FIRST ATTACK ON PORT ARTHUR
Admiral Togo’s official report of the attack on Port Arthur is dated February 10, 1904, at sea, and is as follows:—
After the combined fleet left Sasebo on the 6th, everything went off as planned.
At midnight, on the 8th, the advance squadron attacked the enemy’s advance squadron, the latter being mostly outside the bay.
The Poltava, Askold, and two others were apparently struck by torpedoes.
At noon, on the 9th, the fleet advanced to the offing of Port Arthur Bay, and attacked the enemy for forty minutes, I believe doing considerable damage.
I believe the enemy were greatly demoralised. They stopped fighting at one o’clock, and appeared to retreat to the harbour.
The Japanese fleet suffered but very slight damage, and its fighting strength has not decreased.
Our casualties were four killed and fifty-four wounded. The imperial princes on board suffered no harm.
The conduct of the officers was cool, and not unlike their conduct at manœuvres.
This morning, owing to the heavy south wind, detailed reports from the vessels have not been received, so I merely report the above facts.
Togo.
The ships actually torpedoed were the Tsarevitch, Retvizan, and Pallada, none of which were sunk.
The Japanese fleet consisted of all the modern vessels.
The relative small loss inflicted upon the Russians is explained as follows:—
(1) Several of the Japanese boats followed some scouting Russian boats in error.
(2) The torpedo is an uncertain weapon at the best.
The Japanese boats got in by imitating Russian signals.
In the battle of the 9th very little harm was done on either side. The Novik and several other Russian ships were struck, but the damages were in no case serious. On the Japanese side the Fuji and Iwate received some hits, but these, though extensive, were not of a really serious nature.