Telegram to St. Petersburg

Recieved: St. Petersburg, Russia
Date: 8th February, 1904
Time: 20:08 PM

PETERSBURG. TO HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY.....STOP.....HUMBLY REPORTING TO YOUR IMPERIAL MAJESTY....STOP....AROUND MIDNIGHT, JANUARY 26TH-27TH, JAPANESE TORPEDO BOATS UNDERTOOK SUDDEN ATTACK ON OUR SQUADRON STATIONED AT OUTER ROADSTEAD, PORT ARTHUR BASE....STOP....BATTLESHIPS RETVIZAN AND TSESAREVICH, CRUISER PALLADA HAVE BEEN RUPTURED....STOP....DEGREE OF DAMAGE BEING DETERMINED....STOP....WILL REPORT DETAILS TO YOUR IMPERIAL MAJESTY LATER....ENDS.

SIGNED: ALEXXEEV, PORT ARTHUR
27th JANUARY/8TH FEBRUARY.

Imperial Telegraph Service, St. Petersburg
Decoded