Tokio, 21st April.
In the latest engagement, the temperature at the time of the departure of the destroyers and torpedo-boats for Port Arthur was 20 degrees below zero, The crews were able to stand the cold themselves, but the compasses congealing, endeavour had to be made to warm them.
Approaching the harbour without any lights, they skilfully avoided the enemy's searchlights, which the Japanese bombarded as they passed, after completing the laying of the mechanical mines, on the forenoon of the 13th instant, The Port Arthur batteries were unable to fix the approach of the Japanese. range, owing to the very close
the fighting capacity of the Russian squadron is now reduced by eighty per cent, and it is' believed that Port Arthur will be desperately defended by the shore batteries Our own correspondent
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.