The herald., 1895-07-18
THE FALL OF PORT ARTHUR
Due TO a japanese in the Chinese
Service
His Treachery Accomplished, He Commits
Hari-Kari, According to the Ethics
of His Country

ST. LOUIS. Mo-, July 1.-THE ease
with which the Japanese captured Port
Arthur during the recent war with China
is explained to some extent by an article
in the Japan Gazette, which arrived on
the last steamer. According to the Ga
zette. the commander of the Chinese forts
was native of Japan, who had acquired
favor in Chinese councils through long
residence in the fowery kingdom, and
who Intentionally caused the shots from
the guns to be misdirected so they would
fall short of the japanese warships. Hav-
ing betrayed his adopted land for the
land of his birth, the disgraced comman-
der appeared before the victorious Japa.
nese generals, acknowledged his treason
and committed suicide in their presence.
The article continues: When Port Ar
thur was attacked by the Japanese army
and navy, the latter, after getting within
suitable range, opened fire on the forts
near the coast The batteries on the
! Hawngchinshan answered from heavy
| guns. These were the strongest forts al
| Port Arthur, their armament being foul
krupp guns of no less than 30-centimeter n
callber. The squadrons, approaching
within range of such ordnance, expected
terrible cannonade ana were not Il little
astonished by the weakness OF the Chi
nese resistance. 1t is true that they
opened fire upon the ships, but their
shells always fell short of the mark. The
sailors supposed this failure to be due to
the inferior gunnery OF the Chinese, and
greeted each shell as it dropped into the
sea with loud shouts of derision. The
officers, however. were puzzled by per-
formance to them Inexplicable. inasmuch
as they knew that the artillery in the
hot fa1ItinacS Of ite bop :
ling, could not lack force. Meanwhile
the celebrated naval station of China was
stormed from the land side, and the de-
tenders of the forts on Hawngchinshan
were either killed or taken prisoners,
their retreat having been cut off by the
invaders.
When the Chinese that had defended
Hawngcbinshan were brought before the
Japanese generals, one OF them, appar-
emily an officer OF distinction, stepped
| forward and thus addressed the generals
Il was the commander OF the forts. but
now that | have incurred .irreme diable
disgrace, | should like TO ask special IA
vor, namely. that | be permitted to com
nit suicide in your presence.
Sucn request was not only contrary
to the ordinary habits of the Chinese, but
what was lar more surprising, it was
conveyed in perfectly correct japanese
One of the officers to whom the captive
had addressed himself, asked him where
he had acquired the japanese language
so well. The prisoner replied that he
was originally native of Hiogo. whence
he crossed over to China many years ago.
subsequently by some chance he attract
ed the attention of Vicerov Ii, who grad
ually promoted him till at last he was
commander of the tort. After making
the confession the officer insisted upon
committing suicide. Notwithstanding the
circumstances of the japanese generals.
Making a profound obeisance. he sat
down and slew himself according to the
strict canons of the Japanese samurai.
The officers were much struck by his
manly conduct, and caused his remains to
he inferred with que ceremony.