Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-15
ARTHUR'S PLIGHT.
Unprepared for the Shock Of
War.
Conditions as They Existed There
Before HostiIties
Related by One Who Was Personally
on the Ground.

| our JAPANESE women ana Clllluitii,
which was nearly the whole number
| in Dalny, TalienWan. and Port Arthur,
have left here in the last two weeks.
We expect the declaration OF war every
hour. We sent one fellow to the
Japanese consulate at ChefoO the other
day to ask him to send US word if the
war was begun. We cannot see any
thing definite here; everything is i'll Il
chaotic state The mayor of Dalny.
Tlwarnf, and the Niceroy AleXief
issued Il proclamation among japanese
Land Chinese assuring our safety what
| cyar might happen. There are some
| Ttty japanese girls Of questionable
| morality Who begged relief Of their
masters or miStreSScS. but they are not
| rcilnitttd to go out even one step. 1t
| vaS said to b. the governments COM
maaI The Viceroy is endeavorinE to
MAKE us stay here with every effort.
WHY" All the Chinese. more especially
1hr Chinese laborcrs who are here only
rur money. are looking to our Japanes.
novc.acnt If we begin to depart, thus
| spreading among them the news OF the
i,!nu, Giutp possibility Of war. they
! nr;iId not stop a minute from running
l9way. licre at Port Arthur something
4huyr a thousand Chinese laborcrs are
oniInl ci.
let mo say that Port Arthur is not
r,atly for v.:,r. 1t is nc mistake to say
tn"t AIc:>icn : idea is to delay our
Il,-cpti.tion. us long as possible. After
4 ,ncntn or so the war preparations
lmay hc ready. And still it is doubtful.
IIiis 'hlufi' IL 4 sure sign Of Eussia's
mcomletsncE.
4 never SAW such I tumuitUous city
las Port Arthur in my life. The city is
HI, comfu-foI. Ana the people are in i
rJ4.c. partly from their fears Of thh
threat Of The horse thief The fero-
iciuus Mnurhuri;,ns invade a private
lhousc ana steal the treasure away. And
j they kill women ana children without
.SHxign OF mercy. only a few days age
Ione WIS robbed 10 the amount Of be
ri $1,000 ANA S1.10v. They begin
This savage work every evening. AMI
| ii is 50 strange to see one or two Chi
ln.s" hanged on Il tree every day. Their
II ;u nuinnn ii is teh y ok Of the horse
ihi' hriGInds. 1t is pretty hard to u!.-
ai"rStHnl Why they do So. 1t is almost
I.-rr iI1le 10 think we are living in the
"uiichtcucd twentieth century. seeing
-lr,h O., dreadful condition. All the peo-
NE are afraid to be out from : in the
1cy"uiug. But the Russian officers
busiest hours will begin from II o'clock
lat night, ana their work will be done by
ire reXt morning. They drive the Chi
ncsc Iaborers liz, horses for carrying
''''" HIN i''S 'l''i''eiS'
gThnIc l.; an opinion. not only among
I'll Russians but also among us. that
China will JON with Japan # the war
rs declared. Asd Japan will land at
t'h"f"". To begin with, and rush into
Manchuria. our japanese first move
meut viii be turned toward Port Ar
thur. Port Arthurs lit" is hanging ON
'hefon. II means death to Port Ar
! thur if the city We're cut off from Che
foo. Russia gets everything from tn "
coal. beef. and vegetables. So til"
viorroT'S every effort is turned 70 g,t-
iMT aS much provisions as possible"
from Chef"o. He made nearly all thu
steamers stop running to other places
ana commissioned them for Transporter
ti"n. The c&rcoes have increased ten
i"ll
What will Fort Arthur do if the land
cagu",tior he destroyed by our JaI.n-
cSr army when the yellow Sea IL our
own" The city has no coal. food i, not
sufficient. aud where is the do~k: II
Is ,I.ll' that Russia does not desire y i
at WI. Eut She is showing that she Il
repdy any time for war. since her di-
flomacy would noa work if she did not
demonstrate her wah preparation. yes.
she Is preparing for war But her prep
arations are far from complete, The
viccroy is doing hiS utmost. Howevc..
H. declared ~ the Japanese lnhorers-
twenty III ail--at Port Arthur that Rus
sia and Japan would never come to -
ruIture. Il they insist on returning ,tr
Japan. he SAYS he will lot pay them
even cont, ana viii give them no PASS
ports. He is an absolute tyrunt.
And Russia commands uo respect
among tie Manchurilns. The Russian
officers are the objects Of HATRED.