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.
SECOND ATTACK
The official report is as follows:—
On the 13th a division of torpedo-boat destroyers started for Port Arthur during a heavy snowstorm. The boats lost sight of each other and became separated. Only the Hayatori and Asagiri reached Port Arthur. The Asagiri sighted the entrance to the harbour at three o’clock on the morning of the 14th, and was received with a heavy fire by the batteries and scouting torpedo boats. She entered the harbour and discharged a torpedo at a warship from whose funnel smoke was ascending. The Asagiri then emerged safely, returning the fire of the enemy’s torpedo-boats.