The morning call., 1894-12-15

Gus struggle. it was hoped that few days
would bring intelligence that the last blow
OH the Liao-tBng peninsula had been effec-
lively struck; but for more than a week
the Japanese people were kept in suspense
and fierce excitement while the elaborate
com binations of General Oyama and the
cooperating fee. were finally adjusted.
Up TO the middle of Novem Der. the mill
tary movements had been con ntrolled by
Lieutenant General Yamagi, soldier of
high reputation, whose popularity is en-
hanced by the knowledge that he has
only one eye with which to order the
course Of battle. Under his leadership
every stronghold but one was reduced, the
troops engaged numbering about two
thirds of the entire body of which the sec
ond army is composed. To give additional
weight to the eliminating stroke. the re-
naming regiments were finally brought
forward. aud the W hole mass was directed,
for the first time, by General Oyama.
Preliminary skirmishes took place out.
side the walls of Port Arthur on the 18th
and 20th of November, but the actual as
saut did not begin until dawn on the 21st,
when an attack upon the rear of the fnrti-
fications was made in full force. The
garrison, supposed to number from 5000
to 1000, having now no refuge to fly to,
made short attempt at resistance, but by
s 80 o'clock the heavy batteries at the
west were carried by the Japanese right,
and the line Of fortficaiion broken
through. At in The afternoon the GEN.
trial position of Port Arthur was occupied,
and at4 an in terror group of fortresses
yielded.
While one division of Oyama's army
was performing these exploits his,left was
overrunning All equally formidable set of
works at the eastern extremity Of the line.
10 this onset the Chinese gave way at
half-past II in the morning. A powerful
cluster of forts on the shore remained to
be captured. and against these the Japan
ese hurled their columns without cessa-
tion, until at daybreak on the 22d the en-
tire mass of defeDses was surrendered.
The operation lasted but little more than
iwenty-four hours. The overthrow was
complete, and all the enormous material
collected for the support of this famous
station fell to the disposal of the victors.
No attem pt was made to remove or destroy
any portion of the armament The Japan
esq losses were something over 200 dead
and wounded. No specific details have
been received and the Chinese losses can
not yet be estima ted.
The fleet arrayed against Port Arthur
was almost identically the same az that
which won the battle near Taikosan har-
Dor in September last. The Hiyei, how
ever, was absent and the Saikiu of course
did not participate. Several foreign men,
of-war watched the proceedings, among
them the United States ship Baltimore.
which it Is reported was on one occasion
mistaken for Chinese vessel and came
near being torpedoed by the Yoshino and
the Takachiho. German and British ships
were also at hand, and again an ugly story
Is told OF the action Of Admiral Free
mantle, who it Is alleged gave premature
alarm TO the Chinese Dy requiring salute
to the "alacrity" while body of Japanese
troops was debarkiDg But Admiral Free
mantle was, nevertheless Que OF the first to
send news TO his Government of Japan's
triumph.
The interval between the capture of
Kin-Chow and the advance upon Port