboat Vicks. burs', tho French cruisor Pascal, the Italian cruiser Elba, and tho two Russ an warships— the protected cruiser Yaryag and the gunboat Coreotz. When the Japanese vessels came- into port, salutes were exebaugod bolneeu llio Japano;€ flagship and the British and other warships, whereupon it was seen that th( ■Russian vessels were making hasty pre parations for departure. However, or Tuesday morning the Russian vessels wore still in harbour, and in anticipatioi of stirring events a great crowd had as sembled oa shore. A s far a.a can b< judged from the various reports, the Japa nese squadron then left tho port, anc waited outside. Tho Coreetz came oul first, apparently with the obiect of mak ing for Port Arthur with all speed. Sh( refused to surrender, and in consequent was fired at and damaged so severely that she sank, Many of her crow wen either killed or wounded, and the few who managed to get ashore were taker prisoners. By this time the Varyag had come upon the scene, and for a short tim< the shells poured upon her, and did eucl fences damage that hey masts went b] the board. Even thon she seems to hav< fought desperately for some time, uuti i she was reduced to a mere hulk. By this i time she had retired behind an island : and out of the range of the Japanese fire j in the direction of the harbour, and it is ! said that the vessel was then set on fire by the crew and destroyed, but it is possible that the fite started on the vessel as the result of the Japanese shells, and could not ho extinguished., i