DOVER, ENGLAND, OCT. 24—(SPECIAL)—_Late last night a man standing on the English coast sou-sou’west of this place lighted a match to see what time it was. He was instantly attacked by the Baltic fleet, the admiral of which mistook the light for a Japanese signal. Three twelve-inch shells grazed the astonished gentleman, but fortunately none struck him. An ultimatum is probable._ ] [Illustration: CHERBOURG, FRANCE, OCT. 24—(SPECIAL)—_Heavy cannonading was heard several miles off this coast last night. A French cruiser at once put out to the scene of the noise and found the Baltic fleet attacking the north star. It is thought the vigilant admiral mistook the light for a fleet of Japanese battleships. An ultimatum is expected hourly._ ] [Illustration: FINISTERRE, FRANCE, OCT. 25, 3:30 A.M.—(SPECIAL)—_At an early hour this morning the Baltic fleet was seen steaming swiftly past this point. Soon afterwards a furious bombardment occurred and continued until the body of an electric eel was washed ashore much mangled by the deadly cannonading. It is thought the admiral of the fleet mistook the eel for a Japanese submarine boat. At the present writing the fleet is bombarding a drug store down near the beach. The druggist is issuing an ultimatum._ ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE THRILLING STORY OF THE CHINA SEA [Illustration] ADMIRAL ROJESTVENSKY STOOD MUSINGLY ON HIS FLAGSHIP—_“One load more,” he muttered sadly, “and then our fleet will be coaled and I must leave this pleasant coast.” For a moment a tear stood in his eye as he peered off toward the French China shore. The thought of leaving the dear old scenes, to which he had become so greatly attached, made even the stern old sailor weep. Dashing aside the tear, he turned to direct the busy crew who were bringing the coal to the ships._ _“Come, my hearties,” he cried, “step lively. We must get away.”_ _With these few words, so pregnant of meaning, our hero turned his eyes toward the great leviathans of the deep. Smoke rolled in mighty volumes from their funnels and went whirling off in the howling gale. A thousand cannon strained their cyclopean eyes to the northward; 10,000 Russian tars crouched defiantly at the breech blocks._ THESE WERE THE MEN BEHIND THE GUNS! FOR A FEW MOMENTS THE ADMIRAL STOOD THERE IN DEEP CONTEMPLATION, LISTENING TO THE SHOUTING SEAS AND THE SCREAMING OF THE WINDS. THEN, TURNING SLOWLY, HE MADE HIS WAY TO THE BRIDGE—_“Anything in sight?” he inquired of a bystander._ _“Forty ships off the port bow, sir. All steamers, sir, but I can’t make out their colors.”_ _“Humph,” said the admiral, in Russian. “Fishing boats, probably,” and dismissed the matter from his thoughts._