But the Japanese “got the 200,000th chance,” and more.
At dawn on 27th May, about 5 A.M., the auxiliary cruiser Sinano Maru almost ran into our hospital ships, and it was due to this that the whole fleet was discovered. We were unable to see what had happened, but by the changed character of the messages it became at once apparent that our presence was known. The scouts no longer merely called each other up, and we now took in reports, which were being transmitted further and further to the north.[11]
Messages came in from both sides, so the Admiral recalled the Almaz, Svietlana and Ural, in order to protect our helpless rear (transports) from sudden attack.
About 6 A.M. the Ural came up at full speed, reporting by semaphore that astern of the fleet four ships, which it was impossible to recognise in the mist, were crossing from starboard to port.
At 6.45 A.M. a vessel appeared on the starboard beam, which, as her course brought her nearer to us, was soon recognised as the Idzumi. About 8 A.M., despite the mist, we were able to take her distance as 10,000 yards. The alarm sounding, the after turret threateningly raised her 12-inch guns, but the Idzumi, guessing her danger, commenced rapidly to beat a retreat.
We might, of course, have detached a good cruiser to drive her off, but alas! there were in the fleet only two ships answering to this description—the Oleg and the Aurora, also possibly the scout Svietlana; of the remainder, the Donskoy and Monomakh were respectable veterans, slow, though passably armed. The Ural and Almaz were swift, but had only toy guns. Besides, each moment we were expecting to meet our formidable opponent, when every gun and shell would be of value. If the issue of the battle were to be decided by a duel between our three armoured squadrons and the twelve best Japanese ships, the whole of the rest of the enemy’s fleet would fall to the lot of our cruiser squadron. A struggle for which we must indeed reserve our strength! Rozhdestvensky decided accordingly to ignore the Idzumi’s daring sally, and sent no one in pursuit of her.
Shortly after 8 A.M., on the port bow, the Chin-Yen, Matsushima, Itsukushima, and Hashidate appeared out of the mist, steaming on an almost parallel course. Ahead of them was a small, light cruiser, apparently the Akitsushu, which hurriedly drew off to the north as soon as we were able to see her well (and equally she us), and the whole squadron began slowly to increase their distance and gradually to disappear from sight.
At about 10 A.M. the light cruisers Chitose, Kasagi, Niitaka, and Otawa, also appeared on the port beam, and it became evident to all of us that the decisive moment could not now be long postponed.
At a signal from the flag-ship, the 1st and 2nd armoured squadrons steamed ahead, and, turning “together,” 2 points[12] to port, began to take position ahead of the 3rd squadron. The transports were ordered to keep more to starboard and astern of the fleet, while the cruisers were to cover them on the port side. To starboard of the transports was the Monomakh, detailed to protect them from the Idzumi and suchlike vessels.
At 11.20 A.M., when the distance of the Japanese light cruisers was 10,000 yards, the Orel fired an accidental shot (which she immediately reported by semaphore). Unable with smokeless powder to tell by which of the leading ships it had been fired, the fleet took it as a signal from the Suvoroff, and opened fire. Of the whole fleet the fire of the 3rd squadron was the heaviest.