The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-08-18
WILL NOT
SURRENDER
Port Arthur'S Garrison Will
Die in the Last Ditch.
Def SENT TO MIKADO
Gen. StoesOeI Will Not Give up
Fortress He Has Defended
for So Long.
Def SENT TO MIKADO

LONDON, Aug. 1S-Special advices
from Tokyo say that the mikado's. de-
mand for the surrender of the town
and fortifications of Port Arthur has
been delivered to the Russian COM
mander, General Stoessel.
Major Yamaska, chief of staff. was
sent into Port Arthur with the i'm
perial message.
TO the demand to surrender Stoessel
answers uncompromisingly NO and
declares his garrison will fight TO the
last man in defense Of the fortress.
In his reply Lieutenant General
Stoessel expresses his thanks to the
mikado for the humanitarian offer TO
grant safe conduct to all noncom-
batants within the Russian lines, but
does not accept it,
The japanese commander has com
municated to the cOmmandant at Port
Arthur the wish of the Japanese EN-
peror that all noncombatants leave the
town in case the demand for sur
render is not complied with, in order
that they may not suffer in the final
assault.
The Japanese line has been drawn
still closer around beleagured Port Ar
thur. The right wing of the japanese
line has penetrated 10 the vicinity Of
Pigeon bay, while the center has NOV.
ed forward from Palingching, which is
south of Shushiyen and two miles
north OF the town.
Passengers on board the steamer De
Gina, which anchored off Port Arthur
last night witnessed the bombardment
from Pigeon bay. The japanese shells
were visible during their whole course.
They circled comet-like to the town.
and their explosions were marked by
great splashes of fire which shot up
into the sky. The bombardment from
this and other points began at mid
night and lasted until morning. The
Russians did not reply to the Japanese
fire.
Major Seaman formerly surgeon in
the American army. was a passenger
on the Decima. He says the spectacle
was most brilliant and awe inspiring
The Decima weighed anchor from Port
Arthur at . O'Clock in the morning. At
some distance out she saw five Japa-
nese warshjps guarding the haTbor.
A st. Petersburg report says that
the cruiser Novik Of the Port Arthur
squadron has been sighted off Cape
Alsonmosaki, on the southeast coast of
Japan, by the American steamer over
ton. The Novik was apparently max
ing for Vladivostok.
1t has been learned that Japan has
made a demand on China, practically
in the nature Of an ultimatum, that she
enforce her neutrality in
the case of the protected cruiser AS
kold and the torpedo boat destroyer
Crossword, now at Shanghai. Japan
has pointed out that the time limit,
twenty-four hours, permitted by inter
national law, has expired and that
Japan therefore is at liberty to take
such action as may seem to her eXpe-
dent.
With regard to the Ryeshitelni ia
pan is determined not to comply with
the Chinese demand submitted in COM
pliance with the Russian note, that
the vessel be returned to Chefu. Japan
insists that to all intents and pur-
poses Chefu has been Russian base
during the war, Chinese junks in the
pay of Russia having been fitted out
there and sent through the japanese
vessels to Port Arthur.
A dispatch from Vladivostok says
the cruisers Rossia and Gromoboi of |
the vladivostok squadron have reach
ed that port.
A dispatch from Liaoyang says that
a general Japanese flanking movement
is developing to the east and parallel |
with the railway. The movement in
voEes the whole mass of troops from
Dalfn pass to Diodinshan, on the !
Tiatse river, thirty-hve miles southeast
of Mukden. 1t is evident that these |
troops have combined with the OBJ
feet of forcing the Russians out of |
Liaoyang without a fight and thus Sc
curing advantageous winter quarters.
1t is not thought the japanese have
enough men to consummate the move
ment until the release of large num-
Der of the troops now besieging Port
Arthur