The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 28, 1904, Page 1

SO, ST fl"r- o TEE mrl!ke r ol Forecdst made st San Fran-. cisco for thiyty hours ending midnight, March 28 Sen Prancisco and vicinity— Rain Monday; fresh to brisk i southerly wind. [ G. X. WILLSON. ! 7 N Local Forecaster. - + ~ —_— Grand—"“Hedda Gabler.” - - _ NO. 119. SAN FRANCISCO, MONDAY, MARCH 28. 1904. PRICE FIVE CENTS. REN‘EWED ATTEMPT BY THE JAPANESE TO BLOCK THE PORT ARTHUR CHANNEL ENDS IN DISASTER CHEFT, March 27.—The Japanese have made another disastrous attempt to block the entrance to Port Arthur harbor. At 2 o’clock this morning four merchant vessels, escorted by torpedo- boats. approached the harbor. They were discovered by the Russian ves: Is on scouting duty, and as they drew near the Russian forts opened fire upon them, while a single Russian torpedo-hoat dashed out to attack. This torpedo-boat sank one of the merchantmen, and the remaining three were run aground. None succeeded in reaching the harbor entrance. The Japanese fleet, consisting of sixteen war- ships, remained off Port Arthur until daylight. At dawn Admiral Marakoff’s fleet went out to engage Admiral Togo, but the latter withdrew, his fleet disappearing to the southward. It is said the crew of one of the merchantmen was captured. The Russians lost seven men killed and thirteen wounded aboard the attacking torpedo-boat. Russians Sink Four Vessels Off Harbor Entrance. ST. PETERSBURG, March 27.—An official dispatch from Port Arthur to the Emperor says that at 1 o'clock this morning the Russian searchlights disclosed four big merchant steamships making for the entrance of the harbor, supported by six tor- pedo-boats. A heavy fire was opened on them by the batteries and some warships. The torpedo-boat Silni, commanded by Lieutenant Krinizki, turned the merchant vessels from their course by blowing up the prow of the first and then boldly attacking the enemy’s torpedo- boats. In the fierce fight which followed Chief Swyereff of the Silni and six marines were killed and the com- mander and twelve men were wounded. The Japanese plan to block up the entrance to Port Arthur was frustrated, however, and the channel is still clear. MAKAROFF’S REPORT OF THE ENGAGEMENT. Vice Admiral Makaroff, commanding the Russian naval forces at Port Arthur, has sent the following telegram to the Em- peror: “T beg most humbly to report that at 2 o’clock this morning the enemy made a second attempt to block up the entrance to the inner roadstead. For this purpose they dispatched four large merchant steamers convoyed by six torpedo-boats, to the entrance. “The enemy’s ships were promptly discovered by the search- lights and were bombarded by the batteries and by the guardships Bohr and Otvajny. “Fearing the enemy’s ships might break through Lieutenant Krinizki, commanding the guard torpedo-boat Silni, attacked the enemy and destroyed the bow of the foremost Japanese, steamer with a torpedo. This steamer turned to the right and was fol- lowed by two others, with the result that the three were stranded to the right of the entrance. A fourth steamer went to the right of the enemy’s ships and likewise sank to the side of the fairway. The Silni then battled with the enemy’s six torpedo-boats. En- gineer Artificer Swyereff and six seamen were killed and the commander and twelve seamen were weunded. GOES OUT TO ENGAGE JAPANESE FLEET. “At daybreak the enemy’s battleship and cruiser squadrons appeared and 1 proceeded with the fieet under my charge to meet the enemy. “The second attempt to block the entrance to Port Arthur has failed, thanks to the energetic defense by the sea and land forces, who'acted as they did during the first attempt. “The harbor remains periectly clear.” The following dispatch has been received from General mirneft : “PORT ARTHUR, March 2;.-—Last night, after moonrise, the Japanese attempted to block the entrance to the harbor. Four Comtinued on Page 2, Cols. 2 and 3. Engineer 3 2 ! | | | | | " R AUSTRALIA MOB HUNTS Elijab’s Life in Peril in the Town of Adelaide, Special Dispatch to The Call. WAUKEGAN, I, March 27— Dowle's cabled report of his trip in Australia, read at the close of this aft- ernoon’s services in Shiloh Tabernacle, Zion City, was the most exciting thus far received. His followers listened with bated breath as Overseer Speicher read a long account of rioting, and went home much excited. It was as | follows: | “ADELAIDE, March 2.—Repeat to- gether the ninety-first Psalm. Halle- lujah. I have been lolding meetings | in the town hall this week. Two hun- dred hoodlums got in some way or other before the meeting and others came in late. A few ticket holders got in by chance. Thousands were in the rab- ble outside. A great riot ensued. The police fought bravely and held the plat- form for an hour. “I was forced to discontinue the meeting and went to the home of a friend in the suburbs, escorted by mounted troopers. The mob damaged the York Hotel. Later they hunted in the suburbs for me and damaged the houses of relatives, breaking windows, ete. ] “Next day the civil and State author- ities forbade me the use of the town hell on the pretense that I insulted King Edward, having said that he with other éarthly potentates had no religion to spare. “I expect to leave as arranged, All the powers of evil are linked togeiher| amainet na. Prav for us all” FOR DOWIE. CORELwEben ldan S | E i 7 B LA _COMMANDER AND VIEW .ILLUSTRATING FAIL- URE OF JAPANESE COUP. WORSI? 