soi Veliki, Navarin_, and
_Admiral Nakhimoff_, with a long string of other craft at that moment
too far distant for identification.

While we were still endeavouring to identify some of the more distant
ships, the _Mikasa_ made the general signal: "The fate of our Empire
depends upon our efforts. Let every man do his utmost!" It was greeted
with a great roar of "Banzai Nippon!" which swept along the line of the
fleet like the rumbling of distant thunder. The crews of the ships had,
of course, been at quarters, and the officers at fire-control stations,
for some time, and now we began to receive from the range-finders the
range of the _Oslabia_, the leading Russian ship. "Fifteen thousand
yards", "Fourteen thousand", "Twelve thousand," came the reports in
rapid succession as the two fleets rushed toward each other.

At a distance of twelve thousand yards the _Mikasa's_ helm was shifted
and the course of the Japanese line altered four points to the eastward,
as though our purpose was to pass along the Russian line to port,
exchanging broadsides as we passed; and so the enemy evidently
understood, for he came steadily on. But we knew differently. Already
every forward gun in the fleet was bearing steadily upon the _Oslabia_,
and when, in obedience to a signal from the flagship, the speed of the
Japanese fleet quickened up to fifteen knots, we knew that the great
battle was about to begin.

It began a few minutes earlier than we anticipated, for our
range-finders had just given the distance of the head of the Russian
column as nine thousand yards, when two bright flashes, followed by a
great cloud of white smoke, broke from the _Oslabia's_ fore-turret, and
presently we saw two great fountains of foam leap into the air some
distance beyond the _Mikasa_. As though this had been a signal, the
_Suvaroff, Alexander Third_, and _Sissoi Veliki_ instantly followed
suit, and a second or two later we heard the loud, angry muttering of
12-inch shells hurtling toward us. But some flew over, and others fell
short; not one touched us; and as the heavy, rumbling _boom_ of the
reports reached our ears, the _Mikasa_ signalled another shift of helm a
further four points east, and before the Russians fully realised what we
were about, the Japanese fleet was "crossing the T,"--that is to say,
passing athwart the enemy's course.

Every gun which the Russians could bring to bear upon us was now being
loaded and fired as rapidly as po