Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-12-07
FALL OF PORT ARTHUR.
JAPANESE CAPTURE THE
CHINESE STRONGHOLD.
A Strong Defence Madc-Severc and
Incessant Fighting for Thirty-six
Hours-Losses on Both sides
Heavy-Thc Road to Pekin
Onnnnd for tho Gnnnnrrnrs


Incessant Fightin. for Thirty-six
Hours-Losses on Goth Sides
iieavy-Thc Road to Pekln
Opened for the Conquerors.
Port Arthur has fallen!
The backbone of Chinese resistance has
given way, ani tho mountain passes that
lie between the great naval station and Pekin
now shelter tho scattered remnants Of the
Emperor's forces.
Wor1 has just been received that Port Ar
thur fell inter- battle that lasted eighteen
hours, The reports of the fighting arc very
meagre, but IL IS believed that both sides
suffered heavily.
China's loss. It is said, exceeds that Of
japan. for. undIsciplined az the Emperor's
soldiers We're, they fought with the tCspera-
tion OF tigers
The attack on Port Arthur by Japans Sec
ond Army under General Oyama was so
carefully planned that when fire was opened
the japanese troops assailed the city at every
point.
The fighting was terrible, and was only
ende when the Chinese, unable to struggle
any longer withdrew in retreat to the mount
ain passes near by, leaving the city at the
mercy OF their foes.
The fall Of Port Arthur clears the way 10
PEEK for Jap3n. WhCther or not that city
will suffer like fat o must depend upon what
action China will take within a very few
days.
Already China has aske for peace on the
terms Of paying 250, ,GO0, 900 taeis, or $l75,-
COO, ,000 for it. With Pekin in peril no ono
can estimate what figure Japan will place
upon peace.
The plans Of the Japs for an advance upon
Pekin have succeeded completely. At
Moukden advance through tho interior WAS
30 hazardous rs 10 be mostimpossib!o. The
Second Army was sent TO silence Port
Arthur, and II has done So
With the great naval station in Japan's
hands, and with Japan's victorious fleet
guarding that place on the water side,
China's feet is powerless.
Japan on the other hand has n clear road
by land around the Leaoton Gulf, thence
a.ong the westerly shores OF the Pe-Chi-Ll
Gulf to Tien-Tsin.
With the japanese army in pursuit, the
Chinese must make their last stand In the
mountains that are In the path to Tien-TsIn.
These passes may be held 70. a long time IL
the Chinese army can be rallied sum ciently
to make stand.
1t is not believed that China will continue
tho war any longer. Port Arthur IS re-
garded by all European military AMI naval
critics as the keystone OF China's defensN,
and without which she will be at Japln'5
mercy.
'The capture OF Port Arthur means the
end Of tho war" said Admiral Fremlntle,
| Great Britains representative at the seat OF
war, several days ago.
Port Arthur has fallen, and it may me N
that all Is already over Tor CHM.
Port Arthur is the strongest and most I'm
portant naval arsenal In North CHM. 1t lies
| ut the extremity Of tho peninsula between
! the Gulf Of Korea and the Gulf OF LIau
| Tong and IS almost dus north OF Cho
Foo. AS q naval base it possesses remark
able natural advantages. The town its ,lt
| Is rather small, having population Of hardly
| moro than 1000 persons, most OF whom
| moved away some weeks ago. The gar
| rison, when on peace footing. consisted Of
about 1000 men, said to be wol drilled md
|. equipped, but when the war broke out tho
| garrison was greatly increased from the pick
! of the Chinese army. On the sea front Port
Arthur was guarded by q number of power
! full forts and batteries along three AMI a half
miles Of the coast. Twelve Of the coast bat
teries wero mounted with about forty
| Krupp rifles, ranging in caiibre from
six to nine and half inches. Be
eides these there was a Formidable array
| of ri1ed mortars and rapll-nro guns.
| The last trustworthy reports as TO tho
strength Of the garrison place it at 10000
Chinese troops we'll armed and provsiOned
! Port Arthur Is the key to the gates of Pskln
| and IN gaining it the Japanese have placed
firm loot on Chinese soil an; made the
fact of hold In Chinese waters even greater,
ms the dock yard facilities will enable tho
Japanese to reflt their dama2el cruisers
without recourse to a long journey 10 tnslr
own docks.