5 EXDED BY PANIG Cry of “Fire” Causes Disaster in a Church. NEW HAVEN, Conn.,, March 27.—A panic occurred at the morning service in St. Michael's Italian €hurch here to-day, in which almost a score of per- sons were injured. Four men, two women and two children were seriously hurt. ¥ During prayer some one in the con- gregation shouted “Fire.” Immediately the worshipers arose and rushed for the door at the rear, the only exit. Women and children were trampled and dragged along the floor by others in their en- deavor to get out of the building. Some one sent in a fire alarm, and with great difficulty the firemen succeeded in fore- ing back the struggling mass that had become wedged in the doorway. Finally, when the building was freed of people, two women and two girls were found on the floor badly hurt. The injuries of the others were slight. No reason for any one giving an alarm of fire could be discovered. RESCUERS SAVE LIFG N FLO0 Rising Rivers in Two States Terrify F@flies. GRAND RAPIDS, March 27.—Condl- tions in this city and nearby towns along the Grand River are very grave fo-night, as a result of the unpre- cedented flood. At 9 o'clock to-night the river gauge here was three feet above the previous high water record, that of 1844. The water has risen six inches since 6 o'clock last evening. It is fall- ing slightly to-night, however, the drop in temperature having checked the small streams and surface drainage. ‘The inhabitants of flooded houses are suffering greatly from cold and lack of food. A vast amount of sickness will, it is feared, .follow the exposure sus- tained by many of the flood victims. The work of rescuing inhabitants of the flooded houses continued all day, a squad of local militia assisting the o ers. It “de;um.&dt th:‘:. ‘tnhee “loonn of perty an lamage to s 66 the flood Will exceed $2,000, 000. Fifteen thousand men will be un- able to work to-morrow, owing to fac- tories being compelled to close. Interurban cars are running only over portions of the roads « of Grand . The city electric lighting sta- tion is entirely cut off and the city is in darkness. Many of .he West Side churches are surrounded by water and were unable to hold services to-day. All schools on the West Side must close temporarily. Conditions at Ionia, Lowell, Portland and other points along the Grand River are - slightly improved to-night, the water having begun to =1l These towns are practically isolated, by mu'finl.colmd. PN 3 CRARS YRR Y Togo Retires When Makaroff Sails Out to Fight. ST. PETERSBURG, March 27.—Under cover of darkness this morning Vice Admiral Togo made another desperate at- tempt to bottle up the Russian fleet in Port Arthur, but he failed again, and when, after daylight, Vice Admiral Makaroff steamed out to give battle, the Japanese commander refused the challenge and sailed away. The Japanese practically repeated the tactics of February 24 by sending four ships, preceded by a torpedo-boat flotilla, with the exception that the merchant ships this time were armed with Hotchkiss guns for the purpose of keeping off the Russian tor- pedo-boat destroyers. The enemy's attempt was discovered by means of the shore searchlights and a heavy fire was opened from the batteries and from two gunboats which were guarding the entrance to the har- bor. The Russian torpedo-boat destroyer Silni was outside on scouting duty and to the dash and nerve of her commander, Lieu- tenant Krinizki, is chiefly due the complete defeat of the plans of the Japanese. He at once made straight for the oncoming ships, under a hail of fire from the Hotchkiss guns, and torpedoed the leading ship, which sheered off, followed by the others, three of them being piled up on the shore under Golden Hill and one un- der the lighthouse. The Silni then engaged the entire six tor- pedo-boats of the enemy, coming out from a terrific fight with six killed and her commander and twelve of her complement wound- ed, but on the Japanese side only one boat’s crew was saved. In addition, according to unofficial reports, it is believed the Japanese lost two torpedo-boats. MUCH REJOICING IN THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL. The Japanese cruisers which supported the attack exchanged shots with the batteries and then drew off, after which Vice Ad- miral Makaroff took a steam launch and examined the fireships. An hour later the Japanese torpedo flotilla, followed by Vice Admiral Togo’s fleet, came up from a southerly direction. Just at daybreak Vice Admiral Makaroff with his fleet sailed out to en- gage the enemy, but after the ships and batteries had fired a few long-distance shots, Vice Admiral Togo decided to decline the issue and disappeared to the southward. The news of the repulse of Vice Admiral Togo's second at- tempt to block Port Arthur created much rejoicing in the Russian capital. and among all classes the gallantry of the Silni and her commander is the subject of high praise; but above all the moral effect of Vice Admiral Makaroff's willingness to engage the enemy, showing that he considered himself strong enough to fight, produced a splendid impression. In high official circles this new effort to “bottle up” the Rus- sian fleet is looked *pon as meaning only one thing, namely, that the Japanese, as stated by the press on March 24, are now prepar- ey - Continued oi:r.nn,m'smq.