command) ordered Rurik to be scuttled. Rossia and Gromoboi successfully repelled the attack of Kamimura's cruisers at the price of sustaining heavy damage, but IRN sailors, while still under fire, were able to repair the main guns and continue to engage with them. Faced with an increasing rate of fire from the Russian cruisers and with his ammunition supplies nearly depleted, Admiral Kamimura decided to stop pursuit. The very heavy Russian casualties suffered in the battle were the result of two factors: the bursting charges in Japanese shells was picric acid (trinitrophenol) which on detonation turned the shells into very large numbers of fragments. Additionally the Russian ships lacked protective gun shields for the crews. Order of battle Ship order is according to their position in line Russia Vladivostok Cruiser Force - Rear Admiral Karl Jessen: Armoured cruisers: , flagship, severely damaged; 48 KIA, 165 WIA. , severely damaged; 91 KIA, 182 WIA. , sunk; 204 KIA, 305 WIA. Japan 2nd Fleet - Vice Admiral Kamimura Hikonojō 2nd Unit: armored cruisers: , flagship, slightly damaged; 20 hits, 2 KIA, 17 WIA. , slightly damaged; 10 hits, 8 WIA. , slightly damaged; few hits, 3 WIA. , slightly damaged; over 10 hits, 40 KIA, 47 WIA. 4th Unit: protected cruisers: , unknown number of hits , unknown number of hits See also List of battles of the Russo-Japanese War References Sources Brook, Peter, "Armoured Cruiser versus Armoured Cruiser, Ulsan, 14 August 1904", in Warship 2000–2001, Conway's Maritime Press, Warner, Denis and Peggy (1974). The Tide at Sunrise: A History of the Russo-Japanese War, 1904–1905. New York. Мельников Р. М. «Рюрик» был первым. — Л.: Судостроение, 1989. (Melnikov R. M. The Rurik was first, Leningrad, Sudostroenie Publishing Company, 1989) External links Russo-Japanese War Research Society New York Times article 19 August 1905 Ulsan Conflicts in 1904 1904 in Japan Ulsan Ulsan August 1904 events