The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-19

Che Foo, Sept. 1S. $3.50 p. Mac
cording to Lieut.. Prince Radzivil of the
Russian army, who reached here last
night from Port Arthur bearing dis
patches from Lieut.. Gen. Stoessel, the
commander-in-c chief of the forces of
the Russian stronghold, to Gen. KurO-
patkin, the temper of the belligerents
at Port Arthur has reached an a.bso-
lutely merciless stage.
Prince Radzivil served with the Brit
ish in the Boer war and he says that
until he became aware of the state of
affairs at Port Arthur, he had no idea
that war could be so horrible.
1t was set forth in these dispatches
some weeks ago that serious suspicious
were entertained by both belligerents
that the other was misusing the Red
Cross flag. These suspicious have
been increased by the commission of
various acts by the soldiers of both
armies. until now even flags of truce
or surrender are not respected by eth
er side.
Absolutely venomous.
Prince Radzivil declares that the men
of both armies are absolutely venom
Gus in their antagonism. Gen. Stoes-
sci has addressed his garrison, saying
that the present mood of the Japanese
indicates clearly the necessity of re-
sisting them to the last drop of Rus
sian blood, because if the Japanese
soldiers entered the fortress it un-
doubtedly would be impossible for their
officers to control them and prevent
massacre. For this reason, Lieut.. Gen.
Stoessel is making no objection to civ
ilians leaving Port Arthur. When the
300 women who are in Port Arthur
engaged in hospital work were advised
to leave, they replied that they would
rather face the possibilities of massacre
than desert their posts.
In consequence of the fact that the
flags of truce are ignored, numbers of
Japanese dead who have been lying on
the slopes of the hills of the northeast
defenses for weeks past are still un-
buried, and the stencil in Port Arthur
from decomposing bodies, when the
wind is in the right direction, is almost
uncomfortable.
Fate of Two Companies.
In the course of the assaults which
took place in the last four days of
August, two companies of japanese
soldiers, according to Prince Radzivil,
found themselves at the mercy of the
Russians and hoisted a white flag. To
this, however, the Russians paid no
attention and continued to volley rap
idly into the helpless ranks of the en-
emy.
In the meantime Japanese troops in
the rear of the companies that had
raised the white flag saw what their
comrades had done and expressed their
disapproval of the surrender by firing
into their rear. As a result of this
fire from friend and foe, 900 men were
annihilated. For days afterward, the
wounded men in this area raised fiut-
tering handkerchiefs in their hands in
pleas for help
Prince Radzivil got into Port Ar
thur a fortnight ago. carrying dis
patches from Gen. Kuropatkin to
Lieut.. Gen. Stoessel. The Prince said:
The stories in circulation concern
ing the shortage of ammunition and
provisions at Port Arthur are not true.
There Is an abundance of ammunition
for both large and small arms and
plenty Of preserved food. The use of
Chinese shells was merely saving
measure.
Wounded Getting Well.
Il left Gen. stoessel in the best of
spirits. He Is encouraged by the he
roic example set by the wounded men.
OF whom 5000 out OF the original 5000
IN hospital have returned TO the front.
There has been no fghting since
Sept. ] with the exception OF artillery
and outpost exchanges.
''The japanese shells have done great
damage 20 the hospital and other
buildings, but the loss of life from
these bombardments has been very
slight.
Madame stocseel. wife Of the gem
eral, 10 ~ the head Of the Red Cross
work in Port Arthur. The soldiers con.
slider her their guardian angel
The garrison Or maintaining a
strong and devoted martial epirH ana
has great confidence iu Gen. ht0enael.
who 81 cheffed bY he mrn when ~
rides sionE ihe lines
individual affH ~ hnroiFm during
fhe nFhfinN have been Iumfr0ua.
prn company ~ HutHian ffoonf
were occupying a pfrli0uH OUTPOST snn
r.|Eaa HEnasa H.Hf.H H.. .......s|-.. 4.