 As no one officer could reach the besieged port, Viren, although a relatively junior officer with low seniority was promoted to rear admiral and on 4 September 1904 took command of the squadron during the last four months of the siege.During this time, with the besieged fleet unable to sortie and under continuous bombardment from land, Viren ordered that his warships be stripped of their guns, which were used to bolster the port's landward defenses, and his sailors were ordered to fight as naval infantry.He was wounded in combat in November 1904.