The Irish standard., 1904-12-24

AAIcI u S1c6c VI uCdA1y oOO OoySs Will
the exception of Sebastopol the longest
in 100 years, Port Arthur still resists
the circumvallated attacks of the Japa-
nese, although they command the sea
approaches to the city and are so close
to it by land that their gun fire sunk
all the battleships in the harbor last
Thursday, says the Boston Herald.
Rnmors of the city's fall came thick
and fast just previous to the Mikado's
Birthday, November 3, and about that
time there was determined and con-
certed attack made on the besieged
towns defences, but in the face of that
unsuccessful onslaught, and in spite of
the constantly increasing army ham,
mering at the city's forts under the
able generalship Of General Nogi, the
last official reports from General Stoes-
gel declared that Port Arthur could
sold out for several months" while his
own reiterated assertion has been that
the Manchurian terminus of Prince
Hilkoff's Siberian railway will be his
grave. For not even the intrepid de-
Gender of the city puts confidence
enough in the fate Of the gods to be-
,ieve that the siege will be raised.
It is pertinent fact that the de-
fence of Port Arthur has been made
possible by the foresight Of a German
engineer. China, to whom Manchuria
belonged before turmoil succeeded to
stolid peace in the far east, knew the
present sight of Port Arthur only as a
fishing village called Lu Shun Klow.
The Germans saw it's advantage as a
military point and encouraged the
building of Notifications.
It's strategical value lies in it's posi-
fion, which commands the CULTS Of Ko-
rea, Pechili and Liaotung, and the cit
les of Taku, Tientsin, Chefoo or Wei
haiwei, and could seriously impede ope-
rations against Niuchwang. 1t was
probably not these advantages SO much
as the need of an ice-free port south
of Vladivostoll, however, that led Rus
sia in 1895 to negotiate convention
with China, but it was probably the
foreseeing of trouble in the far east
that dictated condition that is almost
prophetic: eff Russia should find her
self suddenly involved in a war. China
consents to allow Russia temporarily to
concentrate her land and naval forces
within the said ports port Arthur and
Talienwan, in order the better to en-
able Russia to attack the enemy OF
to guard her own position.
Be that as it may, the fortiication Of
Port Arthur Immediately began under
the excellent charge Of General Yer
nander, who is responsible for the pro,
tected positions that have so far re.
sisted Japanese attacks.
Port Arthur nossesses several attrib
ltes of immense protective signifi.
cance The entrance to the barbor is
about 200 yards wide, and all the re-
gisn round the city is hem1ned in by
mountains that rise to the altitude Of
500 feet even on the seaward side
Once north of this fringe Of eminences
and the country is rolling, so that II
can readily be seen that the protective
front of the city is inherently strong
Technically, the Notifications Gen
eral vernander erected on the rim OF
fhe Port Arthur basin are said to be
on the caponiere trace, which means
that the ground plans of the forts is 8
ments-inside Protective walls-ant
counterescarpments = outside pro
tective walls-constructed as gal
1eries, and with their mansonry
foundations deeply enough i'm
bedded to resist histile fire. In tile
.caponiere turrets are placed quick-fir
ing guns to sweep the bitches. Will
some 20 forts of this construction is the
fortress of Port Arthur surrounded
from the Golden Hill side of the har
bor entrance on the east to the Wei
yuen fort on the tip Of the Tigers Tai
to the west Outside of this radius
there are other fortified places, bu
they are in the hands of the Japanese