Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-30
To Storm Port Arthur.


To Storm Port Arthur
| Moreover, there is information to the eff
feet that the japanese propose to storm
Port Arthur with the brefest possible de-
lay, after having first closed the harbor
TO render the egress of the Russian ships
impossible at the last moment, thus forcing
the Russians to destroy them without sub
jectng the Japanese to the inevitable losses
which must occur if the Russian squadron
gets out for last fight before going to the
bottom.
The previous repeated efforts of the Jap
anese to cork the harbor have been as
much with the view to this ultimate situa-
tion as for protecting landings.
Nothing is known here of the Che Foo
reports of fighting at In-Chen-Tse, four
teen miles from Port Arthur, but the gen
eral staff hardly believes the enemy could
have advanced so rapidly.
Denies Loss cf Ships.
The admiralty denies the reports of the
loss of two Russian torpedo boat destroy
ers while laying the mines which destroy
ed the Japanese battle ship Hatsuse The
officials say Port Arthur has been heard
from since the Hatsuse was blown up, and
If the report of the loss of the torpedo boat
destroyers was true they would have
known it.
No surprise is expressed at the admiralty
at the Tokyo report of the evidence con-
tanned In intercepted Russian dispatches
that the Hatsuse was blown up by Rus
sian stationary mines. The officials de-
cline, however, to comment on the subject,
except to reiterate their denial of the
charge that the Russians used floating or
driving mines, which the officials have
insisted on from the outset.
Japs Use "Driving' Mines.
In this connection naval attache of a
great power declares that his government
is in possession of the best information to
the effect that the Japanese used driving
mines, punching them to drift below the
surface, and thus causing the loss of the
Russian battle ship Petropavlovsk
A prominent diplomat said:
"The Russians are fully justified in using
mines to repel the enemy's invasion of their
coasts. There Is no law to prevent that
country from doing anything 1t pleases to
keep off the enemy from it's shores. If
Great Britain was at war and she chose to
fill the channel with floating mines for the
defense of her coast no power could raise
any objection"
Owing to it being a holiday it is impos-
sible to obtain official opinion regarding
the announcement made today by the Tien-
TSin correspondent of the Daily Express of
London that the Russian minister at
Peking NJ Lessar. had informed the
Chinese government that Russia will final
ly evacuate Niuchwang provided China
grants a concession for q railroad across
Chinese Mongolia, and that Russia will
evaCuate Manchuria outright If China
leases the Iii or Kooldja territory to Rus
sia. But in diplomatic circles the report
is regarded absurd. 1t is pointed out
that Russia already owns the greater part
OF the Hi territory and that three -fourths
of the course of the river, which empties
into Lake Balkash, flows through Russian
territory. The upper waters of the Iii are
of no ron f1Tnar pial -tr
and the only real value of such an agree
ment to Russia would be the acquisition
| OF the portion of Chinese Central Asia
| comprising Kashgar and Yarkand 1t is
| impossible to suppose that Russia while
| the war is proceeding, is making offers to
| exchange Manchuria for this region
Port Arthur Not a Fortress.
| Colonel Novtzky of the general staff. in
an interview points out that Port Arthur
| although generally called fortress. is In
reality an intrenched camp, OF which Kin
| CHOW was only an advanced improyised
position. 1t would be unwise to Judge OF
the strength of the permanent connected
fortifcations around Port Arthur by Kir
| Chow. These Notifications support eacl
other scientifically Operations against
| them Will require the most careful sys.
| tematfc preparation.
The Japanese now before Port Arthur,
| ways First an open attack after prepara
tory artillery fire; second. a progressiv.
siege, and third, a blockade. 1 think tn,
japanese will adopt the first course as |
is not to their advantage to wait while Rus
| sian reinforcements are arriving TIL,
| second method Is a long and complicated
| operation that might last months
| Port Arthur, generally speaking Il
| impregnable, but impregnability is a rela
tive term. Nothing in fertilization Fl
! really invincible. Guns will destroy an,
| structure Cannon will defeat each other
! Sappers can remove impedments OUTSIDE
| and fill bitches. Scaling LADDERS will over
come any walls. Mine can be met will
| counter mine.
VIII Try an Assault
| "A blockade would involve passive ac
tivity for many months and an enormou.
| number of troops. Therefore, l believ,
that the Japanese will attempt to carr,
the place by assault with the aid of thei
| artillery.
The Japanese are copying on a larger
| scale their campaign of 1894. While Gen
! eraI Oku is at Port Arthur General Ku
| roki after a junction with the advancing
army landing at Takushan will move OF
Hal Cheng and Niuchwang until they ar,
| occupied l do not believe General Kurok