The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-13
LII HUNG CHANG SURPRISED.
The yiceroy Enlightened as to
japanese Victories.


China Daily News: The news which is
slowly coming 10 hand Of the days pre-
esdIng the fall of Port Arthur fac.
when some native NEWSPAPERS and on
etsIs. with amazing obstioaeY profess even
now 70 deubt-presents us startling Die
tnre Of entire lack Of organization. Of
ssupend8us incapscIty and criminal rsek-
lessuess u hIch is almost incredible. But
cur authority Ia the north Is so Unquestion
able that the folio wing statements nav De
accorded the fullest eredenes. After the
fall Of fallen wan. Captain Calder, The nar-
bor-masler al Port Arthur. saw, 9Th the
growing unEuIiuess Of the s0-ealled defen-
ders, that the fabric was lettering, and
be determined TO take MS wife away and
,nen make an effor, 20 eDllghten tue high
authorities concerning the roitenness OF
the system 70 which they were trusting.
He reached Tisntsin with bis wife in the
Toonan, and then. after Infinite f8culty
through the hindrapces of the Ticeregsl
uuderliugs. succeeded In having an inter
view with Il Hung Chang.
Ii began by inQuiring whether il was q
fact THAI one or two forts at TalienWan
had been taken. When told that they
were all lost be Visibly fsitered aud re-
marked that il was Incredible, for The ia
panese could never pass Namkuanling.
He vas then assured tina! the pass was in
complete possession Of the Japanese. aud
his agitation became very marked. His
informant went On to lay the whole sorry
/ facts of the situation before him; that
/ Kang was useless, aud the generals did
| little else but quarrel among themselves
/ and act 10 oppositi0n. The only chance OF
Saving the stron ghold, he was advised,
| was 20 give sole charge 70 Admiral Ting.
\ The Viceroy declared It was TOO late for
/ that. and asked whether more troops cGuld
not b. passed in. OF course ne was told
/ that was impossible, and be then gave dis
MATCHES % Captain Calder, with authority
10 bring the Laiyuen out. Il was pointed
out the Laiyuen could 20 fifteen knots,
and she must be brought across even with
| running fght.
Captain Calder returned to Port Arthur
I with Captain Mcclure in the Peiho, the
/ voyage being accom- plished in safety,
although the vessel was chased IN mistake
for some distance by Chinese torpedo
boat. Tiog was found TO be ready to leave
| with the squadron. the Laiyuen being also
ready, although her repairs had not been
/ quite completed. Since Captain Cslder's
former stay at Port Arthur everything
/ had greatly changed. The works and
docks, which we're then Ia full swing, had
been deserted, and the rabble were in pos
session. Captain Calder's house had been
taken by soldiers and it was not safe
| to 20 near Is. Soldiers were wan
dering about iu mobs, taking pot-shots at
{ L, ufp
| thing in the most wanton way. In some
of the forts the soldiers were finding
amusement 10 discharging the smaller guns
at everything and anytbing-a fishing boat
for instance. The feet was then got to
sea, and with the gioomiest prospects the
place was left to its fate. DIR. Watt. the
native medical gentleman, who was trained
for some years by the late Dr.. Mackenzie
of TientsiD, and who was appointed TO
take charge Of the fine hospital at Port
Arthur, was also sufferer at the hands of
the soldiers After the capture Of Kin
chow By the Japanese he made prepare
tlous to receive the wounded. but. follow
ing the fight and return Of Kung Taotai,
things went from bad to worse.
a flagstaff was erected over the hospital
and the red cross flag was hoisted. This
Kung mad taken down. as the soldiers
complained of what they called the foreign
signal and threatened riot. But even
this did not apDease them, and attacking
the hospital they piIlaged il, and DR.. Wat,
with most of the staff was forced to fly.
The refugees had TO make their way to the
coast for a fshDg-boat. as the soldiers,
out OF unadulteraied deyilment. were
| frf1 Of ha ypr ct has D.,
escape by the harbor. Similar report:
are given by natives who have succeeded
in escaping. With wonderful uuanimity
they say they had no fear of the japanese
who had earned the reputation of paying
, for everything they wanted. There car
be no doubt that many lives were lost BY
the upsetting OF boats overcrewded with
refugees, and the condition of those who
: have reached places Of safety is generally
most pitiable.