ate ▁had , ▁in ▁fact , ▁been ▁consider ably ▁dam aged ▁in ▁the ▁eng agement . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁March , ▁Kam im ura ▁was ▁task ed ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁rein for ced ▁ 2 nd ▁Division ▁north ▁and ▁make ▁a ▁di version ▁off ▁Vlad iv ost ok . ▁While ▁sc out ing ▁for ▁Russian ▁ships ▁in ▁the ▁area , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁cru is ers ▁bomb arded ▁the ▁har bor ▁and ▁def enses ▁of ▁Vlad iv ost ok ▁on ▁ 6 ▁March ▁to ▁little ▁effect . ▁Upon ▁their ▁return ▁to ▁Japan ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁later , ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Division ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁esc ort ▁the ▁trans ports ▁fer ry ing ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Gu ards ▁Division ▁to ▁Korea ▁and ▁then ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁ships ▁block ading ▁Port ▁Arthur . ▁Kam im ura ▁was ▁ordered ▁north ▁in ▁mid - A pril ▁to ▁cover ▁the ▁Sea ▁of ▁Japan ▁and ▁defend ▁the ▁Korea ▁Stra it ▁against ▁any ▁attempt ▁by ▁the ▁Vlad iv ost ok ▁Independent ▁Cru iser ▁Squadron , ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Karl ▁J essen , ▁to ▁break ▁through ▁and ▁un ite ▁with ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Squadron . ▁The ▁two ▁units ▁narrow ly ▁missed ▁each ▁other ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 4 th ▁in ▁heavy ▁fog ▁and ▁the ▁Japanese ▁proceeded ▁to ▁Vlad iv ost ok ▁where ▁they ▁laid ▁several ▁mine fields ▁before ▁arriv ing ▁back ▁at ▁W ons an ▁on ▁the ▁ 3 0 th . ▁ ▁The ▁division ▁failed ▁to ▁intercept ▁the ▁Russian ▁squad ron ▁as ▁it ▁attacked ▁several ▁trans ports