'Till the capture of the latter the ships were, as far as possible, kept in repair, but they could only have been of assistance to Rojdestvensky's fleet _after the relief of Port Arthur by land_, which would have enabled us to get ammunition and guns and to refit. Rojdestvensky well knows this. 'The ships of the fleet are now sunk. Save for a small quantity of 47-millimetre and 12-inch ammunition, all the rest has been put on shore. The officers and crews have been sent ashore. The torpedo officers and men are employed making hand grenades and small shells, and many of the engineers are making ammunition; the remainder of the crews, numbering about 500, form the last reserve, and so the squadron to the very end of all its _matériel_ and _personnel_ is helping the Fortress to defend itself. With regard to the sinking of the ships, steps have been taken that uninjured guns should not fall as trophies into the enemy's hands if the Fortress falls. The _Sevastopol_, which is the only uninjured battleship, I will try to anchor near White Wolf's Hill, where, however, she will, of course, be subject to torpedo attacks and risk being sunk. It is naturally sad to have to lose the fleet thus, but if God enables us to hold out in the Fortress till relieved from the land side, I am sure that impartial men in Port Arthur will say that without the assistance rendered by the fleet it would long ago have fallen into the enemy's hands.' To show clearly the state the fleet was in in the middle of the strict blockade, when the Viceroy ordered it to break through to Vladivostock after the unlucky attempt on August 10, I will quote an extract from a report of Admiral Wiren's, which fully illustrates its pitiful condition, and clearly shows that it had not a chance of getting through. The report was written after the fight of August 10: 'I have the honour to report that at present the ships of the squadron under my command are in the following state: '(_a_) _Hulls._ 'The repairs to the _Peresvet_, _Pobieda_, _Retvisan_, and _Pallada_ are finished, and to the _Poltava_ and _Bayan_ are being finished. The _Sevastopol_ is being repaired with the aid of caissons, and will be ready in six to seven weeks. External damage to the sides has been covered with sheets, and her interior has, as far as possible, been repaired. '(_b_) _Guns._ 'Since the commencement of the operations two guns have been absolutely disabled. 'After the conference on August 19, the following were put ashore for the land defences: One 6-inch, ten 75-millimetre, nineteen 47-millimetre, eight 37-millimetre, and three searchlights. '(_c_) _Personnel._ 'Captain Boysman of the _Peresvet_ is recovering from wounds, and is on the _Mongolia_. In the fight of August 10 two officers were killed; in the assaults two more were killed; eleven are wounded and sick.