RUSSIAN COMMANDER'S REPORT ON THE LOSS OF THE RURIK.

Otago Witness, Volume 14, Issue 2648, 14 December 1904, Page 30

RUSSIAN COMMANDER'S REPORT ON THE LOSS OF THE RURIK.

Admiral Alexeieff on August 17 forwarded to the Czar a report respecting the naval battle on August 14- as follows, from the commander of the Vladivostock squadron : " The Rossia and Gromoboi, of the chief cruiser detachment, returned to 'Vladivostock on the 16th. On Sunday, August 14, at dawn, we, with the Rurik, saw a Japanese squadron of four armoured cruisers six miles to the north, travelling parallel with our course.

" Putting on full steam, we took a course to the north-east in order to get to the open sea, but the enemy, who had superior speed, "turned immediately and took the same course. We were therefore obliged to engage in battle, which commenced at 5 o'clock in the morning, there being a distance of 60 cables between the two squadrons. " Sighting a second class cruiser coming to join the enemy, we rapidly turned to the right, intending to approach the Korean coast and go to the north. The enemy observed our intention, and directed their course' towards us with the object of hindering our design. Hardly five minutes passed before the Rurik left the ranks and raised the signal ' Rudder does not act.' I replied, ' Steer with your engines,' and continued in my former course.

" Seeing that all the Japanese cruisers were concentrating their fire on the Rurik, all my succeeding manoeuvring had exclusively for its object to enable her to repair her damaged rudder. I attracted to myself the enemy's fire in order to cover the Rurik.

" Two warships joined the enemy. The Rurik hoisted the signal, ' Cannot steer.' After some manoeuvring the signal was hoisted 'Go east.' The Rurik answered the signal and took the requisite course, going at full speed. Eventually the Rossia and Gromoboi took a north-easterly course. The Rurik kept a course approximately south-east, at a distance of three miles. The battle continued for two hours in this manner.

"We suffered considerable damage. The cruiser Rossia, had her three funnels pierced, which prevented her from keeping up good steam, and three of her boilers were rendered useless. "At half-past 9 the Rurik began to lag behind considerably, and again turned her bows towards the shore, fighting against two second class cruisers, which had joined the enemy's squadron. The Rurik soon afterwards began to get out of sight. Admiral Kamimura, with four armoured cruisers, kept steadfastly engaging us in such a manner as to keep us from assisting the Rurik while the latter continued fighting. " We continued our efforts to attract the enemy further north, in the hope that the Rurik would manage to dispose of her two comparatively weaker opponents, and that after repairing the damage to her rudder she would be able to reach Vladivostock independently.

" Shortly before 10 o'clock the enemy's fire was the most terrific of the battle ; but, to our general astonishment, their whole squadron left us after a most deadly fight, which had lasted five hours. It appeared impossible to renew the battle or to return to the Rurik, which was cow 30 miles south. We stopped and commenced to repair the breaches in our vessels to enable us to proceed to Vladivostoek.

" The Rossia had 11 breaches in her side, and the Gromoboi one.

"On the Rossia the captain was killed and seven other officers were wounded. On the Gromoboi four officers were killed and seven wounded. The two cruisers had 135 men killed and 307 wounded."-

DEFENCES OF PORT ARTHUR

The latest particulars as to the plan of the forts and the methods of Russian defence are given by the London Daily Telegraph as follows: — " The Russian western semi-permanent advance works extended along the heights northward, fronting Pigeon Bay, and near the village of Fang-elua-lun, also on the heights to the east of Louisa Bay, and at the foot of the-se are the advanced entrenchments, roofed with sleepers and double layers of steel plates, covered with earthwork at the ends, strengthened with rails, and armed with quick-firers, machine guns, and 4in ordnance. On the western hills the powerful permanent forte slope outward to allow of a clear fire. All the works are loopholed to allow of enfilading the ditches, while above the ditch and glacis are triple lines of thick wire entanglements, and a cable connected with the electrio mines. The western forts are named Sung-shan, An-tzu-shn, Dai-an-tzu-shan, It-zu-shan, Tai-yang-kow, and Tiger's Tail batteries. In the centre of the Russian position are four . semi-permanent lunettes, south of Sueishi village, and a strong advanced lunette across the railway, called Foo-ur-lung Fort. These lunettes are well planned, and connected with the trenches that form, the splendily-conoeived defences of the fortification line. The eastern hills contain several powerful permanent forts, while the Golden Hill batteries and other coast forts are able to use high-angle fire with their lOin ordnance. On the east are two advanced forts, called Ban-ju-san (Japanese name), or Fan-lung-shan (Chinese name). These two semi-enclosed works m the centre of the eastern line of forts are armed with 3in ordnance, machine guns, and quickfirers, and have bomb-proof shelters.

' ' The eastern forts connected with the old Chinese wall have been reconstructed, and afford strong shelter. The slopes beneath the glacis of the forts are encircled by a triple, and, in places, quadruple, line of thick wire entanglements, but over a mile of these slopes is overgrown with kaoliang crops, interlaced with deep dongas and ravines, which made it possible to advance close to the first line of entanglements, and reach the glacie under part shelter of a small force, but the .nature of the ground prevented a large force from operating except along a disjointed front. Besides the fortifications the Russians have seven powerful searchlights distributed over the fortifications, east and west, also starshell mortars. The mode of operation with starehells in conjunction with searchlight was terribly effective to locate advances, and enabled numbers of machine guns cleverly .hidden to work havoc upon the assaults. Without exception, from a height of 1000 ft at a distance of three miles the forts presented conspicuous and easy targets. The Japanese, using a large balloon, were able by telephone to direct the siege parks. "The Russian line of fortifications extends neai'ly 12 miles, and with a sufficient force holding them it would be impossible for even 100,000 troops to capture them by assault. The Japanese will achieve a wonderful success if they can capture the fortress with a loss of under 30.000 men, for the garrison, though worn down and few in numbers, can hold their strong defencee with no great daily casualties from, the bombardment of the heaviest ordnance, and the Japanese must sacrifice numbers to gain even the advanced defences, which are as strong as forts."