▁Japanese ▁look out ▁sp otted ▁the ▁approaching ▁ships . ▁As ▁she ▁was ▁man eu ver ing ▁back ▁into ▁Port ▁Arthur , ▁she ▁struck ▁another ▁mine ▁and ▁required ▁rep airs . ▁On ▁ 5 ▁December ▁the ▁Third ▁Army ▁captured ▁ 2 0 3 ▁Meter ▁Hill , ▁a ▁cru cial ▁position ▁that ▁over look ed ▁the ▁har bor . ▁From ▁there , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁fire ▁on ▁Se v ast opol ▁and ▁other ▁ships ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Pacific ▁Squadron ▁that ▁had ▁surv ived ▁the ▁Y ellow ▁Sea ▁battle . ▁The ▁ships ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁were ▁about ▁ ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁hill , ▁placing ▁them ▁within ▁range ▁of ▁Japanese ▁shore ▁art illery . ▁By ▁ 9 ▁December ▁four ▁batt les hips ▁and ▁two ▁cru is ers ▁had ▁been ▁s unk ▁by ▁the ▁Japanese . ▁ ▁Se v ast opol , ▁although ▁hit ▁five ▁times ▁by ▁ ▁shell s , ▁managed ▁to ▁move ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁western ▁har bor ▁and ▁out ▁of ▁range ▁of ▁the ▁guns ▁to ▁the ▁minor ▁har bor ▁of ▁White ▁Wolf , ▁where ▁she ▁could ▁be ▁def ended ▁by ▁tor ped o ▁n ets ▁and ▁bo oms . ▁Within ▁the ▁def ensive ▁surr ound ings ▁of ▁White ▁Wolf , ▁Ess en ▁started ▁to ▁plan ▁a ▁sortie ▁through ▁the ▁block ade ▁to ▁Vlad iv ost ok ▁or ▁a ▁rende z vous ▁with ▁the ▁Second ▁Pacific ▁Squadron , ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁co aling ▁at ▁Mad agas car . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁the ▁command ing ▁adm iral ▁of ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Navy ,